RB | 1971-1975

Inducted: 1992

Riggins cemented his NFL reputation as a Washington Redskin, but for the first five years of his 14-year career, he built his Hall of Fame foundation in New York. "Riggo," an All-American and Big Eight rushing champion at the University of Kansas, was the Jets' first pick, sixth overall, in the 1971 draft. He wasn't a spectacular runner but rather was the quintessential workhorse ballcarrier who specialized in gaining tough yardage in big games. He played that half-decade in green, rushing for 3,880 yards on 928 carries (4.2-yard average) and 25 touchdowns. Then he left for the Redskins as a free agent and played nine more seasons (voluntarily sitting out in 1980).

Riggins rushed for more than 1,000 yards five times in his career (once as a Jet) and more than 100 yards in 35 games (10 as a Jet), including a then-record six in the postseason. He played in the 1976 Pro Bowl. And he piled up impressive career stats — 11,352 yards and 104 touchdowns rushing, 13,442 yards and 116 TDs from scrimmage.

The pinnacle of his career came in 1982 and '83, when he played in both NFC championship games and both Super Bowls in those seasons. In Super Bowl XVII, he was named MVP for his 166 rushing yards on a then-record 38 carries, including the relentless 43-yard touchdown run that clinched Washington's 27-17 victory over Miami.

Riggins followed that Super Bowl success with a sensational 1983 campaign in which he rushed for a career-high 1,347 yards and recorded 24 touchdowns (all on the ground), setting a league TD record that stood for 12 seasons. After Super Bowl XVIII, he was named All-Pro for the only time in his career.