WASHINGTON — Commanders fans will celebrate history for one of the team's greatest players. Darrell Green, who spent a record 20 seasons with the Washington franchise, will have his jersey retired during the Carolina Panthers game on Oct. 20 at Commanders Field.
Known for his speed, Green is a four-time winner of the NFL's Fastest Man Competition, was named an Associated Press All-Pro three times and was voted into seven Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, and played in two of Washington's Super Bowl victories.
"I am beyond grateful for this honor and to new ownership, who embraced my wife and me from day one,” Green told WUSA9 when his jersey retirement was announced in April. “I played my whole career here, met my wife here, served my church and community here, and I am humbled to have my jersey retired here. The team means everything to this community, and I am encouraged not only for us to win a Super Bowl, but to win the community back.”
Green joins Sonny Jurgensen (No. 9), Bobby Mitchell (No. 49), Sammy Baugh (No. 33), and Sean Taylor (No. 21) as the only Washington players to have their numbers retired.
When asked what it means that no one would wear No. 28 again, it was clear it was still sinking in for the star player, who describes himself as a sober guy.
"In this case, I'm giving myself the freedom to celebrate," he said with a pause. "I appreciate that people appreciate me."
"All of the celebration is all of us," Green said. "I'm from D.C. This is my community, my family, my children, my church. I'm y'all's."
For Green, the jersey retirement means more than all his other accolades.
"This is my family... My people are saying, my team — 20 years! My whole life! — they're saying, 'Dude. You're that dude, man!' That humbles me and makes me happy," he said.
Tickets for the game can be purchased here.