John Riggins did not walk into Washington and immediately claim No. 44.
When he first arrived in 1976, the veteran running back was given No. 29, a detail that has slipped past plenty of Washington fans over the years. The reason traces back to Moses Denson, a George Allen draft pick whose brief run in Washington kept 44 off Riggins at first.
Allen had selected Denson in the eighth round of the 1972 draft, 203rd overall, after deciding the Maryland Eastern Shore back could be an NFL runner. Denson had already spent the 1970 and 1971 seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes, and he did not join Washington until the 1974 season. He spent two quiet years with the Redskins in 1974 and 1975 before the team moved on.
That opened the door for Riggins, who had come into the league with the Jets in 1971 and worn No. 44 for his five seasons in New York. At the start of training camp in 1976, he was handed No.
- Then, on August 24, as Washington cut down its roster, Denson was released.
He was never signed by another team and never played in the NFL again.
Once Denson was gone, No. 44 was back on the table, and Riggins wasted no time taking it. From there, the number became part of Washington history through the end of the 1985 season, Riggins’ last. His work in Burgundy and Gold was enough to land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 1992 class.
And one more notable footnote: no Washington player has worn No. 44 in an NFL regular-season game since Riggins’ 1985 season. The Commanders will officially retire his iconic No. 44 during the 2026 regular season.
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