Commanders to Retire No. 44 Worn by Hall of Famer John Riggins

ESPN ^ | Jul 9, 2026 | John Keim

[nickcarraway]

Is it true that Riggins won't say Commanders? (He never played on the Commanders.)

[BenLurkin]

“Loosen up Sandy baby” was classic.

[TnTnTn]

👏👏👏👊

[um1990]

“Commanders” - What a Joke!

[Carry_Okie]

The Washington Commanders

A name meant to please the bureaucrats and lobbyists who can afford to attend the games.

[Spit]

[Allegra]

Love Riggo. I even had a little crush on him back then.

I still remember him showing up unannounced and hammered with a couple of friends on Joe Theiesmann’s weekly local TV show shortly after the Redskins won the ‘ 83 Super Bowl. It was hilarious.

[nickcarraway]

LOL. It sounds like an early 60’s song title.

[packrat35]

He played for the Washington Redskins.

[blackdog]

"Thanks, but who and what are these Commanders?"

- John Riggins.

[HYPOCRACY]

Named after Biden’s vicious dog.

[dfwgator]

I remember when he had a mohawk when he played for the Jets.

[Reily]

Who are the Washington Commanders? Never heard of them. There once was a Washington Redskin football team but something happened to them.

[rlmorel]

I was a huge Deadskins fan back in the day, through the George Allen years and such, and Riggins, though a total and complete wreck as a person, marched to his own drumbeat.

I heard him interviewed some time back, and I found it impossible not to like him personally. He wrestled with demons and won.

And he ran like a Mack truck wrestling with demons.

[rlmorel]

He marched to the beat of his own drum...and he got sober. I enjoyed listening to him talk about those days. He has it in context, and it isn’t him today.

Not wholly, at least...:)

[rlmorel]

I heard an interview of former NFL running back John Riggins where they convinced him to talk about the time he was invited to attend a Washington Press Club's annual black-tie event, "Salute to Congress," at the Washington Sheraton. He was a guest of People magazine. He famously called Justice O'Connor "Sandy Baby"!

---

Riggins said: "I had been with a good friend, had a few beers, didn't bother to eat, went down to the hotel where the party was, walked in and, God I don't know why, because I hardly ever drink it, I had a double scotch. And I had another."

Riggins approached his table, where he was seated with governors, magazine editors and, of course, a Supreme Court justice. Riggins saw Virginia Governor Chuck Robb. “Gooo-be-na-tooor!," he said, according to Robb. "I understand that we’re going to be seated at the same table tonight!” The dinner began.

Riggins continued: "I continued to drink my dinner..." after refusing food. Governor Robb explained: “There were two bottles of red wine and John, in a very expressive mode, managed to mow both of them down. So they brought two more bottles of red wine, also within John’s reach, and [he] somehow managed to knock them over. So, at this point, the table is covered with red wine.”

O'Connor was about to leave because she had an early commitment the next morning. Riggins approached O'Connor's seat, put his arm around her husband, looked over at the first female justice in history and uttered the famous line, "Come on, loosen up, Sandy baby, you're too tight."

Riggins then fell asleep on the floor, during a gaggle of dignitaries' speeches, which included then-Vice President George H.W. Bush.

O'Connor's husband said that she found the whole incident amusing...when Riggins tried his hand at acting after retiring from football, O'Connor was at his first performance. She gave him a bouquet of roses during the curtain call.

---

The reason I bring this up, is that when People Magazine (who invited him) called and complained about his conduct, Riggins (a known wing nut and alcoholic at the time) said something like:

"Hey! What are you bellyaching about? You knew what I was when you invited me!"

Love it. And he is so spot on. They had to know what they were getting.

[kawhill]

John Riggins, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, was born in Seneca, Kansas, and grew up in the small town of Centralia, Kansas, where he attended Centralia High School. He went on to play college football for the Kansas Jayhawks at the University of Kansas.

[ifinnegan]

The what?

Commodores was a band.

Commanders are cigarettes.

[sphinx]

“Loosen up, Sandy baby.”

I forget the details. Was he passed out drunk under the table and they woke him up?

[11th_VA]

Loosen up Sandy baby”

Lol - my first memory as well …

[DIRTYSECRET]

2 guys had to hold him up when he left.

I do believe the quote was “Lighten up Sandy baby, you’re too uptight.”