John Riggins was born on August 4, 1949, in Seneca, Kansas. He grew up in Centralia, where he went to Centralia High School. There, he played football and basketball.
Riggins went to the University of Kansas. He played football for the Jayhawks. He set school records and helped the team win the Big Eight championship. He finished college with the most rushing yards in school history.
In 1971, Riggins was drafted by the New York Jets. He became their top running back quickly. He set team records and earned two MVP awards. In 1976, he joined the Washington Redskins.
With the Redskins, Riggins became famous for his powerful running. He set a then-NFL record of 24 rushing touchdowns in 1983. At age 34 and 35, he led the league in rushing touchdowns. In 1982, he was named MVP of Super Bowl XVII after a dominant performance. He helped the Redskins win their first Super Bowl in decades.
Riggins retired after 14 NFL seasons. He rushed for over 11,000 yards and scored 104 rushing touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
Riggins has strong ties to Seneca and Centralia. Centralia High School’s football field is named Riggins Field. The street near the school is named John Riggins Avenue. Riggins and his family attended the dedication ceremony in 2012.
Riggins grew up in Centralia, Kansas, and played football, basketball, and track & field at Centralia High School.
John Riggins amassed 11,352 rushing yards and 104 rushing touchdowns, along with 250 career receptions during his Hall of Fame career as a fullback.
