Washington Redskins Top Ten Draft Successes--Darrell Green (Video)

by Ken Meringolo on Apr 12, 2011 10:36 AM EDT in Redskins 2011 Draft

At least the Durant Brooks post got some of you talking a little yesterday. And yes, H-U-B-R-I-S...got it.

I am forever thankful that even when there is literally nothing to ratchet up the blood pressure in Redskins Nation, a few hundred words on a below average punter sparks some spirited debate. And no, I will not be voting for Durant Brooks for the top bust. In fact, I will add a choice to the ten and give him the chance to sneak off the list altogether.

But let's focus on a pick that the Redskins used in 1983 to bring in a player that would become one of the all-time greats and a fan favorite for multiple generations.

Darrell Green: 28th overall pick in the 1st round of the 1983 NFL draft. He played for 20 seasons in Washington, trotting out a 42-year old body at the end that still had some juice in it (powered by the Tootsie Roll in his sock of course.)

His longevity is well-documented by numerous NFL records. It was uncanny how a man of his small physical stature remained healthy enough to play for that long. His speed was amazing to watch. Whenever you watched a play on TV where an opposing offensive player broke away, you always knew that Darrell would enter the picture somehow, some way. In fact, it was his first regular season game where he made such a play, running down Tony Dorsett on national television to save a touchdown.

Darrell had a real connection with the fans. We always knew he was going to give maximum effort and he genuinely cared about winning--the idea that some players really don't care continues to baffle me.

For many, the punt return against Chicago in the 1987 playoff game that sealed the victory stands out as Darrell's defining moment. His pass defense on the final play of the NFC Championship Game that same postseason against Minnesota will always loom as large to me.

It is hard to argue with the success this first-rounder had for the burgundy and gold over 20 seasons. Enjoy this Darrell Green video:

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There's a reason i got 28 at the end of my SN

Great guy on and off the field, 110% effort 110% of the time

by skinsfan28 on Apr 12, 2011 11:15 AM EDT reply actions

All Time Favorite Redskins Hands Down

Truthfully without Darrell Green, Im not as huge of a Redskins fan. I still wear my number 28 Jersey on some game days. All time nice guy, he was my Mom’s Boss neighbor an dI got to meet him in person and hang ou twith him for a day it was awesome.

by RibDawg on Apr 12, 2011 11:38 AM EDT reply actions

I miss the 80s and early 90s football teams and games

We were so dominant but also humble like Darrell. There wasn’t any of that strutting BS that the Cowboys had (and still do).
The Redskins of that era came to work, did their work well, and just dominated for over a decade. You never saw any chest banging, that stupid thing the Cowboys always do-jumping up in the air, back to back and bumping butts. There weren’t ever any drama queens or people bitching about contracts-just playoffs and Super Bowl’s.
That’s what character is all about, and it’s something this franchise needs to learn again.

We’ve got a few players that meet the criteria-London Fletcher, Reed Doughty, Santana Moss, and Chris Cooley. All these guys would be right at home on the roster of those Redskins teams. LaRon Landry might also be there, but he would have to do about one quarter of the chest pounding he does now-it is freaking ridiculous.

I can’t tell you how pissed off I got having to watch number 28 lose his starting spot to number 21. That’s when I knew that we did not have an owner who had a clue about the Redskins tradition.

The world looks mighty different when you're peeking out your belly button

by Skins Fan '77 on Apr 12, 2011 12:17 PM EDT reply actions

that's what I miss too

and 1 reason I don’t have more sympathy for the players is the kind of behavior you described.

by aFan4Life on Apr 13, 2011 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Growing up

the only person I wanted to be was Darrell Green. during the summer I wore a ripped up t-shirt with 28 drawn on the front and back and had the nickname “lil Darrell” whenever i played corner. In high school 28 was already taken so I chose 17 since the original DWill wore it for the skins, and I alternated between QB and CB mostly. I still idolize him to this day. If most of the guys on D today would give half the effort #28 gave, we would own alot of teams we go up against

by Lil_Dwilliams17 on Apr 12, 2011 12:49 PM EDT reply actions

Nice to see you are reading my posts, Ken

Since you brought THE PLAY into the matter of Darrell’s props after I mentioned it in the Sammy Baugh post, along with the Minn game that was my buddy’s last game in the NFL (the play Darrell broke up? Target was DJ Dozier, my bud from HS).

Darrell is DEFINITELY a draft success, one of the all time greats for the Redskins. Considering he was one of only THREE first round picks over a 21 year period, though, he better have been a great, HOF, all time Redskin…. the other two were (well, one isn’t a HOFer, but he’s a Ring of Famer).

But… consider who ELSE was drafted in the first round that year…. and the odds of a great were pretty good (although some teams just got absolute stinkers that year, the bulk of the first rounders were at least good, and some, like that dude taken directly before Darrell was pretty good, too. That might have been the all time greatest first round of all time.

No Danny, Nooooooo - Tom Landry, 1982., and Washington Redskins fans, 1999-

by BillWard on Apr 12, 2011 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

I would call it the greatest round period, ever, in a draft.

John Elway, Eric Dickerson, Bruce matthews, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Darrell Green, Willie Gault, Tony Eason, ken O’Brien, Jim Jeffcoat, Curt Warner, Terry Kinard…plus like 6 other Pro Bowlers.

by Ken Meringolo on Apr 12, 2011 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions