As a Redskins fan, there is no doubt the greatest player for Washington during my lifetime is Darrell Green. A model of class and consistency, Green is beloved by all who bleed burgundy and gold.
I just wrote that it is very difficult to find that one signature Art Monk moment. However, that isn't the case with Green.
That 1987 Divisional Playoff game against the Chicago Bears where he returned a punt 52 yards for a momentum-changing touchdown is something I know I will never forget. That was an outstanding moment in a postseason filled with outstanding moments. The next week, the Redskins needed a goal line stand to beat the Vikings in the NFC Championship game. It was Green who jarred the would-be reception loose on the game's final play.
That punt return always reminds me of how I used to watch those "NFL's fastest man" competitions that Green used to keep on winning. Also reminded me of whenever he did go back to return a punt or something ... you stayed glued to the TV.
To me, Green made the cornerback a cool position to play. Just some small guy in a sport of giants who used his amazing speed to make them all look like fools. Small, but tough (he tore a rib muscle during the return against the Bears ... but stayed in the game).
That speed. Speed kills in all sports, but it usually has a shelf life. Injuries and age eventually take it away ... well, for most people. Green somehow kept that speed during his entire NFL career. When he was 40, he ran a 4.24 in the 40-yard dash.
Twenty seasons with the Washington Redskins (a record). Nineteen years with an interception (another record). Most games played by a defensive player. Oh, and this play where he ran down Tony Dorsett:
