This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/10/2001.
Fresh on the heels of breaking Gale Sayers' rushing records at Kansas, John Riggins made the culture-shock move from the Heartland to the Big Apple and New York Jets. Riggns was a first-round pick, and 6th overall, in the 1971 pro draft. Big, burly and with a bloodhound-like smell for open field, Riggins was a worthy successor to Matt Snell as the Jets' fullback, notching 769 yards and a 4.3-yard per rush average, as well as grabbing a career-high 36 passes for 231 yards. Riggins would play in the bogs of Shea Stadium from 1971 to 1975, during which he morphed from country hick to a Mohawk-wearing, anti-hero rebel that made even Joe Namath seem like a Boy Scout. His anti-establishment tendencies didn't crimp his game as he gained the first Jets runner to amass 1,000 yards when he ground out 1,005 in 1975. But the far-out Riggins was too much for the Jets to put up with and in 1976 he signed as a free agent with the Redskins. As a Skin he ran for over 1,000 yards 4 times, rushed for a then-record 24 TDs in 1983 and won the Super Bowl XVII MVP when he set then-records with 38 carries and 166 yards. His classic moment, however, came at a post-Super Bowl banquet in D.C. when Riggins found himself sitting next to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and told her, "Loosen up, Sandy baby." With his career 11,352 rushing yards and 104 TDs, Riggins was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992. This Jets' green durene jersey worn by Riggins in his rookie season of 1971 has the "Sand-Knit exclusive label in the crotch piece next to the "Sand-Knit" label with the size "52." On the back is a green nameplate with "Riggins" and the player number "44" is on the front, back and on each sleeve. The numbers on the front and back are made of white tackle twill and those on the sleeves are made of green tackle twill. There are repair marks on the front and back. The jersey shows very good game-use and with the exception of the repair marks, appears to have no other alterations of any kind.