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In the 1983 NFL Draft, Washington, the then-reigning Super Bowl champion, selected Darrell Green with the 28^th and final pick of the first round. The cornerback had broken numerous football and track and field accolades at Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) and seemed poised to make an impact at the next level.

It didn't take long. In Washington's first preseason game against Atlanta, Green touched the football for the first time as a pro and, boom, scored on a 61-yard punt return!

Green put the league on notice during his rookie season by leading the team with 79 solo tackles. Some of his best highlights included the iconic chase-downs of star Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett on Monday Night Football and the Packers' Gerry Ellis. The speedy corner was the runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording two interceptions and 109 total tackles.

Green played a pivotal role in Washington's Super Bowl run the following season. In the postseason, he scored a game-winning 52-yard punt return touchdown in the divisional round against the Bears. Believe it or not, Green tore his rib cartilage during the play. But did he sit out? Nope! He powered through and was back on the field the following week. In that epic NFC Championship against the Vikings, Green came up clutch once again by knocking down a fourth-down pass with less than minute left to seal the victory for the Burgundy & Gold.

A sugary secret may or may not have been key to his success. Green was said to put a Tootsie Roll in his sock prior to games. "They make you run fast!", he claimed.

Over the next decade, the self-proclaimed "itty bitty guy" continued to make a big difference for Washington. Green didn't slow down as the '90s came around. The next several years included highs like his second Super Bowl ring after the 1991 season and longest pick-six of his career for 83 yards in a 1997 game against the Eagles.

Green went on to break the record for most games played by any player in Washington history later that season. He still holds the record at 20 full seasons played with the team.

Green was a pillar in the community both during and after his time with the team. He founded the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation in 1988 and won the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 1996.

"I'm not motivated by money or fame, I'm motivated by impact," he said. "There's something we can do that can never fade. We can teach young people the right way to live. That's what I've put my life into. That's what is in my heart."

Darrell Green had always been known for his speed, from running a rumored 4.09 40-yard dash in 1986 training camp to winning the NFL's Fastest Man competition four times. Even at 40-years old, Green was still blazing fast, clocking a 4.24 40-yard dash.

By the time Green hung up his cleats in 2002 at 42 years old, he held the club record for most interceptions (54), most interceptions returned for touchdowns (6), longest fumble return (78 yards), oldest player to have an interception (41 years old), and most consecutive seasons with an interception (19 – still a league record). He also only missed 25 games throughout his entire NFL career.