UPDATE: The Commanders announced on July 22 that Green's number will be retired on Oct. 20, when they host the Panthers in a 4:05 p.m. start. Full original story on the announcement of Green's number retirement below.
One of Josh Harris’ first phone calls when he assumed Commanders ownership was to Darrell Green, one of his favorite Redskins growing up – and soon, Green will be the first Washington number to be retired in the Harris era.
The Commanders announced Thursday that Green’s No. 28 will be retired sometime during the 2024 season, joining Green with “Slingin’” Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sonny Jurgensen, and Sean Taylor as now the fifth retired number in franchise history.
"This decision comes as a tribute to Green’s unparalleled contributions to both our franchise and the league as a whole,” the team said in a release announcing the honor. “Darrell Green's legacy transcends the boundaries of the football field. Throughout his remarkable career, Green embodied the values of excellence, perseverance, and sportsmanship on and off the field. Retiring Darrell Green's jersey symbolizes our commitment to preserving the rich history and tradition of our franchise. His presence as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Burgundy and Gold will forever be felt at Commanders Field, serving as an inspiration to current and future generations of players, coaches, and fans."
Green spent his entire 20-year NFL career in DC after being a first-round pick in 1983, and he ended up as a four-time All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and franchise record holder in several categories as well as the NFL’s all-time leader in most games played by a defender (295) and most consecutive seasons with an interception (19).
He is in the Commanders Ring of Fame and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, his first year of eligibility, and will now be immortalized forever in franchise lore.
"I'm humbly grateful. I feel like crying just thinking about it right now. This means a lot to me," Green said, per the team’s official website statement. “I would’ve never dreamed this. I was so shocked. It's almost like it breathed life into me. I have never been so surprised, shocked. My head is still spinning, but I am a million percent humbled."
Even cooler than the honor itself: Green was surprised by the honor at Commanders Park, as he thought he was coming to read a script for a team-produced video promoting the NFL Draft – but realized at the end it was honoring him, and he was surprised by his family, and co-owner Mitch Rales, all wearing No. 28 jerseys to celebrate him.
"It means a ton to me," Green told ESPN’s John Keim. "I never thought about this, never dreamed about it, never asked about it, whatever. But when it was spoken to me, it blew me away. It caught me. It touched something down on the inside of me that I didn't know was there. So now I'm very humbled by this, but this is huge. This is a big deal, and I'm grateful for that. And I'm that guy that played the whole career here, wasn't chasing the money and stuff, and it just kind of, in many ways, it just validated, man, I made the right decision."
The Commanders have not issued No. 28 since Green’s retirement after the 2002 season, and now, no one else will ever wear it.
And after his day in Ashburn, Green is headed out to Detroit, where he will read the name of the Commanders’ first second-round pick Friday night as part of a league tradition of team legends introducing second-round selections.
In addition to the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants, the Commanders’ home opponents in 2024 include the Falcons, Panthers, Browns, Steelers, Titans, and Bears.