Darrell Green Darrell Ray Green ( born February 15 , 1960 ) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002 . He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football . Green was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . The self - proclaimed " itty bitty guy , " Green was nicknamed the " Ageless Wonder " by his peers and the general media for his remarkable ability to maintain a high level of play well into the twilight of his career . Green was also known for his speed and was one of the fastest players in the history of the NFL . Early life . Green was born in Houston , Texas and attended Jesse H . Jones High School . While there , he was an All - State selection in track and an All - City pick in football , in which he was a walk - on . Green made the junior varsity football team his junior year , and then made the varsity team as a senior . College career . Green attended and played college football and track at Texas A & I University ( now Texas A & M - Kingsville ) . He finished his Bachelor of Science degree in general studies at St . Paul ' s College in Lawrenceville , Virginia . Football . In 1982 , Green was selected by his teammates as captain , was named a first team All - America n , and was the Most Valuable Player in the Lone Star Conference . During his senior year , Green had 56 tackles , four interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns . He was selected to the Lone Star Conference Team of the Decade for the 1980s . Track . In track and field , Green set numerous national and conference records and earned ten All - America certificates . His first meet was in 1982 in San Angelo , Texas , where he ran a 10 . 08 in the 100 meters . The mark still stands as the all - time best in the Lone Star Conference . At the 1982 NCAA championships Green finished 6th in the 100 meter dash and 7th in the 200 meter dash . Green ' s all - time collegiate best in the 100 was 10 . 08 , 20 . 50 in the 200 meters and 45 . 90 in the 400 meters . He was named the most valuable track performer at the 1982 and 1983 Lone Star Conference Championships . He won gold medals at the LSC meet in the 100 meters in 1981 and in the 100 meters and 200 meters in 1982 and in 1983 . Green was named to the NCAA Division I All - America roster in 1981 and 1982 , and was on the NCAA Division II All - America team in five events in 1981 and 1982 . He was NAIA All - America in 1981 and 1982 in four events . Professional career . Green was the last player selected in the first round ( 28th overall ) of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins . The first time he touched the ball , during a pre - season game against the Atlanta Falcons , he returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown . During his first regular - season game , he made his first big play when he ran down running back Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys to prevent a touchdown . Green started all 16 regular season games during his rookie season and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 109 and led the team in solo tackles with 79 . He was runner - up for the Associated Press NFL Rookie of the Year Award . During the strike - shortened 1987 season , the Redskins went 11 – 4 and Green had a very successful year . He registered a career - high three interceptions in a game against the Detroit Lions on November 15 , 1987 . Two of his more notable performances occurred in that post season . One happened during a against the Chicago Bears , where he returned a punt 52 yards for the game winning touchdown . Green tore rib cartilage while vaulting over a tackler during the return , but he merely grabbed his side and kept running until he scored . Then in the , on a pivotal fourth - down pass play at the goalline late in the game , Green jarred the ball from Minnesota ’ s Darrin Nelson to secure a Redskins 17 - 10 victory that enabled the team to go to Super Bowl XXII . Green was also successful in the 1990s . In 1997 , Green returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles , which was the longest return of his career . Then on December 13 , 1997 , he played in his 217th career game as a Redskin , breaking Monte Coleman ' s record for games played . In a 1999 game against the Arizona Cardinals , he intercepted his 50th NFL pass against Jake Plummer at FedExField . In his last game on December 29 , 2002 , Green and the Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys 20 - 14 at FedExField . During the game , he returned a punt on a reverse from Champ Bailey for 35 yards which is the longest gain of any kind for a player his age ( 42 years , 327 days ) . Green retired after the 2002 season at the age of 42 , the oldest Redskin , having played for six head coaches : Joe Gibbs , Richie Petitbon , Norv Turner , Terry Robiskie , Marty Schottenheimer and Steve Spurrier . Green and former Los Angeles / St . Louis Rams offensive lineman Jackie Slater are the only players in NFL history to play for the same team for 20 seasons . In his 20 NFL seasons , Green recorded 54 interceptions , which he returned for 621 yards and six touchdowns . He also added two additional touchdowns on interception returns in the post season . Three times he recorded a career - best of five interceptions in a season ( 1984 , 1986 , and 1991 ) . Green also returned 51 punts for 611 yards and recovered 10 fumbles , returning them for 131 yards and two touchdowns . Also known for staying healthy , he missed just 25 games throughout his career . He is the four - time winner of the NFL ' s Fastest Man competition , and the only undefeated multiple winner in NFL history . Green was with the Redskins for their victories in Super Bowl s XXII and XXVI , and started in their loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII . Green recorded an interception in Super Bowl XXVI and a then - record 34 - yard punt return in Super Bowl XVIII . Green was named All - Pro in 1986 , 1987 , 1990 , and 1991 and was voted to seven Pro Bowl s . He is a member of the National Football League 1990s All - Decade Team as well as winning all four NFL Fastest Man competitions he participated in . His pre - game rituals included eating and sticking Tootsie Rolls in his sock claiming that the candy helped him run fast . After football . Green was in the news on February 16 , 2010 , his 50th birthday , for reportedly running a 4 . 43 second 40 - yard dash . On April 26 , 2013 , Green announced that he had accepted a position as Special Assistant for Student – Athlete Development and Public Relations at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg , Virginia . Charities and foundations . In 1988 , Green founded the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation , a faith - based charitable organization , in an effort to " meet the needs of children , their families and the communities in which they live . " In addition , he served as a board member for the Baltimore - Washington 2012 Summer Olympics Bid , NFL / NFLPA September 11th Relief Fund , and the Loudoun Education Foundation . In 2003 , he was selected to serve as the Chair of President Bush ’ s Council on Service and Civic Participation . He currently sits on the boards of the Wolf Trap Foundation as its National Spokesman for Education and Marymount University . Honors . In 1999 , while still active , Green was ranked number 81 on " The Sporting News " ' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players . Green has received honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from Marymount University in 1999 , and St . Paul ' s College and George Washington University in 2002 . In 2004 , Green was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 2 , 2008 . His fellow Hall of Fame classmates include former Redskins teammate Art Monk , and his former position coach Emmitt Thomas . Green has also been inducted into the NCAA Division II Hall of Fame , the Texas Sports Hall of Fame , the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor and the Javelina Hall of Fame . In December 2007 , Green was voted the All - Time Redskins Legend in a WUSA - TV Channel 9 online poll . In Loudoun County , Virginia , where Green lives , State Route 28 is named Darrell Green Boulevard . Personal . Green is married and has three children . Green ' s son Jared plays professional football for the Dallas Cowboys . Darrell Green is a devout Christian . Business . Green has a professional services company that manages his appearances and autograph requests , www . DarrellGreen . com . He has also recently started an online fitness company promoting increased physical activity through simply walking called WalkFitHealth Nation . External links .