The Scale of Falconliness, Running Backs Week: Gerald Riggs

by Jason Kirk on Aug 25, 2010 1:00 PM EDT in The Scale of Falconliness

Who's the ultimate Falcon? And who's the ultimate anti-Falcon? That's what we're going to find out with our summer project: the Scale of Falconliness. We'll rate former Falcons on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most Falconly. The rule: minimum of three seasons with the Falcons for coaches, five seasons for players.

Gerald Riggs, (1982 - 1988)

Falconly

Unfalconly

Seven years with the Falcons.
Two-time Falcons Player of the Year award winner, 1984 and 1985. One of only two players to win the award in consecutive years, along with Grapplin' Bill Fralic.
Three straight Pro Bowls, 1985 to 1987.
Three of the seven best single-season rushing totals in Falcons history.
Top ten in the league in rushing yards, attempts, and yards per game for four straight years.
Tied with Michael Vick for most NFC Player of the Week awards as a Falcon (4).
Franchise's career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, and carries/receptions leader. Second in yards per game among all qualifiers.

Though he spent far more time with the Falcons, most people outside of Georgia would identify him as a Washington Redskin due to his two Super Bowl XXVI touchdowns. Good glory that's depressing.
Only started 66 games in Atlanta.
Some of you may be concerned to note his son, Gerald Riggs, Jr., ran for 100 yards as a Tennessee Volunteer in a 2004 win over UGA.

Current standings after the jump:

Poll

How Falconly is Gerald Riggs?

1

3 votes

2

1 votes

3

3 votes

4

3 votes

5

4 votes

6

10 votes

7

36 votes

8

38 votes

9

50 votes

10

24 votes

172 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

8

good player but was here very long. He did sign some stuff for my kid, so I give him props for that as well.

Life is a garden. Dig it!

by Hardcore Falcon on Aug 25, 2010 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

8

Nothing against Riggs, a very good player who I respect very much, but he did have substantial years elsewhere.

by Dave Choate on Aug 25, 2010 3:11 PM EDT reply actions

Wanted to give him a 7-8 but he was a workhorse for the Falcons, leads in yardage and since he ranks in the Top 3 for Atlanta backs I gave him a 9. Trying to stay consistent.

by JCush on Aug 25, 2010 6:27 PM EDT reply actions

7

He was a very good back for us for a too-short time; he succeeded in spite of Dan Henning’s offense. But.

He took William Andrews’ place, and Andrews is in my top 5 Falcons players. Also, GOD he became a MAJOR annoyance with the Redskins.

So no high score for you, Gerry.

by johnnybacardi on Aug 25, 2010 9:55 PM EDT reply actions

You guys have Gerald Riggs currently rated .73 points higher than Keith Brooking, which means many of you are high on weed, drugs, and pot.

Excuse my language, ma'am, but that damn Dodd's gonna beat my butt today. -- Bear Bryant, November 1962

SB Nation Atlanta · The Falcoholic · Blog · Twitter

by Jason Kirk on Aug 25, 2010 10:07 PM EDT reply actions

The Brooking hate is still fresh

Still raw.

by Dave Choate on Aug 25, 2010 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Brooking will rise to 8+ over the next several years. Brooking left on not so positive terms with many Falcons fans so give it time.

by JCush on Aug 25, 2010 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I am with you...

Sometimes the older players have an advantage for many of us haven’t even seen them play…like Riggs.

"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones

by Jman781 on Aug 26, 2010 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions

10. But alot of that is for having met the guy.

42 was a MONSTER running back, and he’s a great guy.

I “played” in a Falcons charity golf tournement a few years ago. I shook his and and didn’t say anything, then went back to find im to tell him I was star struck, and, “I was a huge fan until you went to the ’Skins. Then you were spawn of Satan.” He said, “Man, I was as surprised as you when that trade happened.”

After his years with the Falcons and his real success years with Washington, he came back here and is a member of the Falcons “family.” If that makes me high on weed, then I’m…um…what?

How many more days, Lord, must I walk through the wilderness?

by AnOldBird on Aug 25, 2010 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

Those unfalconly things he really couldn’t help.
Especially if the trade was out of his control.
What was unfalconly was the Falcons themselves ironically for giving him up.
The Falcons of back then would today trade away Michael Turner Matt Ryan, for some more scrubs from Va Tech.

Perhaps, I must go through Hell to get to Heaven......................if there is one.

by brotherbrown on Aug 26, 2010 12:38 AM EDT reply actions

9

2nd best runningback ever for Falcons behind William Andrews and just ahead of JAM!!
I mean he was………wait………..what was I talking about????

What body part do pot smokers say over and over all the time???
“ear man, "ear!!

Thanx for readin’

I pray unto thee, oh Lords of football, please let the Atlanta Falcons WIN THE DAMN SUPERBOWL THIS YEAR!!!....Amen

by ATLsince1972 on Aug 26, 2010 12:41 AM EDT reply actions

I'm on the waxy weed as well

He didn’t leave, he was traded. So the evil right column is void. He was a minor talking point out in Cali for the wonderful tidbit of the Falcons going 1-7 when he rushed for over 100 yds one season. Can’t remember which but I’m pretty sure we were 4-12. God how I hated hearing that or seeing that under his name. He made u proud to be a falcon fan at a time when there wasn’t much to be proud of.

by aces666high on Aug 26, 2010 2:33 AM EDT reply actions