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The Scale of Falconliness, Running Backs Week: Gerald Riggs

By Jason Kirk

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:

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