John Riggins is a former professional football player. Riggins attended the University of Kansas and played for the Jayhawks, where he was an All-American and two-time All-Big Eight Conference first-team selection. Riggins led the Jayhawks to a Big Eight Conference championship win in 1968.

Riggins was a fullback in the NFL for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. He was known for his powerful running style and productivity well into the latter years of his career: in 1983 at age 34, he rushed for an NFL single-season record 24 touchdowns and again led the league in rushing touchdowns the following year at age 35. Although he earned only one Pro Bowl appearance in his career, Riggins had his greatest success in the postseason and was named the Super Bowl XVII MVP where he scored one touchdown and rushed for 166 yards in a 27–17 win for the Washington Redskins over the Miami Dolphins.

Since retiring from professional football, Riggins has worked as a sports commentator on television and radio. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2016, Riggins returned to ESPN 980 Redskins radio in a variety of roles.