Rivera was careful with his answer, as any comparison to Green was bound to carry tremendous weight. Green, who played with the Washington Redskins at cornerback from 1983 to 2002, logged 53 interceptions over the course of his 20-year career, garnering Pro Bowl honors seven times and All-Pro consideration in 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1991.
At the end of it all, Darrell Green was awarded a golden jacket, for the role he played in sustaining one of the NFL’s historic dynasties. Few fanbases respect a player the way Redskins fans respect Green. Rivera didn’t back down from the lofty comparison, but he didn’t name a defensive back in his reply.