John Riggins SAIC Speech

In this video, Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee and Super Bowl MVP, John Riggins, speaks at SAIC's annual leadership conference. He explains that the guys who had the highest tolerance for pain, were usually the most successful. He believes this is because pain is basically something you can give yourself permission to fail.

John Riggins was born in Seneca, Kansas and attended Centralia High School where he starred in football and became a two-time state champion in the 100-Yard-Dash.  At 6’2” and 230 pounds, he possessed a dazzling combination of size and speed.  While playing football at the University of Kansas, Riggins surpassed Gale Sayers’ career rushing record.  In 1971, he was selected as the sixth overall pick by the New York Jets. He spent five years with the Jets and became the first back in franchise history to rush for more than 1000 yards in a single season.  In 1972, he was voted the Jets’ Most Valuable Player.   Later that year, he joined the Washington Redskins where he remained until retiring in 1985.