Hundreds of people packed Franklin Park Saturday morning to celebrate one of the D.C. area’s most beloved athletes — legendary Washington cornerback Darrell Green.
During Green’s 20-year football career, he helped bring a pair of Super Bowl trophies back to the nation’s capital.
“Darrell, you represent D.C. values. You represent the D.C. spirit — scrappy, fast, underestimated and a champion,” Mayor Muriel Bowser told the crowd.
“It’s my pleasure, as your mayor, to do something I’ve only done just a handful of times before. I’ve got to tell you, I’m stingy with this key. This key represents the spirit of Washington. It’s my honor to today introduce the Darrell Green with the key to Washington, D.C.”
During the presentation Bowser made Green, a native of Houston, an honorary Washingtonian.
“Darrell is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He knows that, but he walks with a humility that is refreshing and a commitment to the city,” Bowser said. “He told me he met his wife when he was a rookie, and he’s been here ever since. And that doesn’t happen a lot in professional sports.”
Jewell Green explained how the day felt for her and her husband.
“It’s amazing. It’s all the things that I wanted for us to stay in this city, and it paid off. You know, I knew that if we stayed I thought God would bless that decision because he clearly told us to stay, and it would be multiplied double-fold for us, probably tripled,” Jewell Green said.
During his speech, Darrell Green choked up while talking about the decision to make the D.C. area home.
“I deliberately stayed here. It wasn’t an accident,” Darrell Green said. “God told me to stay. I stayed. I had to do what God told me to do. I love my family, I miss you, but I just want you to know I did what I had to do.”
Green then looked around at those in attendance and said, “This is my people, this is my people. Yeah, this is my city too.”
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Darrell Green was not the only former Washington player to get emotional during the ceremony.
“Hate when I cry in public. I try to be tough all the time,” said running back Brian Mitchell. “But the whole thing is, bro, I love you and I want you to keep doing the things you do because there is no Brian Mitchell, the complete man, without a Darrell Green.”
Darrell Green’s son Jared expressed what being presented with the key to D.C. mean to his father.
“My dad’s always had this mantra that he opens doors for other people. With the key to D.C., now he can open doors that he never could have dreamt of. So, this is special for our family, special for our legacy, but even more special for the future generations in D.C.,” Jared Green said.
The celebration of Darrell Green’s life and career is not over. On Sunday, The Washington Commanders will officially retire Green’s No. 28 jersey number during halftime.
And the excitement is not over for the Green family, as well. Jewell Green said that they are expecting a new grandchild on Wednesday.
“Oh, my goodness, next for us mentally right now is a baby coming next Wednesday, and then we’ll do everything else after that,” Jewell Green said.
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