Gerald Antonio Riggs Jr. (born September 28, 1983) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

. He is the son of former

Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...

Gerald and ex-wife Dana Riggs.

Early life

Riggs attended Red Bank High School in Red Bank, Tennessee. He helped lead the team to an undefeated season, 15–0, and the school's first state championship in football during the 2000 season. Riggs also won the Tennessee Mr. Football trophy that season. He played in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College career

Riggs contributed to the Volunteers' back field from 2002 to 2005. Riggs, along with Cedric Houston, was one of two different 1,000 plus yard rushers for Tennessee in the 2004 season. This was the first time in Tennessee football history to have multiple 1,000 yard rushers in a season. Riggs was a preseason All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate in 2005, but a lower leg injury ended his senior season. Riggs finished with over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdown despite injuries early in career that kept him off the field.

Professional career

Miami Dolphins

Riggs entered the 2006 NFL draft, but was not selected, partly due to concerns about his injury status. After the draft, Riggs signed a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

contract with the Miami Dolphins. He was released by the team on September 2, re-signed to the practice squad on September 3 and then released again on September 5. He spent the season out of football.

Chicago Bears

Riggs was signed by the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

on February 2, 2007. He was assigned to the

Rhein Fire Rhein Fire may refer to either of two American football franchises: * Rhein Fire (NFL Europe) The Rhein Fire were a professional football team in the NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Düsseldorf, Germany ...

of NFL Europa during the offseason. The Bears released him on May 23.

Detroit Lions

Riggs worked out at a

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

minicamp in May 2009 but was not signed.

Toronto Argonauts

On May 31, 2011, Riggs signed with the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...

of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

. Riggs received 35 rushing attempts during the 2012 CFL season, amassing 220 yards and one touchdown. On June 22, 2013, Riggs was released by the Argos.

Personal life

His father, Gerald Riggs, was a three-time

for the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...

and

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

. His brother, Cody Riggs, played cornerback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in college and signed as an undrafted free agent with the

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...

in 2015.

References

External links

Tennessee Volunteers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riggs, Gerald Jr. 1983 births Living people Players of American football from Atlanta Players of Canadian football from Atlanta Sportspeople from Chattanooga, Tennessee American football running backs Canadian football running backs Tennessee Volunteers football players Miami Dolphins players Chicago Bears players Rhein Fire players Toronto Argonauts players 21st-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen