On Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann then handed off to Joe Washington on fake sweep to the right. Washington was supposed to pull up and throw to Art Monk, but the Giants had the play defended.

Washington reversed fields and headed for the opposite end. All of a sudden, someone was running next to him-it was Joe Theismann. For a second, it looked as if Washington might flip the ball to Theismann in a role reversal of his Oklahoma wishbone days.

Instead, Theismann stepped up and took out New York’s Terry Jackson with a perfect block. Washington waltzed into the end zone for our only touchdown of the day.

Although Theismann took out Jackson, Jackson took a few of Joe’s teeth. We had to play the rest of the game with a lisping quarterback. We can look back and laugh now, but it was hard to understand the plays with Joe lisping and whistling as he talked.

On John Riggins
Wherever Riggo went late at night, someone had to get him to practice the next morning. After a while, that duty was assigned to running backs coach Don Breaux. Every day Don Breaux would have to go over to John Riggins’ house, knock on the door, and pick up John to make sure he was at practice and the meetings on time. Don Breaux was a great coach, but his chauffeuring may have been one of the most valuable services he provided.

On Howie Long
In 1986, we beat (the Raiders) again at RFK Stadium. The game was lower scoring but no less physical than the previous regular season matchup. We trailed most of the game but finally prevailed, 10-6.

We scored the winning touchdown on a three-yard touchdown run by George Rogers behind Raleigh McKenzie and me-right over Howie Long. Raleigh had lined up as an extra tight end. We double-teamed Howie and knocked him right on his ass, paving the way for the game’s only touchdown.

I hot-dogged it after the play. While the others celebrated the touchdown, I just stood there and pointed to Howie Long in the prone position.

After the game, the imminently quotable Howie Long told the Washington Post’s Christine Brennan, "They say holding’s an art, and today, R.C. Thielemann was Picasso."

R.C. Thielemann? I was hurt.

On Reggie White
I reached into my little trick bag for my first pro encounter with Reggie White ... I stepped on his hand. I started cussing at him. I knocked him down on the ground and then gave him a shove in the pile.

Reggie would just say, "God bless you. God will forgive you."

That started getting into my head.

About midway through the third quarter, I got into a conversation with one of our tight ends, Donnie "Dutch" Warren, on the sidelines.

"Dutch, what’s the matter with this guy?" I asked. "I’ve called him every name in the book. I’ve tried every tactic I know. The guy just keeps coming and coming. He’s relentless every play. And then he wants God to bless me."

"You dumb-ass," Dutch said. "The guy’s an ordained minister."

I apologized to Reggie White after the next play.

"Reggie, I’m very sorry," I said. "I didn’t know you were a man of God."

"God will forgive you," he said. "God will bless you."

On the next play, the Reverend Reggie White damn near administered last rites. He blasted off the line and drove me back into the quarterback. The Eagles beat us that day, 19-6.

Amen, Reggie.