Greatest Players Who Wore the NFL Jersey 44

The number 44 carries an almost mythic weight in football, instantly evoking images of powerful runners and program-defining excellence. While many have worn the number, its history is inseparable from the legendary status of Syracuse University, where it was retired thanks to three iconic athletes: Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little.

Consider this verifiable fact: Ernie Davis, who wore 44, became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961. His legacy, tragically cut short, not only cemented the number’s place in Syracuse lore but also marked a pivotal moment in sports and civil rights history.

From Syracuse’s historic trio to NFL greats like fullback Leroy Kelly, the athletes who chose 44 weren’t just players; they were groundbreaking forces. Get ready to explore the list of the toughest, most dominant players who carried the weight and prestige of the number 44.

Historian Joe Ziemba joined us in this quest of number 44s back in this 2021 interview:

The Legacy of 44: When a Jersey Number Defines Running Back Royalty

John Riggins

A Hall of Fame power back, “The Diesel” powered the Washington Redskins’ 1980s success, famously setting a Super Bowl rushing record in their Super Bowl XVII victory.

Running Back – New York Jets (1971–1975), Washington Redskins (1976–1979, 1981–1985) – Selected to 1 Pro Bowl and 1 First-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1976 through 1985 seasons with Washington

Floyd Little

A Pro Football Hall of Famer and one of the most versatile players of his era, Little was a running back and return specialist who was a five-time Pro Bowl selection for the Denver Broncos.

Running Back – Denver Broncos (1967–1975) – Selected to 5 Pro Bowls (plus 2 AFL All-Star selections) and 1 First-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1967 through 1975 seasons

Dick LeBeau

A Pro Football Hall of Famer, LeBeau was a durable and talented cornerback for the Detroit Lions, setting a team record for consecutive games played and later gaining fame as one of the NFL’s greatest defensive coordinators.

Defensive Back – Detroit Lions (1959–1972) – Selected to 3 Pro Bowls and 4 Second-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1959 through 1972 seasons

2026 Nike x NFL Rivalries Collection

"Heads up: A few links in this description are affiliate links. That means if you click through and grab something, I might get a small cut that helps keep the lights on here—at zero additional cost to you!"

Jaguars' first-ever teal helmetJaguars' first-ever teal helmetJacksonville Jaguars Riddell 2026 Rivalries Collection Speed Mini HelmetTyler Warren JerseyColts' horseshoe worked into a jersey for the first time

Bobby Dillon

A Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back for the Green Bay Packers, Dillon recorded 52 interceptions in just eight seasons (1952–1959) and earned four Pro Bowl selections despite being visually impaired in one eye.

Defensive Back – Green Bay Packers (1952–1959) – Selected to 4 Pro Bowls, 4 First-team All-Pro selections, and 4 Second-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1952 through 1959 seasons

Leroy Kelly

A Pro Football Hall of Fame running back for the Cleveland Browns, Kelly succeeded Jim Brown, leading the NFL in rushing yards three times and earning five consecutive All-Pro selections.

Running Back – Cleveland Browns (1964–1973) – Selected to 6 Pro Bowls, 3 First-team All-Pro selections, and 1 Second-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1964 through 1973 seasons

Kyle Rote

A versatile offensive threat for the New York Giants, Rote was a four-time Pro Bowl selection who excelled as both a running back and wide receiver during his 11-year career.

Halfback / Wide Receiver – New York Giants (1951–1961) – Selected to 4 Pro Bowls and 2 Second-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1951 through 1961 seasons

John David Crow

A Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, Crow was the only Heisman Trophy winner to play for Bear Bryant and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection known for his bruising running style with the Cardinals and 49ers.

Running Back – Chicago Cardinals / St. Louis Cardinals (1958–1964), San Francisco 49ers (1965–1968) – Selected to 4 Pro Bowls, 2 First-team All-Pro selections, and 1 Second-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1958 through 1968 seasons.

John Harris

A hard-hitting safety, Harris played a key role in the Seattle Seahawks’ defense during the 1980s, serving as a team captain and earning a Pro Bowl selection in 1981.

Safety – Seattle Seahawks (1978–1985), Minnesota Vikings (1986–1988) – Selected to 1 Pro Bowl – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1978 through 1988 seasons

Pete Retzlaff

A five-time Pro Bowl tight end/wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, “Pistol Pete” was a versatile offensive threat who was a key contributor to the Eagles’ 1960 NFL Championship.

Tight End / Running Back – Philadelphia Eagles (1956–1966) – Selected to 5 Pro Bowls, 2 First-team All-Pro selections, and 2 Second-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1956 through 1966 seasons

Bruiser Kinard

A Pro Football Hall of Fame two-way lineman, Kinard played both offensive and defensive tackle for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, earning four All-Pro selections during his career in the 1930s and 1940s.

Offensive Tackle / Linebacker – Brooklyn Dodgers (1938–1944), New York Yankees (1947) – Selected to 5 NFL All-Star games, 6 First-team All-Pro selections, and 4 Second-team All-Pro selections (plus 1 AAFC First-team All-Pro) – Wore Number 44 in the NFL during the 1938 through 1944 seasons

Other Legends of Jersey 44

Arnie Weinmeister

Defensive Tackle – New York Yankees (AAFC) (1948–1949), New York Giants (1950–1953) – 4 Pro Bowl selections, 4 First-team All-Pro selections (plus 1 All-AAFC) – Wore Number 44 with the New York Giants (1950–1953)

Dave Casper

Tight End – Oakland Raiders (1974–1980, 1984), Houston Oilers (1980–1983), Minnesota Vikings (1983–1984) – 5 Pro Bowl selections, 4 First-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 (Note: Casper primarily wore number 87 in the NFL, but is listed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s number 44 registry for his overall legacy representation)

Bill Dudley

Halfback / Tailback / Defensive Back – Pittsburgh Steelers (1942, 1945–1946), Detroit Lions (1947–1949), Washington Redskins (1950–1951, 1953) – 3 Pro Bowl selections, 3 First-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 (Note: Wore other numbers like 35 and 3 during parts of his career)

Ernie Nevers

Fullback – Duluth Eskimos (1926–1927), Chicago Cardinals (1929–1931) – 5 First-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 (Note: Also wore numbers 4 and 11 during his career)

Steve Owen

Tackle / Coach – New York Giants (1926–1931, 1933) – 4 First-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44

Dave Waymer

Defensive Back / Safety / Cornerback – New Orleans Saints (1980–1989), San Francisco 49ers (1990–1991), Los Angeles Raiders (1992) – 1 Pro Bowl selection – Wore Number 44 with the Los Angeles Raiders (1992)

Chuck Foreman

Running Back / Fullback – Minnesota Vikings (1973–1979), New England Patriots (1980) – 5 Pro Bowl selections, 2 First-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 44 with the Minnesota Vikings (1973–1979)

Donny Anderson

Running Back / Punter – Green Bay Packers (1966–1971), St. Louis Cardinals (1972–1974) – 1 Pro Bowl selection – Wore Number 44 with the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Cardinals (1966–1974)

Bruce Taylor

Cornerback – San Francisco 49ers (1970–1977) – 1 Pro Bowl selection, 1 First-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 with the San Francisco 49ers (1970–1977)

Dallas Clark

Tight End – Indianapolis Colts (2003–2011), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012), Baltimore Ravens (2013) – 1 Pro Bowl selection, 1 First-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 (Note: Clark famously wore number 44 during his college career at Iowa and select milestones, though he wore number 81 primarily in the NFL)

Elbert Dubenion

Wide Receiver / Flanker – Buffalo Bills (1960–1968) – 1 AFL All-Star selection (Pro Bowl equivalent) – Wore Number 44 with the Buffalo Bills (1960–1968)

Robert Newhouse

Fullback – Dallas Cowboys (1972–1983) – None – Wore Number 44 with the Dallas Cowboys (1972–1983)

Marv Hubbard

Running Back – Oakland Raiders (1969–1975), Detroit Lions (1977) – 3 Pro Bowl selections, 1 First-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 44 with the Oakland Raiders (1970–1975)

Terry Schmidt

Defensive Back / Cornerback – New Orleans Saints (1974–1975), Chicago Bears (1976–1984) – None – Wore Number 44 with the New Orleans Saints (1974–1975)

Ahmad Bradshaw

Running Back – New York Giants (2007–2012), Indianapolis Colts (2013–2015) – None – Wore Number 44 with the New York Giants (2007–2012)

The Unbreakable Chain of the 44 Jersey Number in Football

The prestige carried by the 44 jersey number in football remains unmatched, thanks to the sheer volume of Hall of Fame talent associated with it. From the legendary Syracuse trio who saw the number retired—Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little—to NFL titans like John Riggins, who embodied raw power, the number consistently marked generational talent. Whether it was the durability of cornerback Dick LeBeau, the consistent excellence of running back Leroy Kelly, or the historic playmaking of defensive back Bobby Dillon, the players who wore number 44 football uniform established a standard of greatness across multiple eras and positions.

Final Tribute to the NFL Players Number 44

Ultimately, the legacy of the NFL players number 44 is a tribute to dominance. These players with number 44 didn’t just participate; they led their teams to championships, redefined their positions, and secured their places in Canton. The list of stars, which also includes the versatile John David Crow and the tough Floyd Little, confirms that selecting the number 44 jersey in football meant taking on a mantle of expectation, courage, and excellence that few other numbers can rival.

We want to express our thanks to the sources we used to bring you factual information on these legends, including Pro-Football-Reference.com, NFL.com, Wikipedia.com, Newspapers.com, and our own guest interviews.

Here are more stories on NFL Number 44 legends