In a brisk November sunshine, Darrell Green raced across FedExField and caught a pass in perfect stride at the 20-yard line.

It was two hours before a 2002 game and Green was warming up by playing catch with then-assistant coach DeChon Burns. Never mind Green was a 5-9, 180-pound cornerback. After 20 years of NFL service, if Green wanted to play some wide receiver, he was more than welcome.

Afterwards, Green sprinted into the end zone and over to the stands, where he exchanged high-fives with a cluster of fans.

Later that day, the Redskins and St. Louis Rams battled down to the wire. With less than a minute to play and the Rams driving downfield for a potential game-winning score, quarterback Kurt Warner lofted a deep pass to wide receiver Torry Holt.

Holt had beaten Green by a couple of yards, but the 42-year-old cornerback had a sudden burst of speed in him to close the gap. Green leaped high into the air--along-side Holt, who was two inches taller--and swatted the ball from his grasp.

It was more than just a play that helped preserve a 20-17 victory for the Redskins.

It was another signature play by Green, etched in memory along-side many other moments in his remarkable 20-year career.

For a moment after that game, some thought it might be Green's last play.

He had landed hard on his hip--"I don't recommend landing like that, especially if you're over 35," Green joked after the game--and had to be helped off the field.

Asked if he thought that play might have been his last, Green replied: "Never crossed my mind. It wouldn't have been a big deal, because I've had a lot of other plays. If it was my last play, I was a good one."

Turned out Green was back on the football field four days later, in a Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys.

That shouldn't have been a surprise: in his remarkable 20-year NFL career, Green missed just 25 games, while setting franchise records in games played (295), starts (258) and interceptions (54).

Green, selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, grew up in Houston and was All-State in track and All-City in football at Jones High School.

He was legendary at Texas A&I, where he was named to the Football Coaches All-American Division II team with 56 tackles, four interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns in his senior year.

After the Redskins selected him with the 28th overall pick of the 1983 draft, Green arrived at Redskins Park wearing No. 28 and ready to impress his teammates and coaches from the get-go.

Said Vernon Dean, who played for the Redskins from 1982-87 and remains one of Green's closest friends: "I remember at his first mini-camp, Darrell was in one-on-one coverage against Virgil Seay and he thought we were bumping and running, but he missed it and fell down. Before the ball got there, Darrell somehow got up and broke up the pass.

"So early on, we knew he was special."

From intercepting at least one pass in 19 consecutive seasons to his seven Pro Bowl appearances, Green provided the Redskins with plenty of memorable moments in two decades:

• Thrust into the starting lineup on opening day of his rookie year, Green showcased his speed by chasing down Cowboys' running back Tony Dorsett on a long run.

• Green returned a punt 52 yards for a touchdown against Chicago in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, leading the Redskins to the conference championship game. He tore rib cartilage on the punt return, but continued to play.

• A week later, against Minnesota in the 1988 NFC Championship game, Green jarred the ball from Minnesota's Darrin Nelson on a fourth-down play at the goal line, securing a Redskins 17-10 victory.

• In a game against the Colts in 1993, Green scooped up a fumble and raced 78 yards for a touchdown as the Redskins won 30-24.

• He won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 1996, given to an NFL player who has made the biggest impact in the community.

• In 1997, Green returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown against Philadelphia, the longest return of his career.

• Green picked off his 50th NFL pass against Arizona's Jake Plummer in a 1999 game at FedExField.

• At age 40, he solidified his status as the fastest Redskin when he was clocked in a hand-held time of 4.24 in the 40-yard dash.

• He added blitzing to his repertoire in 2001, when he pressured Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks into an interception.
  

As Green's career wound down, he maintained his focus on winning football games, not a retirement tour.

He served as a mentor to the younger players such as Champ Bailey and Fred Smoot, and as a link to the Redskins' tradition-rich history.

"Darrell epitomizes what an NFL player should be," Smoot said in 2002. "In my rookie season, he took me in and showed me the ropes, all the while we were competing for the same position. I looked up to him as a great player and a great man."

Upon Green's retirement, Redskins greats and Hall of Famers commented about the impact that Green made on their lives--and on football.

"Seeing Darrell come in to the NFL at his size and background, and to last as long he did, he was extraordinary," Redskins Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen said. "To stay healthy, not get hurt, and perform at his level was an absolutely amazing feat. He was a classic player and a classic person."

Added Bobby Mitchell, another Redskins Hall of Famer: "Darrell signified perseverance and competitiveness, and he was an all-around great guy at the same time. We were able to watch him for 20 years, and as far as I'm concerned he never failed us. He was always a stalwart in the community and he always maintained a good heart."

That extended to the fans.

In his time in the NFL, Green tried to make sure there was a connection between fans and players.

"Most importantly, players need to understand Washington Redskins pride," Green said. "And when I say Washington Redskins, I mean the community, how we as a team fit in the community, and how endeared we are to the fans.

"Just to understand the responsibility we have to them, not only on Sundays but on every day, I think that's very important.

Green's involvement with the community continues into his retirement following the 2002 season.

He started the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation in 1988 to help provide values-driven education and career training for children mostly in inner cities. He has opened Youth Life Learning Centers in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas.

On and off the field, Green's legacy is assured.

"I'm not motivated by money or fame, I'm motivated by impact," he said. "There's something we can do that can never fade. We can teach young people the right way to live. That's what I've put my life into. That's what is in my heart."