Riggins, Riggs, 33, Timmy, whatever you want to call him, Taylor Kitsch stole our hearts and made us weak in the knees as fast as you can say “Texas Forever.” Through the countless relationships and a few too many beers, we all came to love the tortured soul that is Tim Riggins on "Friday Night Lights." There are far too many reasons to count why this heartthrob is still obsessed over by teenage girls, but here is a list of the top ten reasons when Riggs became our favorite fullback to ever wear the Panther blue and gold:
1. He always has your back.
When you fall, you can count on Riggins to catch you in some unconventional way because chances are, he’s probably done the same thing, but worse. He’s loyal to his family and his boys, minus that time when he was hooking up with his best friend’s girlfriend. But Riggs and Lyla are meant to be in that sickeningly-perfect good girl-bad guy relationship, so he’s really doing J a favor.
2. He’s protective and an undercover superhero.
How can we forget that time that he brought Julie home from a party when she had one too many and risked his entire relationship with Coach Taylor? And that time he sheltered Julie from the tornado in the grocery store? Notice the pattern: Julie messes up and Timmy saves the day. Not to mention the big brother role he filled for Becky when she needed it the most.
3. The HAIR.
It was always a little greasy and a fell over his eyes too much, but somehow Tim made the bedhead look cool again and made teenage girls fall in love with the longhaired, bad boy. It flowed in the wind and was tousled equally in the hands of girlfriends and one-night stands. Love it or hate it, that Riggins flow can’t be duplicated.
4. That smile.
No. 33 mastered the bad boy archetype to a tee. Never shows weakness, never lets you see him sweat. But instead, when he cracks a smile and you see the Riggins smirk, you know he’s truly found something that brings out his soft side. Whether it be because he’s madly in love with Lyla Garrity or he’s just drunk enough to grab another beer, that smile of Riggins made the ladies swoon.
5. He’s an emotional mess that you hate to love.
With an absent father and no mention of a mother, Riggins definitely had a rough childhood. Basically raised by his older brother Billy, Tim didn’t have parental figures in his life and it’s apparent. But somehow he’s able to still have a soft side that we know and love outside that hard exterior that never shows weakness.
6. He’s unapologetically himself.
Sometimes, should he have reined it in? Probably. But honestly, Riggs does what Riggs wants. Drink before football practice? He’s going to do it because it’s five o’clock somewhere. Dive in headfirst to a risky business venture? Riggins Riggs opened with trials and tribulations to follow. Yeah, he's going to be hungover the next day and will probably say some things he shouldn't, but it's excused, cause it's Tim Riggins.
7. He loves kids.
The time we’ll never forget when he was playing with baby Gracie Taylor or when he befriended his next-door-neighbor…because he may or may not have been sleeping with Bo’s mother. Nonetheless, Timmy doesn’t take lightly his job as a role model in Dillon on and off the field.
8. No filter.
“Hey, how about Saracen sleeping with the coach’s daughter?” might not have been the best thing to say at the podium of the football banquet with Coach Taylor and Julie in the audience. Or in the pilot, where he shamelessly told reporters that he doesn’t like his superstar teammate, Smash. Not because he’s racist, but just because he doesn’t like him. He may regret it, but Timmy lives in the moment and it's adorable and we love it.
9. He’s selfless.
When Riggins had the game of his life that propelled the Panthers to a Homecoming win, he was given the game ball, which in turn he gave directly to Jason Street. Street’s return marked the first time he was on the Dillon field since his paralyzing injury, and it offered a moment in which our hearts melted. Or when he wouldn’t let Lyla deny her acceptance to Vanderbilt because he wasn’t going to be the guy who stopped her “from achieving her dreams.” Ugh, we can’t Riggs. Stop being so perfect.
10. He loves hard.
Though it was unconventional and kept secret for quite some time, we couldn’t help but gawk at the perfection that was Tim and Lyla. The bad guy turned good for the girl he loved, there was no shortage of “aww” moments that made you want your own Riggins. Whether it be the love he shows for his brothers on the field or for the girl he shouldn't have, Tim never ceased to make us send our friends heart-eyed emojis.
So there you have it, a (by no means all-inclusive) list of some of the best moments that made the ladies swoon and cemented Tim Riggins as an iconic heartthrob. Though we wish we could bring Riggs back to the small screen, we at least have these moments to obsess over for all eternity. You're welcome, ladies.
