Redskins Great Dexter Manley 'Doing Much Better' After COVID-19 Diagnosis

Former Washington Redskins defensive end Dexter Manley is "doing much better" following his COVID-19 diagnosis, per ex-teammate John Riggins on his Riggo The Diesel podcast Tuesday.

"He is doing much better," Riggins said (h/t 'Skins staff writer Kyle Stackpole). "I'm not sure he was ever really that ill, but his oxygen levels were a little low, they put him on oxygen, he has never been on a ventilator. All of this stuff is improving as we speak. He's still got a little ways to go."

Per Stackpole, Riggins received the news firsthand from Manley's wife, Lydia.

He added: "[Manley's] slowly but steadily making a recovery against this virus that's been ravaging the entire world."

Voice of the Redskins Larry Michael also provided the following update: "He hopes to be back talking smack real soon, and that's directly from Lydia."

Les Carpenter of the Washington Post had reported Saturday that Manley had been hospitalized due to COVID-19. He also received word from Manley's daughter, Dalis, that he had to receive oxygen a couple of weeks following the positive test result.

The fifth-round draft pick was a superstar in D.C., amassing a team-record 91 career sacks from 1981 to 1989. Those figures do not include the 1981 season, as sacks did not become an officially counted stat until 1982.

The two-time Super Bowl champion, who won a Lombardi Trophy with the aforementioned Riggins for the 1982 season, was a First Team All-Pro in 1986 when he had 18.5 sacks for the NFC finalist 'Skins, who lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

The ex-Oklahoma State Cowboy finished his career in 1991 after stints with the Phoenix Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.