The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in Washington DC. The team competes in the East Division of the National Football Conference (NFC East) of the National Football League (NFL). The club's home arena is FedExField in Landover, Maryland. The club's headquarters and training camp are located at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Virginia. Since 1932, the team has played over 1,000 games.
According to Forbes magazine, the Redskins are the third most expensive franchise in the NFL, behind only the Cowboys and Patriots. In 2013, the club was valued at $1.6 billion.
The Redskins were the first team in the NFL to officially have a marching band and battle song, Hail to the Redskins ”.
Everything you need to know about Washington Redskins can be found here :-
- Redskins History
- Chaos in leadership and integration
- Disputes over racial integration
- Change of leadership
- The era of George Allen
- Super Bowl vii
- The era of Pardee
- Decade of the Redskins
- Super Bowl xvii
- Super Bowl xviii
- Super Bowl XXII
- Super Bowl XXVI
- Year of Pettibon
- Era of Norv Turner
- Change of ownership
- Schottenheimer
- the era of the Spurrier
- The Return of Gibbs
- Zorn
- Era of Mike Shanahan
- The era of Jay Gruden
- Records
- Leaders
- Outstanding Players
- Retired Numbers
- Head To Head
- Logo and Uniform
- Culture and Fight Song
- Redskins Stadium
Redskins History
Years in Boston
1930-1932: Prehistory
After the end of the 1930 season, the Newark Tornadoes leave the NFL and sell the franchise to the League. In 1931, a new League-sponsored Cleveland Indians team appears, the 1931 season will remain the only one in the history of the club, the team spent all the games of the season away. Initially, the NFL decided to house the team in Cleveland on a permanent basis with new owners. However, no suitable owners were found in Cleveland. As a result, on July 9, 1932, the NFL franchise appeared in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by George Preston Marshall, Vincent Bendix, Jay O'Brien and Dorland Doyle.
1932: Boston Braves
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| George Preston Marshall / Neil Leifer Collection |
The new team is named Boston Braves, similar to the local baseball team with which they shared their home arena. The Braves included two players from the 1931 Indians (Algy Clark and Dale Waters). The Braves played their first game on October 2, 1932, under coach Lud Wray against the Brooklyn Dodgers, which they lost 0-14. But, already the next week, the team formalizes its first victory, beating the New York Giants, 14-6, from this moment begins the story of one of the oldest confrontations in the League. Despite the presence of two stellar newcomers, halfback Cliff Battles and tackle Glen Edwards, the new franchise has suffered significant financial losses, reaching $46,000, at the end of the Bendix season, O'Brien and Doyle decide to end funding for the club, leaving Marshall as the sole owner of the Braves.
1933-1936: Boston Redskins
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| William Henry “Lone Star” Dietz |
The 1933 season was unremarkable, with the team finishing 5-5-2. The only highlight of the season was Cliff Battles' game against the Giants on October 8, 1933, in which he earned 215 yards and one touchdown on the clearance, becoming the first player in League history to score over 200 yards in a single game.
Dietz was fired at the end of the 1934 season, in which the team scores 6-6. Eddie Casey was hired to replace him. During the 1935 season, the Redskins only earned 65 points, finishing 2-8-1 before Casey was fired at the end of the season.
1936 was the most productive year for the team in Boston. This year, on February 8, the first draft of the NFL was held, in which the Redskins took the second pick. Their first draft pick is quarterback Riley Smith of Alabama.
The first player in NFL history to be drafted was Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger, but he refused to play pro football. Thus, Smith became the first drafted player to play in the NFL. Also in this draft, the team picks Wayne Milner, who will be a key player in the Redskins offense. The next major addition to the club will be the appointment of Ray Flaherty as head coach. In the next decade, Flaherty will lead the team to two NFL titles and four divisional titles.
After starting the season at 4-5, the Redskins win their first Eastern Division title, winning their last three games and finishing 7-5 (which, incidentally, was the team's first winning season). However, during the last game of the regular season (a 30-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates), only 4,813 fans were in attendance at Fenway Park. Frustrated, Marshal relinquishes home field advantage in the 1936 NFL Championship final. The game was held December 13, 1936, at the stadium of the New York's Polo Grounds, which resulted the Redskins lost to the Green Bay Packers, 6-21.
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| Ray Flaherty / profootballhof.com |
Before leaving Boston, the Redskins are making another significant acquisition that will greatly help the club in the future. On December 12, 1936, the club signs a talented young quarterback from the Christian University of Texas, Sammy Baugh. The forward pass was relatively rare in those years, with the Redskins mostly using this method for gaining yards. Baugh, received the nickname slingin Sammy “, also played in other positions, including corner back and Punter.
1937: Moving to Washington.
After a disappointing defeat in the 1936 final, on February 13, 1937, George Preston Marshall transported the team to Washington. At the new location, the team shared the Griffith Stadium home arena with the Washington Senators baseball team.
Marshall sought to incorporate a number of college football elements into the Redskins' games. In those days, university-to-university games were much more popular than NFL meetings. The Redskins Marching Band was founded on August 9, 1937. The ensemble was founded on a volunteer basis after Marshall moved the team to Washington, its main goal was to entertain fans from the moment they enter the stadium until the moment they leave. To this day, the Redskins are one of only two teams in the NFL with a marching band. Another team is the Baltimore Ravens. The Redskins were also the first team to have a fighting song. “ Hail to the Redskins ” was first performed on August 17, 1938, as the official Redskins battle song. The music was written by orchestra leader Barnee Breeskin, and the lyrics were written by actress Roots Griffith, Marshall's wife.
The Redskins played their first game and won their first victory in Washington on September 16, 1937, against the Giants. Thursday night's game drew nearly 25,000 fans at the Griffith Stadium, culminating in Riley Smith's touchdown on a tackle comeback that ended the match to a 13-3 scoreline.
On December 5, 1937, for the first time since moving to Washington, the Redskins win the division after taking another victory over the Giants, 49-14 in the last game of the regular season, thanks in part to Cliff Battles' two touchdown runs at 75 and 76 yards. In the 1937 Championship final, which took place on December 12, 1937, the Redskins faced the Chicago Bears at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game was changeable, the lead in the meeting shifted from one team to another, by the beginning of the fourth quarter the Bears were leading with a score of 21-14, but in the fourth quarter the Redskins earn 14 unanswered points from Sammy Baugh's two touchdown passes and become NFL champions for the first time in their history.
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| Redskins team / wikimedia.org |
1938-1945
The 1938 season kicked off with a draft and pick by Andy Farkas. The Redskins finish in second place in the division in the regular season, 6-3-2.
In 1939, Redskins improved their result from last season, 8-2-1, but still not enough to win the division, the team lost the lead to the Giants (9-1-1). The 1939 season was a highlight for the Redskins. October 15 in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Frank Flichok throws the first ever NFL touchdown pass of 99 yards to Andy Farkas.
In the 1940 season, the Redskins win nine games and finish at the top of the Eastern Division. On December 8, 1940, they again face the Bears in the NFL Finals, this time in Washington at Griffith Stadium. Using the T-formation of the attack, the Bears seize the initiative from the very start and by the end of the second quarter were leading with a score of 28-0, the game turned into a “beating of babies” in the rest of the meeting, only in the third quarter the Chicago players earned 26 unanswered points, the rout ended 73-0, the biggest defeat in NFL history.
Another big loss for the team this season, during the coin-toss ceremony at the start of the game against the Giants. At the end of the ceremony and shaking hands with the captain of the opposing team, while returning to the side edge when turning, Turk Edwards clings to the grass with his boots and injures his knee, this injury ends not only his season, but also his sports career as a whole.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy launched an attack on the US Navy base at Pearl Harbor, which killed about 2,400 people and the United States was drawn into World War II. Two of the most popular Redskins players were recruited into the US Navy, Frankie Filchok and Wayne Millner. The team finished the 1941 season with a score of 6-5, and in third place in the division. By accident, the last game of the Redskins season against the Philadelphia Eagles fell on December 7th.
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| Sammy Baugh |
The Redskins played one more time in the 1945 NFL Championship final, before there was a quarter-century hiatus, during which the team did not make it to the final of the championships until the 1972 season. With new head coach Dudley Degroot, an Olympic gold medalist, the Redskins finish the 1945 season 8-2. Sammy Baugh again impressed the audience with his performance, according to the result of the regular season, he had 70.3% accuracy. The team ends the season on December 16, 1945, with a defeat in the championship final, 14-15 against the Cleveland Rams. The win by one point was secured by the safety that occurred at the beginning of the meeting. In the first quarter of the Redskins receive the ball at 5 yards in their own half of the field. Quarterback Sammy Baugh was pushed back into his end zone and when trying to pass to the open receiver the ball hits the goal post (which at that time was located on the goal line, unlike their current position), as a result of which the ball bounces in the opposite direction and remains in the end zone Redskins. According to the rules of the time, it was seen as the safety and the Rams earning two points, 2-0. In the end, this rally was key and ensured the victory for rams ... Owner George Marshall was furious with anger and would become the main driving force behind the end-of-season rule change: “A forward pass that hits the goal post is automatically incomplete.” This amendment would later be called the Baugh / Marshal Rule.
1946-1970: Chaos in leadership and integration
The team's early success drew the attention of many DC football fans, however, after the 1945 season, the team's success slowly began to fade as the Redskins were unable to make the playoffs until the 1971 season.
The 1946 season begins with the appointment of former Redskins' player Turk Edwards as head coach. He remained in this position until 1948 and leaves the team with a mediocre result of 16-18-1. A highlight of this period was Sammy Baugh's flamboyant performance in 1947, in which he threw 354 passes, 210 of which to target at 2,938 yards, setting three NFL records in one season. A major blunder during Edwards' tenure as coach was the 9th overall pick in the 1946 draft of Cal Rossi of UCLA. But Rossi at the time of the draft was a minor and had no right to participate in it. After a year of waiting the Redskins re-selected Rossi in the first round of the 1947 draft, but he never had the intention of playing professional football.
Following Edwards' firing, the Redskins have replaced three coaches over three seasons, John Whelchel, Herman Ball and former player Dick Todd, none of whom have been successful for the club. But that didn't stop George Marshall from trying to make the Redskins the most successful team in the League. One of his major club changes in the 1950s was the announcement that the American Oil Company would sponsor all the Redskins' games, making them the first NFL team to be televised throughout the season. Before that in 1944, the Redskins set up a radio network to broadcast games to the entire southern United States. The next step was the appointment of the head coach of the club Earl Lambeau in February 1952. But after two seasons, Marshal fires Lambeau and hires Joe Kuharich. In 1955, Kuharich leads Reskins to its first winning season in ten years and was voted Coach of the Year.
Over the next several seasons, the team failed to match the 1955 season with mediocre performance, resulting in Marshall hiring a new coach, Mike Nixon, ahead of the 1959 season. Nixon has led the team for two seasons and has the worst overall win rate of 4-18-2.
In the 1961 Draft, the Redskins miscalculated by picking quarterback Norm Snead past Fran Tarkenton, who would later enter the NFL Hall of Fame with the Vikings and Giants. In 1961, the Redskins move to the new DC stadium. The DC Stadium then (renamed in 1969 to Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium). The first game at the stadium took place on October 1, 1961, in full view of 37,767 spectators. Redskins lost, Despite 21-7 leading, New York Giants, 21-24. Together with the stadium, Marshall decides to change the head coach again, this time Bill McPeak becomes the head coach of the club. Although the club failed to show outstanding performance with McPeak, the Redskins are 21-46-3 in five seasons, but they still became known for helping the club to draft future stars, such as wide receiver Charley Taylor, tight end Jerry. Smith, safety Paul Krause, Len Hauss Center and linebacker Chris Hanburger. He also pioneered the recruitment of quarterback Sonny Jurgensen of the Philadelphia Eagles and linebacker Sam Huff of the New York Giants. But even with this addition, the Redskins still couldn't live up to expectations.
Disputes over racial integration
For much of this unsuccessful period, Marshall continued to resist the team's integration, despite pressure from the Washington Post and the United States federal government (typical comment from Post reporter Shirley Povich at the time: “Jim Brown, unworthy to play for the Redskins, was integrated into their end zone three times ").
The Redskins were the last team in the NFL to maintain an all-white squad roster due to George Marshall's racist prejudices. On March 24, 1961, Home Secretary Stuart Udell threatened Marshall to start hiring black players to avoid federal punishment. For the first time in history, the federal government has attempted to eliminate segregation in a professional sports team. Ultimately, under pressure from a civil rights law from President Kennedy's administration, which barred segregated teams from playing at the new District of Columbia Stadium because it was owned by the Home Office and thus owned by the federal government, the Redskins became the last -a professional football team,
In 1961, the team drafted Ernie Davis (the first black winner of the Heisman Trophy), two days earlier, the Buffalo Bills of the AFL also made a choice in his favor, there was some doubt whether Marshall could offer enough money to sign him. In the second round, the Redskins pick another black player, halfback Joe Hernandez from Arizona, as well as fullback Ron Hatcher in the eighth round from Michigan State.
On draft day, Marshall secretly trades the rights for Davis at the Cleveland Browns for Bobby Mitchell (who switched positions in Washington from running back to wide receiver) and black running back Leroy Jackson. The exchange was crowned with sad circumstances — as it turned out, Davis was sick with leukemia, he died on May 18, 1963, at the age of 23, having not played a single down in professional football.
Bobby Mitchell shows solid performance, earning 1,384 yards, 11 touchdowns during the 1962 season and being selected to the Pro Bowl. Mitchell was part of a cohort of dark-skinned NFL stars such as receiver Charley Taylor, running back Larry Brown (whose helmet was fitted with a hearing aid due to his near-deafness in his right ear), defensive back Brig Owens and guard John Nisby of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 1962 season ended with the Redskins with the best result in five years: 5-7-2. In the future, Mitchell will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame and will become assistant general manager of the Redskins.
The 1963 season was even worse, 3-11, with Norm Snead shooting 27 interceptions. The team finished the 1964 and 1965 seasons with the same result 6-8, at the end of the 1965 season Bill McPeak was fired.
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| Larry Brown |
On January 25, 1966, Otto Graham became the new head coach of the Redskins, but, no matter how an outstanding player he was, he could not show significant achievements in the coaching post, under his leadership the team showed mediocre results (7-7, 5-6- 3 and 5-9 in 1966-1968).
Change of leadership
One of the reasons for the Redskins' failures during this period was the chaos in the front office of the team. The mental capacity of Marshall, owner and president of the Redskins, began to decline in 1963 as a result of a stroke, and other shareholders of the club noticed that it became difficult to make decisions without their boss.
On August 9, 1969, Marshall dies and Edward Bennett Williams, one of the club's shareholders, who was a Washington resident and one of America's most respected lawyers, was elected president of the franchise while major shareholder Jack Kent Cooke lived in Los Angeles and ran his basketball team. Los Angeles Lakers.
In 1969, legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi was hired by the Redskins as head coach after being promised a fraction of a stake in the franchise. In his first season with Lombardi, Lombardi leads the Redskins to a 7-5-2 record, the club's best record since 1955, but unfortunately Lombardi dies of cancer ahead of the 1970 season.
Assistant Coach Bill Austin was appointed to replace Lombardi for the 1970 season, with the team finishing 6-8. Redskins running back Larry Brown becomes the first player in franchise history to score more than 1,000 yards in a single season in 1970, with 1,125 yards being the first since Cliff Battles to top the NFL.
1971-1977: The era of George Allen
After Lombardi's death and a good 1970 season with Austin, Williams signed former Los Angeles Rams coach George Allen on January 6, 1971.
Partly composed of veterans instead of hyped young players, Allen's team was nicknamed Over — the — Hill Gang “. The slogan of the team at that time was the phrase The future is now ”, and the players began to prove it in practice.
Allen and players Billy Kilmer, running back Larry Brown, center Len Hauss, receiver Charley Taylor, linebacker Chris Hanburger and safety Pat Fischer helped the Redskins make the playoffs for the first time since 1945 with a 9-4-1 record. However, they lose in the divisional round, 20-24 San Francisco 49ers.
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| George Allen/ wikimedia.org |
For the 1972 season, the Redskins start off with two wins, but are trailed 23-24 by the New England Patriots. After the defeat, Allen brings Sonny Jurgensen back to the start, but Jurgensen's season will end three weeks later, after he ruptures his Achilles tendon. Kilmer returns to the starting quarterback position with six wins in the remaining eight games, finishing 11-3 for the NFC East title.
For the first time since 1942, the Redskins have played a playoff game in Washington, with a minimal victory over the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round, 16-3, and the shrewd Allen resorts to a five-man front line that stopped the Packers massive offensive. In the conference finals, the Redskins beat the Cowboys, 26-3, to their first-ever Super Bowl.
Super Bowl vii
In Super Bowl VII in Los Angeles, the Redskins were challenged by the Miami Dolphins, who had a perfect result in 1972. From the first minutes of the match, it became clear that this was not the day of the Redskins, the club did not succeed either in offense or defense, five minutes before the end of the match, Washington was inferior with a dry score of 0-14. The only touchdown the Redskins scores at the end of the fourth quarter after a blocked field goal is 7-14, with the Dolphins claiming 17 wins in the 1972 season.
Many fans had high hopes for the Redskins during the 1973 season, but by the end of the regular season, the team had had high expectations. The Redskins have a 10-4 result, which they are aligned with in the Cowboys division. Nonetheless, Dallas wins the top of the division on head-to-head points difference by 13 points, forcing the Redskins to play in the divisional playoffs in Minnesota a week later, Washington trailing 20-27.
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| Sonny Jurgensen (photo: nfl.com) |
In 1974, the team repeated the result of the previous season, 10-4, and were again forced to play in the divisional round. This time they faced the Los Angeles Rams and lost again, 10-19. Sonny Jurgensen retires from his professional career on May 1, 1975, after 18 seasons in the NFL, 11 of which he spent with the Redskins.
The team ended the 1975 season 8-6 and failed to qualify for the playoffs, for the first time since Allen joined the team. In the last game of the season, December 21, 1975, against the Philadelphia Eagles, Charley Taylor made his 634th career catch, becoming the NFL leader in the most tricks in his career.
In 1976, the Redskins qualified for the playoffs with a score of 10-4 for the fifth time in George Allen's six years on the team. But on December 18, 1976, the Redskins lost to the Vikings in the divisional round, 20-35.
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| Jack Kent Cooke (photo:nhl.com) |
Despite a 1977 9-5 season result, the Redskins failed to qualify for the playoffs, and George Allen was fired from his post at the end of the season. He is being replaced by former star linebacker Jack Pardee, who played under Allen in Los Angeles and Washington.
In 1978, Reskins started 6-0, but in the next ten games they were able to win only two wins and finish 8-8, becoming the first team to start 6-0 and miss the playoffs (Minnesota Vikings season 2003). In the off season, the Redskins' main owner Jack Kent Cooke moves from Los Angeles to Virginia and takes over from Edward Bennett Williams.
1979-1980: The era of Pardee
In the 1979 draft, the team makes a good choice, picking future stars Don Warren and Monte Coleman. The Redskins start the season 6-2 and were the real contenders for the division championship ahead of the last game of the regular season, the 16th week game against the Dallas Cowboys was crucial for both teams, the win brought a playoff spot and the NFC East title.
The loser ends the season. The game was tense, with Dallas leading 21-17 by the end of the third quarter, the situation radically changing in the fourth quarter the Redskins score two touchdowns and convert a field goal, making the score 34-21, 2:20 before the end of the Cowboys meeting to reduce the lead, 34-28. Time was running out, and it seemed that victory was already in Washington's pocket, but Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach covered 75 yards in seven draws and in the last seconds of the meeting, he throws a touchdown pass to Tony Hill, snatching victory, 35-34 and leaving the Redskins behind the play- off.
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| Art Monk (photo: nfl.com) |
Pardee's quick success does not go unnoticed, as he was named coach of the year by the Associated Press and UPI. But Pardee's leadership did not last long, as he was sacked after the 1980 season in which the team finished 6-10. In 1980, the Redskins nominated Wide Receiver, future NFL Hall of Fame Art Monk, in the First Round Draft.
1981-1992: Decade of the Redskins
On January 13, 1981, owner Jack Kent Cooke signs San Diego Chargers Assault Coordinator Joe Gibbs as head coach of the Redskins. Also in the offseason, the team is being strengthened in the 1981 draft by the likes of Mark May, Russ Grimm and Dexter Manley, who will be a significant boost for the team over the next few years. After a disastrous 0-5 start to the 1981 season, the Redskins still rehabilitate and finish 8-8.
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| Joe Gibbs |
The 1982 season for the Redskins kicked off with two away wins and high hopes in Washington. Then on September 21, 1982, the NFL players' strike began, which lasted 57 days, as a result of which the season was reduced from 16 games to 9. The NFL organizes a special playoff tournament for 16 teams, 8 teams from each conference, according to the results of the regular season. After the strike ended, the Redskins dominated, winning six of the seven remaining games, making the playoffs for the first time since 1976. Mark Moseley gained attention after hitting his 21st straight field goal against the Giants on December 19, 1982, breaking Garo's record. About Yepremian (20 field goals).
During the 1982 season, players such as quarterback Joe Theismann, running back John Riggins and receiver Art Monk bathed in glory, but the Redskins were one of the few teams to have a glorious offensive line. Line coach Joe Bugel, who would later take over as head coach of the Phoenix Cardinals, nicknamed them The Hogs not because they were fat and big, but because they were like “roots in the mud” on the field. The Hogs consisted of Center Jeff Bostic, Raleigh McKenzie guards, Rus Grimm, Joe Jacoby Tackles, Mark May and Jim Lachey.
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| The Hogs: Jim Lachey (74), Mark May (73), Jeff Bostick (53), Russ Grimm (68), Joe Jacoby (66). |
Tight ends Don Warren and Clint Didier as well as Riggins were known as Honorary Hogs ”. In addition, in the early 80s, the Redskins included a group of wide receivers and tight ends called Fun Bunch “, which became famous for their group celebration at the endzone after a touchdown, the group included receivers Monk, Virgil Seay, Charlie Brown and Alvin Garrett and tight ends Rick Walker and Don Warren. Each of these players won a Super Bowl ring with the Redskins and three were selected for the Pro Bowl.
The Fun Bunch -style celebration was ultimately banned with the wording of “over-celebration” in 1984. The 1980s Redskins included another group of players known as the Smurfs of Gary Clark, Alvin Garrett and Charlie Brown, who were nicknamed for their short stature (Garrett — 170 cm, Clark — 175 cm, Brown was the tallest — 178 cm), comparing them with the cartoon characters of the same name.
On January 15, 1983, during the second round of the first day against the Minnesota Vikings, Riggins sets the franchise's record in the playoffs with 185 yards on the stem, Washington wins 21-7 and makes his way to the conference finals, in which the Redskins squelch the Cowboys. 31-17.
Super Bowl xvii
At Super Bowl XVII on January 30, 1983, the Redskins faced off against the Miami Dolphins. In the fourth quarter, Riggins has a pivotal rally, at 4th down and inches when the Redskins were down 13-17, the coaches decide to play the 70 Chip, designed specifically for short yards, Riggins instead picks up 43 yards, slipping past Don McNeal, who could not stop him and breaks into the endzone. Eventually the Redskins win their first championship title in 40 years and their first Super Bowl, 27-17. The MVP of the match was awarded to the Redskins running back John Riggins.
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| Riggins leaves McNeal |
The 1983 season of the Redskins kicked off with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, 30-31 on Monday Night. The game was marked by the appearance on the field of team rookie Darrell Green, who was selected in the 1983 draft along with Charles Mann. They will only lose one more time during the regular season, which was full of extraordinary individual and team achievements. On October 1, 1983, the Redskins lost to the Green Bay Packers, 47-48 in their highest scoring Monday night game in history, with both teams averaging over 1,000 yards on offense. Then Riggins sets an NFL record on November 20 in a winning game against the Rams, 42-20 earning touchdowns in 12 consecutive games. His streak ends in his 13th straight game. In the last game of the regular season, Mosley set an NFL record with 161 points in a season, while Riggins finished second with 144. For the first time since 1951, the two highest scoring players of a season played on the same team. The Redskins dominated the NFL with 14 wins, with a record 541 points in the NFL, most of which were earned by Riggins (24 touchdowns).
In the playoffs, the Redskins beat the Los Angeles Rams, 51-7. Then a week later they beat the San Francisco 49ers, 24-21.
Super Bowl xviii
In Super Bowl XVIII, the Redskins' extravaganza comes to an end, against the Raiders, the club looked absolutely toothless, the Los Angeles players quickly take the lead, 0-7, thanks to the blocked pant. In the second quarter, Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett threw a touchdown pass, making it 0-14, to which the Redskins could only respond with a field goal, 3-14. Then the situation only worsened, at the end of the second quarter Joe Theismann throws a fatal interception on Jack Squirek, who was returned to the touchdown, 3-21. After the break, the Redskins finally print out the end-zone Raiders, John Riggins scores a touchdown, but the extra point is blocked, 9-21. Riggins' touchdown was the last Redskins point set of the evening, followed by the Raiders dominating the field to a devastating 9-38.
In the offseason, Gary Clark is selected for the 1984 additional draft. In 1984, the team finished 11-5 at the top of the NFC East division for the third straight season. But, lose in the first round of the playoffs, 19-23 Chicago Bears.
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| Joe Theismann |
The 1985 season was a disappointing one for the franchise. In the first week, the Redskins went to Texas. The game was a disaster for quarterback Joe Theismann, who threw five interceptions and was mocked by Cowboys fans who sang the song Happy Birthday, ending with the Redskins, 14-44, smashing. On November 18 against the Giants, Theisman breaks his leg after a sack from Lawrence Taylor. The open fracture forced Theismann to retire from a 12-year career, during which he became the club's leader in passing attempts and accurate hits. Despite finishing 10-6, the Redskins finish the season in third place in the NFC division East and fly past the playoffs for the second time under Gibbs.
A notable pre-season event was the sixth round pick of future Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien.
Even though the Redskins finish in the regular season with a good 12-4, they were forced to start the playoffs with a wildcard round in which the Redskins beat the Rams 19-7. The team then visits Chicago in the divisional round. This game marks Gibbs's 70th career win, making him the most successful coach in Redskins history. The club's season ends a week after they are beaten by the Giants in the conference finals, 0-17. Since the Cowboys did not pose a particular threat in the second half of the 80s, the main competitor of the Redskins in the NFC East division becomes the New York Giants.
The 1987 season kicks off with another 24-day strike of players, the season being cut by one game. Games from 4 to 6 weeks were won by the players of the replacement squad. The Redskins were the only team in the League to have none of their core players returned to the start during the strike. These three victories are pivotal to the team's advancement to the playoffs, and are also the basis for the 2000 feature film The Replacements.
Super Bowl XXII
For the third time in six years, the Redskins return to the Super Bowl. On January 31, 1988, the San Diego Redskins met the Denver Broncos. The first quarter of the match does not start in Washington's favor, the team suddenly finds itself in the role of catching up to the beginning of the second quarter with a score of 0-10. However, in the second quarter, the Redskins explode with a record 35 points, Doug Williams throws four touchdown passes in one quarter, and the fifth touchdown is scored by little-known running back Timmy Smith (pick of the fifth round of the 1987 draft), making a run into the Denver end-zone at 58 yards. In the second half, the dumbfounded Broncos could not recover, Smith chalked up another touchdown and a record 203 yards on the ground per match, the final result of the match is a convincing victory for the Redskins, 42-10. Williams becomes the first black quarterback.
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| Timmy Smith |
The next two seasons of the Redskins went against all expectations of the fans, the team was unable to qualify in the playoffs either in 1988 (7-9) or in 1989 (10-6). A highlight of this period was Gerald Riggs' record of 221 yards per game, in a losing game against the Philadelphia Eagles, 37-42.
The Redskins return to the playoffs in 1990 in the wildcard round, but are inferior in the divisional round, 10-28, San Francisco 49ers.
The Redskins kicked off the 1991 season with a record 11 straight wins. Also, during the season, The Hogs miss the least number of sacks in the League — 9 (third highest in NFL history and franchise record). With a 14-2 season record, the Redskins steamrolled their opponents into the playoffs in a dominant manner, beating the Falcons and Lions with a 64-17 aggregate score.
Super Bowl XXVI
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| Mark Rypien (photo:nfl.com) |
On January 26, 1992, the Redskins meet the Buffalo Bills in Minneapolis. After a dry first quarter, the Redskins' offense came to life in the second quarter with 17 unanswered points. After the break, Washington's players continue to build up their lead to a massive 24-0 lead. The Bills tried to recoup by scoring 10 points, but at the end of the third quarter, Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien made a second touchdown pass in that game, cementing a 31-10 lead. In the fourth quarter, the Redskins tied the score to 37-10 thanks to Lomiller's two field goals. At the end of the match, the Bills score two touchdowns, which could not in any way affect the final result, the Redskins win the third Lombardi Cup in their history. Quarterback Mark Rypien was named Most Valuable Player of the Match.
After the Super Bowl, the Redskins set another franchise record, sending eight players to the Pro Bowl. The Redskins' success was helped by a trio of wide receivers known as the Posse (“The Gang”), which included Art Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders. The three players averaged 210 hits at 3,043 yards in a season in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Super Bowl XXVI showcased receiver talent, Clark caught seven passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, Monk also caught seven catches for 113 yards.
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| The Posse: Ricky Sanders (83), Gary Clark (84), Art Monk (81) |
In 1992, the Redskins finished 9-7 in the regular season and qualified for the wildcard playoff round. Their season ends in the divisional round, in which they are the 49ers, 13-20 behind. Art Monk achieved his most impressive achievement this season, with his 820th catch of his career against the Denver Broncos on October 12, 1992, becoming the NFL's leading pass receiver of all time.
On March 5, 1993, after 12 years as head coach of the Redskins, Joe Gibbs ends his football career. As it turned out, this departure was temporary, Gibbs turned his attention to NASCAR racing, founding his team Joe Gibbs Racing.
1993: Year of Pettibon
Following Gibbs' departure, the club recruited former Redskins' player Richie Petitbon ahead of the 1993 season. In his first and final year as head coach, the Redskins will finish 4-12. Petitbon was sacked at the end of the season and on February 2, 1994, Norv Turner, former offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, became head coach.
1994-2000: Era of Norv Turner
End of RFK and death of Jack Kent Cooke
Turner's first two years as head coach were not particularly impressive, with the team finishing 9-23 aggregate during the 1994 and 1995 seasons. The only achievement of this period is the 206th game of his career played by Monte Coleman, on October 9, 1994, with this indicator he surpasses the record of the Art Monk franchise (Coleman will retire at the end of the 1994 season, entering the field in 216 games).
Hoping to inspire the team, in March 1996, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke, Maryland State Governor Paris Glendenin and Prince George County Governor Wayne K. Curry sign a contract to ensure immediate construction begins on the Redskins' new home arena (now FedExField).
In the 1996 season, the Redskins are making improvements, finishing 9-7, but still haven't been able to qualify for the playoffs. In December 1996, two important events take place.
December 16 conducted the last game at the stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins win 37-10, ending their arena history 173-102-3, including the 11-1 playoffs. The next achievement was Terry Allen's achievement of a new franchise record of 1,353 yards in a single season. He also leads the NFL with 21 touchdowns.
On April 6, 1997, at the age of 84, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cook dies from heart failure. At Cook's last will, the Redskins were taken over by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, with instructions to sell the team. His property was inherited by his son John Kent Cooke, he also headed the Redskins, at a farewell ceremony, John Kent Cooke announced that the new stadium in Landover, Maryland, will be named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.
During the 1997 offseason, two Redskins players came to the spotlight after Michael Westbrook, the pick of the 1995 draft's second round, punched Stephen Davis, the incident caught on camera on a local TV news channel. The club fined Westbrook $50,000.
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| Darrell Green (photo:nfl.com) |
On September 14, 1997, the Redskins play their first game at the new stadium and defeat the Arizona Cardinals, 19-13 in extra time. On November 23, 1997, the squad draws a 7-7 draw with the New York Giants, the club's first draw since the 1971 season. The Redskins finish 8-7-1 and miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. On December 13, 1997, Darrell Green takes part in the 217th game of his career, breaking Monte Coleman's record.
In 1998 the Redskins start with a seven-game losing streak and finish 6-10. Nonetheless, Brian Mitchell, for the fourth time in his career, ends the season in first place in the League for combined yards. Together with Jim Brown, he became the only player in NFL history to dominate this category four times in their careers.
Change of ownership
After two seasons, John Kent Cooke was unable to support the Redskins and on May 25, 1999, Daniel Snyder receives unanimous approval (31-0) from the League owners and buys the franchise for $800 million, the deal becomes the most expensive purchase for the team in sports history. One of the first actions of the new owner was to sell the rights to the Jack Kent Cooke Stadium name to Federal Express, which renamed the arena FedExField on November 21, 1999.
In Snyder's first season as owner, the Redskins finish the season 10-6, including a four-win streak at the start of the season, and qualify for the playoffs for the first time in Norv Turner's career and for the first time for the Redskins since 1992. The key game of the season is against the 49ers on December 26, 1999, when the Redskins hit a 10-point gap in the fourth quarter to snatch a 26-20 victory, taking first place in the NFC East for the first time since 1991. In the last game of the regular season against the Dolphins, running back Stephen Davis has a franchise record 1,405 yards, and quarterback Brad Johnson has a record 316 accurate passes over 4,000 yards. In the first round of the playoffs, the Redskins dealt with the Lions, 27-13, but in the second round, they are minimally inferior to the Buccaneers, 13-14. The Redskins had a chance to snatch victory in the last seconds of the meeting, but failed to convert a field goal. This game is the last for Dan Turk's Redskins center, on December 24, 1999, he will die of cancer.
In the 2000 draft, the Redskins pick LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels. The squad has a good start in the regular season, 6-2, but the Redskins flop for the rest of the season, winning just 2 games, finishing 8-8. On December 4, 2000, following the 6-7 defeat of the New York Giants, Norv Turner was sacked after seven seasons on the team. Terry Robiskie was named acting head coach for the remainder of the season.
2001 year Schottenheimer
On January 3, 2001, the Redskins hired former Browns and Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer, 24th in club history.
The team kicked off the 2001 season with a 3-30 defeat to the San Diego Chargers. On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four commercial passenger airliners. The hijackers deliberately crash two planes against the towers of the World Trade Center in New York, and the third crashed into the Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia. Passengers and crew members of the fourth liner tried to seize control of the plane from the hijackers, this liner fell in a field near the town of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The total number of victims of terrorist attacks was 2998 people, the greater number were civilians. September 13, 2001, The Redskins announce the Redskins Relief Fund to help the families of the victims of the Pentagon attack ... The Redskins receive approximately $700,000 in donations throughout the season.
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| Stephen Davis (photo:nfl.com) |
In light of these attacks, the NFL are changing their game schedules, with the September 16-17 weekend meeting being pushed back to January 6-7. The Redskins spent the rest of the season swinging up and down, starting with five losses, then claiming five wins in a row, eventually finishing the season 8-8. Stephen Davis becomes the first player in team history to score over 1,000 yards in a season in three consecutive seasons. In the 2001 season, he is averaging 1,432 yards in 356 attempts, both of which are record-breaking for the franchise.
2002-2003: the era of the Spurrier
On January 14, 2002, Snyder hires former Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida coach Steve Spurrier, the fifth Redskins coach in a decade. The offseason joins two quarterbacks Danny Wuerfel and Shane Matthews, who played under Spurrier in Florida. He continues to sign Florida players throughout his leadership of the team, including the 2003 second-round pick of Taylor Jacobs, a wide receiver that would be a disappointment for the Redskins to come. Spurrier made his NFL debut on August 3, 2002, in Osaka, Japan at the American Bowl, in which the team beat the San Francisco 49ers, 38-7. But in the regular season, the Redskins did not perform as well, the team finishes with a result of 7-9. This season is the 20th and final season for veteran Darrel Green. Over the course of his howling career, Green set an NFL record, chalked up 19 seasons with one or more interceptions, and another record for the Redskins with 295 games of which 258 started.
The Redskins kick off the 2003 season with a September 4 kickoff win against the New York Jets at FedExField, 16-13, thanks to a last-minute field goal from former Jets' kicker John Hall. Despite a successful start to the season, the Redskins finish 5-11, their worst record since 1994. The only achievement of the season is a new NFL record from the Redskins defensive end Bruce Smith (200 sacks), which surpassed the previous record of Reggie White in the number of sacks in his career. After two mediocre seasons, at the end of the 2003 season, the Redskins terminated Spurrier's contract.
2004-2007: The Return of Gibbs
The offseason saw three major team changes. The first occurred on January 7, 2004, when Snyder recruited former NASCAR coach Joe Gibbs back to the team as head coach and president of the club. Snyder also increased the FedExField arena capacity to 91,665 seats (the largest arena in the NFL). And the last big change came on March 3, 2004, when the Redskins negotiated a trade with the Broncos, sending corner back Champ Bailey and the pick of the second round draft to running back Clinton Portis.
In the 2004 NFL Draft, the Redskins are doing a good job, picking University of Miami alumni Sean Taylor in the first round overall fifth and Utah State's tight end Chris Cooley in the third round.
The team kicks off the 2004 season with a 16-10 victory over the Buccaneers. The win marks the 500th regular-season win in franchise history, and Gibbs's 125th regular-season win as head coach of the Redskins. However, Gibbs' return to the team did not pay off the expected dividends, with the Redskins ending the season 6-10.
Despite the impressive defensive play, there were many problems in offense. New quarterback, Mark Brunell, showed shaky play throughout the season and was replaced by backup Patrick Ramsey. Still, Gibbs' other signings such as corner back Shawn Springs and linebacker Marcus Washington fared pretty well.
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| Santana Moss (photo:Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) |
In the 2005 offseason, the Redskins trade Laveranues Coles at the New York Jets for Santana Moss. In addition, Casey Rabach Center and David Patten Wide Receiver were signed. In the 2005 draft, the team makes a very good choice, in the first round was drafted corner back Carlos Rogers. The Redskins then trade a few picks for another pick in the first round, in which they pick quarterback Jason Campbell. Mutations both also touched and the coaching staff, the team was invited to the former coordinates of offense Jaguars Bill Musgrave to the post quarterback coach. Musgrave and Brunell quickly find rapport as they worked together at Jaguars ... With the arrival of Musgrave, the Redskins began to use the shotgun formation for the first time under Gibbs.
In 2005, the Redskins kicked off with two wins, including a Monday Night Football on September 19 against the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas led 13-0 with about four minutes remaining, but Brunell throws a 39-yard touchdown pass to Moss on fourth down and then 2:44 to finish, Brunell throws a 70-yard touchdown pass to Moss again and kicker Nick Novak puts an end to the meeting by scoring a winning extra point. This was the first Redskins win at Texas Stadium. Since 1995. But then a string of setbacks followed, with the team losing six games in their next eight meetings, including three straight losses in November, and their chances of making the playoffs seemed dubious.
However, the Redskins are waking up and at the end of the season hitting a streak of five straight wins, three of which are against their direct competitors in the division. On December 18, they beat the Cowboys, 35-7 for the first time since the 1995 season. In the last home game of the regular season, the Redskins beat the Giants, 35-20. On January 1, 2006, the last game of the regular season took place, in which the Redskins beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-20. Thanks to this victory, the team qualifies for the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Over the course of the regular season, a number of the team's past achievements have been beaten, in particular Portis earned 1,516 yards on the clearance, and Moss breaks Bobby Mitchell's 1963 record with 1,483 yards, and Chris Cooley also makes 71 receptions per season, surpassing Jerry Smith. Setting a Redskins record for tight ends.
With a score of 10-6, the Redskins qualify for the wildcard playoff round. In the first round, the Redskins faced off against the champion of the NFC South division, the Buccaneers. Washington wins 17-10. In this game, the Redskins offensive scores the fewest yards in playoff history as the winning team (120 yards). A week later, they played the Seahawks, who beat the Redskins, 20-10, ruining all hopes of making the conference final for the first time since 1991.
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| Jason Campbell (photo:espn.com) |
For the 2006 offseason, the Redskins sign Al Saunders to serve as offensive coordinator, Gibbs also adds former Bills Defense Coordinator Jerry Gray to the coaching staff as the corner back / secretary coach, but Bill Musgrave leaves the team for the Falcons. In the 2006 draft, the Redskins are making a number of good acquisitions, including Rocky McIntosh, Anthony Montgomery, Reed Doughty and Kedric Golston.
After three wins in the first nine games of the 2006 season, Gibbs trades starting quarterback Brunell for Jason Campbell. After losing his debut game as starting quarterback for the Buccaneers, Campbell is claiming his first win against the Carolina Panthers. On November 5, 2006, the Redskins saw one of the club's most exciting victories in the history of the Cowboys confrontation. At 19-19, Troy Vincent blocked a field goal that could have brought Dallas a win in the final seconds of the meeting. Sean Taylor picked up the ball and ran 30 yards, it looked like the game would go into overtime, but as a result of a violation from the Cowboys, the Redskins managed to move another 15 yards forward and in the last second the Redskins have a chance to hit a field goal. At 47 yards, Novak scores a winning field goal to win Washington, 22-19.
The team finishes the season 5-11 and in last place in the division. The season was Gibbs' second losing season since returning to the team, compared to just one in 12 years for his previous tenure with the Redskins. Despite the setbacks of the 2006 season, including the frustrations of signing NFL free agents Adam Archuleta and Brandon Lloyd, running back Ladell Betts and quarterback Campbell have performed well this year.
The 2007 season is becoming one of the most exciting for both the team and the club's fans. The 2007 offseason kicked off with the signing of linebacker London Fletcher and the return of Fred Smoot to the Redskins, as well as the 2007 first-round pick of LaRon Landry. But at the same time, Derrick Dockery, a key player in Washington's offensive line, is leaving the team as a free agent in the Bills.
The first nine weeks of the regular season bring the club a 5-3 record. The next week marks the start of a four-game losing streak. First loss, 25-33 against the Eagles. Sean Taylor suffers a knee injury during this meeting. The next two defeats were against the Cowboys and the Buccaneers.
Two days after playing the Buccaneers, on November 26, 2007, safety Sean Taylor sustains a gunshot wound to the leg that injured his femoral artery in Palmetto Bay, where he was recovering from his injury. After undergoing surgery, Taylor remained unconscious and in a coma. Taylor passed away on November 27.
On November 30, 2007, law enforcement agencies detained four young men for questioning on suspicion of Taylor's murder. On the same day, the arrest of these suspects was announced: Venjah Hunte (20), Eric Rivera (17), Jason Mitchell (19) and Charles Wardlow (18). On December 1, all four were charged with second-degree murder, armed robbery, and home entry with firearms.
The league honored Taylor's memory by placing stickers with the number 21 in black on the back of the players' helmets, and all games of the coming week began with a minute of silence. Number 21 was inscribed on the field of the stadium, at the entrance to the parking lot and entered into the Redskins Hall of Fame. In addition, in addition to decals with the number 21 on the helmets of the players, the players and the coaching staff of the Redskins applied patches to their uniforms, as well as a banner with the name and number of Taylor. His locker in the Redskins Park dressing room was plexiglass lined and left in the same condition Taylor had left it. The club organized a charitable foundation for Taylor's daughter, Jackie.
Five days after Taylor's death, the Redskins attempted to end a losing streak at home against the Buffalo Bills. During the team's first defensive rally, ten Redskins (instead of eleven) entered the field, honoring Taylor's memory. The game ended with the victory of the Bills 17-16. At the end of the meeting, as the Bills tried to hit the last field goal at 51 yards, Gibbs “ice the kicker” by asking for a timeout. But when the Bills tried to kick again, Gibbs again asked for a time-out, and this was already against the rules, since the coach is not allowed to take two time-outs in a row while the ball was not in play. The coach's action was judged as unsportsmanlike behavior and the team was penalized 15 yards, the Bills moved closer to the Redskins end zone in a better position, 36 yards and Rian Lindell scores the winning field goal, 17-16.
On December 3, the entire Redskins traveled to Florida to take part in the funeral procession along with 4,000 other people attending Sean Taylor's funeral. The funeral was broadcast on national television, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Coach Gibbs, and former teammates LaVar Arrington, Clinton Portis and Buck Ortega delivering a farewell speech at the procession. Reverend Jesse Jackson and O.J. Simpson also attended the funeral. Taylor was buried in his native Palmetto Bay, Florida.
Three days later, the Redskins played the Chicago Bears in hopes of stopping a losing streak and honoring Sean Taylor with a victory. The start of the game went against the plan, with a dry first quarter and the loss of Jason Campbell, who suffered a knee injury and left the game.
However, backup quarterback Todd Collins led the team to a 24-16 victory. Collins proved to be more than a one-game replacement. Although he hadn't started in 10 years, he led the Redskins to three more straight wins at the end of the season, bringing the team to a 9-7 finish. And qualified for the wildcard playoff round. In the last game of the regular season, December 30, the Redskins win a landslide, 27-6 over the Dallas Cowboys in full view of a record crowd on FedExField. The victory with a symbolic difference of 21 points was recognized by many players on the team as a tribute to the memory of Sean Taylor.
Season Redskins completed in a week, losing in the wildcard round of the playoffs to the Seahawks, 14-35. Following the results of the regular season, three players were invited to the Pro Bowl, Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels and Ethan Albright. All three finished at number 21 during the Pro Bowl, the last time this season honoring Taylor. Taylor was voted leader for the best free safety in the NFC conference until his death. He also became the first player to be selected posthumously to the Pro Bowl.
Sean Taylor's murder trial was scheduled to take place on April 7, 2008, but was postponed until August 25 because the suspects' lawyers and prosecutors were not ready by that date. On May 12, 2008, the suspects were asked, in case of a confession of guilt, to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment. On May 13, 2008, the fifth suspect in Taylor's murder, Timothy Brown, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery.
2008-2009 Zorn
On January 7, 2008, Joe Gibbs announces his retirement for the second time, explaining his decision to spend more time with his family, in particular with his grandson Taylor, who was diagnosed with leukemia in January 2007.
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| Jim Zorn |
The main contenders for the head coach were assistants Gregg Williams (defense) and Al Saunders (offense). The situation changed on January 26, 2008, after both were fired. Greg Blache was named defense coordinator, and the day before, Jim Zorn had been recruited to the team as offensive coordinator. The hunt for a new coach lasted for about two weeks, a number of possible candidates were considered, including former Giants coach Jim Fassel, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Colts defense coordinator Ron Meeks and Titans defense coordinator Jim Schwartz, but have some success in negotiations. Never succeeded. February 10, 2008, by surprise for all Redskins announces the appointment as head coach of recently recruited offensive coordinator Jim Zorn. Former Titans running back coach Sherman Smith was brought in as the offensive coordinator.
On February 2, 2008, former players Darrell Green and Art Monk, as well as former defensive back coach Emmit Thomas, were inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Their introduction took place on August 2, 2008, during the pre-season Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, during which the Redskins played against the Colts. The Redskins also took part in a kick-off game on September 4, 2008, against the Giants.
The only free agent signed during the 2008 offseason was wide receiver and kick-off reterner Jerome Mathis of the Houston Texans. But already in May, the team refuses his services. A number of free agents are leaving the team this offseason, including: Mark Brunel, Reche Caldwell, David Macklin and Pierson Prioleau. In the 2008 Draft, the Redskins select wide receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, John Mackey tight end winner Fred Davis, Ray Guy Punter winner Durant Brooks, and Sammy Baugh Trophy winner Quarterback Colt Breman.
For the 2008 season, the Redskins have a solid start, going 6-3 to the bye-week. But after a week off, the team flops the rest of the season, losing five of their remaining seven games and finishing 8-8.
In 2009, the Redskins continued a shaky streak, losing two in their first four games, one of which was a 14-19 defeat to the Lions, a team that hasn't won a single win since December 2007. After that, the Redskins lost to Carolina and Kansas City. Ahead of Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jim Zorn was removed from his duties as head coach and replaced by offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis. In week ten, the Redskins unexpectedly beat the Denver Broncos, 27-17. In the 13th week against the undefeated Saints, the team draws up another surprise. The Redskins were able to play with a 30-30 draw in regulation time and had a chance to interrupt the winning streak of the Saints in extra time. But, nevertheless, the Redskins' kicker Shaun Suisham does not realize the field goal that could have brought the team a victory. In turn, the Saints seize their chance and score the winning field goal, 33-30. After this game, Suisham was cut off from the team and re-signed to the Cowboys. The Redskins last win this year against the Raiders in week 14, 34-13. The team will finish in the regular season with a score of 4-12. Jim Zorn was fired and Mike Shanahan takes over as head coach.
2010-2013 Era of Mike Shanahan
The 2010 offseason brings another surprise to the team as Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb forced the team to trade him to the Redskins on April 4, and this period was also marred by contract disputes with Albert Haynesworth. According to the already established old tradition, the first game of the season of the Redskins is played against competitors in the Cowboys division. Both teams weren't impressive, but the Redskins managed to get the upper hand, 13-7, after Tony Romo's touchdown pass was canceled for a foul. In the second week of the season, the Redskins are missing out on victory against the Texans in, 27-30 despite decent offensive play, especially McNabb, who earned 426 yards and a touchdown. After the 16-30 defeat in St. Louis, McNabb returns to Philadelphia with the Redskins. Although the Redskins did not play well, they were able to win, 16-12, after Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was injured and replaced by Kevin Kolb. In week 5, the Redskins hosted the Green Bay Packers, for the second time since 1979 (first in 2004) and are replaying them with a minimum margin of 16-13 overtime. Before the buy-in, the team came up with a result of 4-4, after which the Redskins accepted the Eagles during Monday Night Football for the second consecutive year. In the pouring rain, the Redskins suffered a crushing defeat, 28-59 with nine touchdowns. McNabb threw two touchdown passes and three interceptions (one of which was returned to the touchdown). On the eve of the meeting, McNabb signs a five-year contract with the Redskins for $78 million. Until the end of the regular season, the team was able to score only two wins, losing all chances of getting into the playoffs. The Redskins finish 6-10 and are back in fourth place in the division.
McNabb's career with the squad is cut short after he was traded to the Vikings in August 2011 for picks in the sixth round of the 2012 and 2013 drafts. The problematic Albert Haynesworth also went to the Patriots. After abandoning the traumatic Clinton Portis, the Redskins had no key offensive players, except Santana Moss. Mike Shanahan surprised many fans and professionals with his dubious decision by naming free agent John Beck as the starting quarterback. But soon, just as unexpectedly, Shanahan changes his mind and calls the veteran backup Rex Grossman the starting quarterback.
During the first week's game, Grossman throws 305 yards and two touchdown passes to help the team smash the Giants.28-14, ending a six-game losing streak against the Giants. Unexpectedly, the Redskins are off to a good start in the first four games of the regular season, losing only in the MNF game against the Dallas Cowboys, 16-18. The game was notable for weak execution from both teams, Dallas was able to prevail thanks to six field goals. After winning the fourth week over the Rams, 17-10, the Redskins went 4-1 bye-week. After a week of rest, the team has a crushing losing streak of six in a row. The streak is interrupted by a victory over the Seahawks, 23-17. The remainder of the Redskins season are doing it in the same fashion, having only one win in their last five games, 23-10 against the Giants. The team will finish with a score of 5-11.
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| Robert Griffin III |
In 2012, the Redskins exchange all of its high-level peaks pick St. Loius Rams (first and second round picks in 2012, picks in first round picks in 2013 and 2014) in exchange for a second pick, Baylor alumni, coachback Robert Griffin III. While the Redskins were clearly in dire need of a franchise quarterback, many football analysts questioned the wisdom of such a single player exchange. Griffin silenced critics after the first week of the regular season, in which the team won a surprise victory over the Saints in New Orleans, 40-32. Young quarterback throws 320 passes yards and two touchdown passes.
In the second week, the team travels to St. Louis where they are trailed by the Rams, 22-24. During this game, the team loses key defensive player Brian Orakpo for the rest of the season. Injuries continued to haunt the team, with cornerback Josh Wilson and wide receiver Pierre Garçon on the list. The team came to buy wick with a dismal result of 3-6. Since week 11, the Redskins have not lost a single game. Griffin has one of the best games of his career against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Redskins win 31-6, Griffin throws two long touchdown passes at Santana Moss and Aldrick Robinson. While playing against, Griffin suffers a knee injury. After completing the regular season with a score of 10-6, the Ravens finish in the Redskins make their first playoffs since 2007, the only ones in their division. The team's playoff stint is short-lived; they are once again behind in the first round to the Seattle Seahawks, 14-24.
2014 The era of Jay Gruden
On January 9, 2014, the Redskins introduce their new coach, Jay Gruden. Gruden becomes the eighth Redskins coach since their acquisition by Snyder in 1999. Gruden lost his first game as head coach to the Houston Texans, 17-6. Throughout the season, the team struggled with injuries and problems on the roster, with three players (Robert Griffin, Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins) playing in the starting quarterback position. The Redskins fail the season, winning just four games. At the end of the season, offensive coordinator Jim Haslett was fired.
On January 7, 2015, Scot McCloughan becomes the new general manager of the club.
Kirk Cousins was announced as the starting quarterback ahead of the 2015 season.
In 2015, the club scores 9-7, which was quite enough for the first place in the weakened NFC East. During the season against the Buccaneers, the team made the biggest comeback in franchise history, with the Redskins losing 0-24 during the match, but were able to win 31-30.
The wildcard round Redskins inferior Packers, 18-35.
In March 2016, the club fires Griffin, having started 35 times in his four seasons with the team, throwing 8,097 passing yards and 40 touchdowns on 23 interceptions. Shortly after leaving the Redskins, Griffin was recruited by the Cleveland Browns, with whom he signs a two-year contract.
Records
Regular season stats (including 2020 season):
Win: 610
Lose: 612
Draw: 28
Playoff stats (last appearance 2020):
Win: 23
Lose: 20
NFL Champions - 2 (1937, 1942);
Super Bowl Appearances - 5 (1972 (VII); 1982 (XVII); 1983 (XVIII); 1987 (XXII); 1991 (XXVI));
Super Bowl wins - 3 (1982 (XVII), 1987 (XXII), 1991 (XXVI));
Conference champions:
NFC - 5 (1972, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991);
Division Champions:
NFL East - 6 (1936, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1945);
NFC East - 9 (1972, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2012, 2015,2020);
Playoff appearances - 25 (1936, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2015, 2020);
Leaders
Passing yards : 25,206 Joe Theisman (1974-1985)
Passing touchdowns: 187 Sammy Baugh (1937-1952)
Rushing Yards : 7,472 John Riggins (1976-1979,1981-1985)
Receiving : 889 Art Monk (1980-1993)
Receiving Yards : 12,029 Art Monk (1980-1993)
Pass interceptions : 54 Darrell Greene (1983-2002)
Field Goals: 263 Mark Moseley (1974-1986)
Scoring Points : 1.207 Mark Moseley (1974-1986)
Touchdowns : 90 Charlie Taylor (1964-1977)
Sacks: (91- for the Redskins ) (97.5- career) Dexter Manley (1981-1989)
Forced Fumbles : 17 Charles Mann (1983-1993)
Outstanding Players
NFL Hall Of Fame
| Name | Class | Position | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. George Preston Marshall | 1963 | Owner | 1932-1969 |
| 2. Sammy Baugh | 1963 | Quarterback /Defensive back/ Punter | 1937-1952 |
| 3. Earl Lambeau | 1963 | Coach | 1952-1953 |
| 4. Bill Dudley | 1966 | Halfback | 1950-1951, 1953 |
| 5. Joe Guyon | 1966 | Halfback | 1921 |
| 6. Cliff Battles | 1968 | Halfback | 1932-1937 |
| 7. Wayne Millner | 1968 | Offensive end /Coach | 1936-1941, 1945 |
| 8. Albert Glen “Turk” Edwards | 1969 | Tackle | 1932-1940 |
| 9. Vince Lombardi | 1971 | Coach | 1969 |
| 10. Ray Flaherty | 1976 | Coach | 1936-1942 |
| 11. Deacon Jones | 1980 | Defensive end | 1974 |
| 12. Sam Huff | 1982 | Linebacker | 1964-1967, 1969 |
| 13. Bobby Mitchell | 1983 | Halfback/Flanker | 1962-1968 |
| 14. Sonny Jurgensen | 1983 | Quarterback | 1964-1974 |
| 15. Charley Taylor | 1984 | Wide Receiver | 1964-1975, 1977 |
| 16. Ken Houston | 1986 | Safety | 1973-1980 |
| 17. Stan Jones | 1991 | Tackle | 1966 |
| 18. John Riggins | 1992 | Running Back | 1976-1979, 1981-1985 |
| 19. Joe Gibbs | 1966 | Coach | 1981-1992, 2004-2007 |
| 20. Paul Krause | 1998 | Safety | 1964-1967 |
| 21. George Allen | 2002 | Head Coach | 1971-1977 |
| 22. Darrell Green | 2008 | Cornerback | 1983-2002 |
| 23. Art Monk | 2008 | Wide Receiver | 1980-1993 |
| 24. Bruce smith | 2009 | Defensive end | 2000-2003 |
| 25. Russ Grimm | 2010 | Guard | 1981-1991 |
| 26. Deion Sanders | 2011 | Cornerback/kicker | 2000 |
| 27. Chris Hanburger | 2011 | Linebacker | 1965-1978 |
| 28. Dave Robinson | 2013 | Linebacker | 1973-1974 |
| 29. Andre Reed | 2014 | Wide Receiver | 2000 |
Retired Numbers
| Number | Name | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Sammy Baugh | Quarterback / Defensive Back / Punter | 1932-1969 |
| 49 | Bobby Mitchell | Running Back | 1962-1968 |
After Sammy Baugh retired from his career, the Redskins have no practice with numbers, but some numbers have been unofficially withdrawn from use:
| Number | Name | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Joe Theismann | Quarterback | 1974-1985 |
| 9 | Sonny Jurgensen | Quarterback | 1964-1974 |
| 28 | Darrell Green | Cornerback | 1983-2002 |
| 42 | Charley Taylor | Wide Receiver | 1964-1977 |
| 43 | Larry Brown | Running back | 1969-1976 |
| 44 | John Riggins | Running back | 1976-1979, 1981-1985 |
| 65 | Dave Butz | Defensive Tackle | 1975-1988 |
| 70 | Sam Huff | Linebacker | 1964-1969 |
| 81 | Art Monk | Wide Receiver | 1980-1993 |
Number 21, Sean Taylor has not been used since his death in 2007. Fans of the club are submitting numerous petitions asking for the official removal of the number from use by the team. Safety O.J. Atogwe, who played for the Redskins in 2011, wore the number 21 throughout his career, but in the Redskins he wore the number 20 in tribute to Taylor.
The use of unofficially leaked numbers caused a number of controversies during Steve Spurrier's first year as head coach. Quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel and Shane Matthews were originally numbered 7 and 9, respectively, during training, but soon after the controversy erupted, their numbers were changed to 17 and 6. Leonard Stephens (reserve tight end) wore number 49 during his run for the Redskins, which angered Bobby Mitchell, who expressed his displeasure that his number was given to a player of the level of Stephens.
Head to Head
Cowboys-redskins
The rivalry between the clubs dates back to 1960, after the Cowboys entered the NFL. In the season 1960 the team were in different conferences, but in 1961 was transferred to the Dallas one y division with The Redskins. During this period, the teams played 122 games, including two in the playoffs, the leader of the Head to Head is the Cowboys, 73-47-2, in the playoffs two victories were won by the Redskins.
Clint Murchinson, the future founder and owner of the Dallas Cowboys, tried unsuccessfully to create an NFL team in Texas in the 50s. In 1958, rumors reached Murchinson that George Preston Marshall intended to sell the team. And when the deal seemed to have already been concluded, Marshall decides to change the terms of the contract. Marchinson was outraged and canceled the entire deal. During this time, Marshall fires the director of the Redskins Marching Band, Barney Briskin. Briskin wrote the music for the Redskins battle song ... Seeking revenge on Marshall, Briskin sells the copyright to Marchinson for $2,500. This will be a big bargaining chip up his sleeve for Murchinson in the future when he decides to create his own team in Dallas. The decision to create a new team in the NFL required the unanimous consent of the league club owners, and Marshall was the only one opposed. But when he found out that Murchinson owned the rights to the music for the Redskins anthem, he had to give up. In 1960, a new franchise appeared in Dallas, which became known as the Cowboys.
Giants — Redskins
The rivalry between the clubs began in 1932, after the Redskins (then known as the Boston Braves) became part of the NFL. For the first time on the field, the teams met on October 9, 1932, the Braves won, 14-6. The Head to Head is the oldest in the Eastern Division of the NFC. Throughout its history, there have been fierce rivalries between teams for championship in conference and division, in the late 30s, early 40s and 80s. Many fans recognize the 80s as the hottest period between these clubs, which during that period were headed by Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells, the teams vied for the championship in the division and for getting into the Super Bowl. , during this period for two teams won 7 divisional titles, 5 wins in the Super Bowl, in 1986 the clubs met in the final of the NFC conference, in this game the Giants won, 0-17.
In total, the clubs played 178 matches, with the Giants holding the lead, 105-69-4.
Eagles — Redskins
On October 21, 1934, the first game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Boston Redskins took place, with the Boston players winning 6-0. The history of the Head to Head has 174 matches, of which the Redskins won 88 matches and lost 80 times, 6 times the clubs diverged in the world.
Logo And Uniform
The main colors of the Redskins are burgundy and gold. With minor changes, the color and design of the team uniform has survived to this day. Since 1978, golden masks have been mounted on helmets.
Main logo change history
Boston redskins
1933-1936
Washington Redskins
1937-1951
1952-1959
1960-1964
1965-1969
1970-1971
1972-1981
1982
1983-2019
Disputes over the name and logo.
The Washington Redskins name and logo are part of a long debate over the club's use of the Native American name and symbolism. The very name of the club translates as “redskins”, which in American society is an offensive expression in colloquial speech to match “blacks” or “blacks” and is classified in dictionaries as: “offensive”, “dismissive” and “forbidden”.
Native American populations, tribes, and individual human rights groups have opposed the use of the name and image for decades. In the 1940s, the National Congress of American Indians (NCIA) began a campaign to eliminate negative stereotypes about Native Americans in the media. Over time, the company began to focus on the use of Native American names and mascots in sports. NCIA insist that teams with emblems and mascots such as the Braves and Redskins create negative stereotypes about Native Americans and demean their traditions and rituals.
In the late 80s and early 90s. In the United States, there have been a series of national protests and boycotts of the team's matches because of its name. However, in 1992 during the court proceedings, the Redskins won the case and retained their name. There were appeals and further proceedings up to the consideration of the case in the United States Supreme Court. The final rejection of the lawsuit, launched in the early 90s, took place in November 2009. Conversations and indignation, however, did not subside. In 2013, NCIA issued a new report that summarizes and criticizes the teams in general for using the attributes of Native American culture and the Redskins in particular. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the team, noting that it bears its name for more than 80 years and, thus, not only does not offend the indigenous population of the country, but rather the opposite — pays tribute to it. In the summer of 2014, the US Patent Office revoked the Washington Redskins trademark registration from the club. The team leaders were outraged and went to court. In 2015, Judge Gerald Bruce Lee upheld the patent office's decision, denying the club its claims. The referee indicated that the club needed to change the trademark (and thus the name of the team), ruling that the word “redskins” demeans the image of Native Americans. The club is going to further challenge the decisions in higher instances up to the country's Supreme Court. And while this trial will drag on for the coming years.
Culture
Fight song ( Fight Song )
In 1937, after the team moved to Washington. In order to represent the team in the capital of the state, Marshall instructs a group of musicians of 110 people to show the new fans of the club a pompous parade. Marshall wanted to organize everything in the style of the Roman era. He donated $ 25,000 for uniforms and instruments and commissioned orchestra leader Barney Briskin to write a song worthy of a team of gladiators and warriors.
Hail to the Redskins is the second oldest anthem among American professional football teams, the oldest being “ Go ! You Packers ! Go! ", Written in 1931 year .
Hogettes
The Hogettes are a group of 12 men, Washington Redskins fans, who wore women's dresses, hats and pig noses (piglets) in order to support their favorite team and earn money for charity. The group was founded in 1983 by Michael Tolbert and has been a regular at the Redskins for 30 years.
In the 1980s, Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel created the well-known group of linemen called the Hogs, which was a key part of the team's success in the 1980s and early 1990s, including four Super Bowls between 1982 and 1991. ... The group of fans of the team took as their name the name of the lineman group Bagela and the name of the Redskins cheerleading group known as “ Redskinettes ”.
On January 11, 2013, Michael Tolbert announced that the Hogettes would be discontinued, saying “30 seasons is enough for guys, patches and dresses.”
Chief Zee
Chief Zee, real name Zema Williams, is a well-known fan of the team and the club's unofficial mascot. Dressed in Native American clothing, Chief Zee has been attending the Redskins Games since September 5, 1978. In the 1983 season, the Chief attended a game against the Eagles at Veterans Stadium, during which he was attacked by angry Eagles fans after the Redskins won by 10 points. As a result, he was hospitalized with a broken leg. This incident did not stop the Chief from attending his favorite team's games in Philadelphia.
On November 7, 1985, he was recognized as Chief Zee Day in Washington.
Group support : Redskinettes
The Redskinettes are the Washington Redskins support group, founded on September 30, 1962, and are one of the oldest in the League. The group was at one time the second among the NFL teams (the first was the Pittsburgh Steelers).
Stadium
Throughout its history, the Washington Redskins have performed in several arenas in different years, the first home arena of the team in Boston was Braves Field , but from 1933 to 1936 the team played at Fenway Park . After moving to Washington from 1937 to 1960, the Redskins played home games at Griffith Stadium . In 1961 years, it opened a new arena, dubbed D . The C . Stadium , renamed RFK Stadium in 1968 , at which the Redskins performed until the 1996 season. On the eve of the 1997 season, the team will present a new stadium named after the former owner of the Jack Cooke club - Jack Kent Cooke Stadium , after Daniel Snyder bought the team in 1999, he first of all sells the rights to the name of the stadium to Federal Express , after which the arena received the name is FedExField .
FedExField was the largest stadium in the NFL from 2004 to 2010 , with 91,000 seats. After renovation in 2015, the number of seats was reduced to 75,000.