The Washington Commanders are a professional American football franchise based in the Washington metropolitan area. They are members of the East division in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The Commanders were founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves, named after the local baseball franchise.^[1] The franchise changed its name the following year to the Redskins and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1937.^[1] In 2020, the team retired the Redskins name after longstanding controversies surrounding it and briefly became the Washington Football Team, before choosing the Washington Commanders as their permanent name in 2022.^[1]

The franchise has won three Super Bowl championships (Super Bowl XVII, Super Bowl XXII, and Super Bowl XXVI).^[2] They also played in and lost Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl XVIII.^[2] Before the AFL and NFL merged in 1970,^[3] Washington won two NFL Championships (1937 and 1942). They also played in and lost the 1936, 1940, 1943, and 1945 Championship games. Only five teams have appeared in more Super Bowls than Washington: the New England Patriots (11), Dallas Cowboys (eight), Pittsburgh Steelers (eight), Denver Broncos (eight), and San Francisco 49ers (seven); Washington's five appearances are tied with the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and New York Giants.^[4]

All of the franchise's championships were attained during two 10-year spans. The first period of success was from 1936 to 1945, when they went to the NFL Championship six times, winning two of them. The second period of success was from 1982 and 1991, when they appeared in the postseason seven times, captured four Conference titles, and won three Super Bowls. This period included the 1983 and 1991 seasons when the team won 14 games, the most the team has won in a single season.^[5]

Washington has also experienced periods of extended failure in its history. The most notable period of continued failure was from 1946 to 1970, when they posted only four winning seasons and did not have a single postseason appearance.^[5] During this period, they went without a single winning season between 1956 to 1968 and posted their worst regular-season record in franchise history, going 1–12–1 in 1961.^[5] Washington is currently experiencing its second period of failure, which began in 1993 and continued through the entire franchise ownership of Daniel Snyder. Since 1993, they have posted only eight winning seasons and six postseason appearances.^[5]

George Preston Marshall ownership (1932–1969)

Establishment in Boston (1932–1936)

The city of Boston was awarded an NFL franchise on July 9, 1932,^[6] under the ownership of George Preston Marshall, Vincent Bendix, Jay O'Brien, and Dorland Doyle.^[6] The team took the place of the temporary traveling Cleveland Indians, who themselves were operated under the franchise of the Newark Tornadoes^[7] after the Tornadoes had left the league after the 1930 season and had sold its franchise rights back to the NFL. Despite this, neither team management nor the NFL claim that the Indians or Tornadoes were earlier incarnations of the team currently in Washington. Additionally, none of the members of the 1930 Newark Tornadoes roster,^[8] and only two of the 1931 Indians (Algy Clark and Dale Waters),^[9] remained on the 1932 Boston Braves roster.^[10]

Initially, the new team took the same name as their landlords, the Boston Braves, one of the two local Major League Baseball teams. The Braves played their first game on October 2, 1932, under the leadership of coach Lud Wray, against the Brooklyn Dodgers, to whom they lost 14–0.^[11] The next week, the Braves recorded their first win, beating the New York Giants 14–6.^[12] The new franchise's losses during the first season reached $46,000 and Bendix, O'Brien, and Doyle dropped out of the investment, leaving Marshall the sole owner of the Braves.^[13][14] The team moved to Fenway Park^[15] (home of the Boston Red Sox) the next year, and Marshall changed the name to "Redskins". According to ESPN, the team has long contended it was named in honor of Marshall's head coach, William Henry "Lone Star" Dietz, who was believed to be part Sioux.^[16] A 1933 news article quotes Marshall as saying that he did not name the team specifically in honor of Dietz or any of the team's native members, but because Marshall wanted to avoid any confusion with the Braves baseball squad while still keeping the native connotations of the previous moniker.^[17]

Dietz's first year as coach in 1933 was unremarkable, and the Redskins finished with a 5–5–2 record.^[18] However, one impressive feat during the season was Cliff Battles' performance against the New York Giants on October 8, 1933, when he rushed 16 times for 215 yards (197 m) and scored one touchdown and became the first player ever to rush for more than 200 yards (180 m) in a game.^[19]

Dietz was fired after posting a 6–6 record in 1934, and Eddie Casey was hired as his replacement.^[18] During the 1935 season, the Redskins split their first two games before going into a season-long scoring slump, posting only 23 points during a seven-game losing streak. The Redskins posted a win and a tie in their final two games, finishing with a 2–8–1 record,^[18] scoring only 65 points on the season. Casey was fired at the end of the season.^[20]

1936

The Redskins' most productive year in Boston came in 1936. It started with the first annual NFL Draft on February 8, 1936, in which the Redskins had the second overall pick. Their first selection as an NFL team was Riley Smith, a blocking back from Alabama. The first player ever selected in the draft, Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger, chose not to play pro football. Because of this, Smith holds the distinction of being the first drafted player to play in the National Football League.^[21] Later in the draft, the Redskins selected Wayne Millner, who became a large part of their offense. The next big addition was the hiring of Ray Flaherty as head coach. In the following decade, Flaherty led the team to two NFL championships and four divisional titles.^[22]

After starting the season 4–5, the Redskins won their last three games to finish with a record of 7–5,^[18] attaining both their first winning record and their first Eastern Division Championship. However, during the final game of the regular season, a 30–0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, only 4,813 fans showed up to Fenway Park. An angry Marshall then decided to give up home field advantage for the 1936 NFL Championship Game. The game was then played on December 13, 1936, at New York's Polo Grounds, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 21–6.^[23]

1936/1937 offseason

"I moved my team to Washington because the Boston papers gave girls' field hockey more coverage than the Redskins," Marshall said in 1953.^[16] Before leaving Massachusetts, however, the Redskins made one more big addition that helped their franchise for years to come. The addition came after the 1937 NFL Draft on December 12, 1936, when they signed an innovative rookie quarterback from Texas Christian University: Sammy Baugh.^[11] In an era where the forward pass was relatively rare, the Redskins used it as their primary method of gaining yards. "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh also played numerous other positions, including cornerback and punter.^[24]

First years in D.C. (1937–1945)

After the disappointing 1936 NFL title game, George Preston Marshall had the team moved to his home in Washington, D.C., on February 13, 1937, retaining the name "Redskins" although it was now out of context.^[6] They then shared Griffith Stadium with the Washington Senators baseball team.^[25]

Marshall sought to incorporate many elements of the college football atmosphere into Redskins games. At the time, the college game was far more popular than the NFL, which was still shaking off its barnstorming roots. On August 9, 1937, the Redskins marching band was founded.^[6] The all-volunteer ensemble formed when Marshall brought the Redskins to Washington, with the goal of entertaining fans from the moment they walked into the stadium until the time they left it.^[26] The Redskins are now one of only two teams in the NFL with an official marching band. The other is the Baltimore Ravens.^[27] The Redskins were also one of the first teams to have a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins", which made its debut on August 17, 1938, as the official fight song of the Redskins. The song was composed by band leader Barnee Breeskin and the lyrics were written by actress Corinne Griffith, the wife of Marshall.^[26]

1937

The Redskins played their first game and had their first victory in Washington, D.C., on September 16, 1937, against the Giants. The Thursday night game drew nearly 25,000 fans to Griffith Stadium and culminated with Riley Smith scoring on a 60-yard (55 m) interception return, making the final score 13–3.^[6]

On December 5, 1937, the Redskins earned their first division title in Washington by beating the Giants 49–14, including two touchdown runs by Cliff Battles for 75 and 76 yards (69 m), for the Eastern Championship.^[6] The team then proceeded to win their first league championship, the 1937 NFL Championship Game, on December 12, 1937, against the Chicago Bears, their first season in D.C.^[6]

1938

The 1938 season started with the 1938 NFL Draft and the selection of Andy Farkas. The Redskins then went 6–3–2, which was good enough for second place in the division.^[18]

1939

On October 15, 1939, the Redskins achieved an NFL first when Frank Filchock threw the first 99-yard (91 m) touchdown pass in NFL history, to Andy Farkas, in a game against his old team, the Pirates. This set a record for the longest play from scrimmage, a record that can only be tied, not broken.^[29][30]

1940

The Redskins won nine games in 1940 and finished on top of the Eastern Division. They met the Bears again in the 1940 NFL Championship Game on December 8, 1940, in Washington, D.C.^[31] The Redskins were annihilated by the Bears 73–0 for the most lopsided score in NFL history.^[31]

The other big loss for the Redskins that season occurred during a coin-tossing ceremony prior to a game against the Giants. After calling the coin toss and shaking hands with the opposing team captain, Turk Edwards attempted to pivot around to head back to his sideline. However, his cleats caught in the grass and his knee gave way, injuring him and bringing his season and career to an unusual end.^[32]

1941–1944

Though the Redskins failed to make the 1941 NFL Championship Game with a record of 6–5,^[18] the 1941 season is still worth mentioning because of one game. The Redskins won their last game of the season by beating the Philadelphia Eagles, 20–14.^[29] However, few remember that day for the game, because it occurred on December 7, 1941, the same day as the Attack on Pearl Harbor, a surprise attack against the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Japanese Navy that resulted in the death of over 2,400 Americans and brought the United States into World War II. On a more personal note for the Redskins, this act ultimately drove two of the most popular Redskins players, Frankie Filchock and Wayne Millner, to enlist in the U.S. Navy.^[29]

In what became an early NFL rivalry, the Redskins and Bears met two more times in the NFL Championship. The second was during the 1942 NFL Championship Game on December 13, 1942, where the franchise won their second championship, 14–6, over the previously undefeated Bears.^[31] The final time the two met was the 1943 NFL Championship Game on December 26, 1943, during which the Bears won, 41–21.^[31] The most notable accomplishment achieved during the Redskins' 1943 season was Sammy Baugh leading the NFL in passing, punting, and interceptions.^[33]

1945

The Redskins played in the NFL Championship one more time before a quarter-century drought that did not end until the 1972 season. With former Olympic gold medalist Dudley DeGroot as their new head coach, the Redskins went 8–2 during the 1945 season. One of the most impressive performances came from Sammy Baugh, who had a completion percentage of .703.^[34] They ended the season by losing to the Cleveland Rams 15–14 in the 1945 NFL Championship Game on December 16, 1945.^[31] The one-point margin of victory came under scrutiny because of a safety early in the game. In the first quarter, the Redskins had the ball at their own 5-yard (4.6 m) line. Dropping back into the end zone, quarterback Sammy Baugh threw to an open receiver, but the ball hit the goal post (which at the time was on the goal line instead of at the back of the end zone) and bounced back to the ground in the end zone. Under the rules at the time, this was ruled as a safety and thus gave the Rams a 2–0 lead. It was that safety that proved to be the margin of victory. Owner Marshall was so mad at the outcome that he became a major force in passing the following major rule change after the season: A forward pass that strikes the goal posts is automatically ruled incomplete. This later became known as the "Baugh/Marshall Rule",^[35]

Disarray and resistance to integration (1946–1961)

The Redskins' early success endeared them to the fans of Washington, D.C. However, after 1945, the franchise began a slow decline that was not ended until a playoff appearance in the 1971 season.

The 1946 season began with the signing of former player Turk Edwards as head coach. He was the coach until 1948 and finished with an unimpressive record of 16–18–1.^[18] The only highlight that occurred during his tenure was Sammy Baugh's 1947 season, where he threw 354 passes, completed 210 of them for 2,938 yards (2,687 m), setting three all-time NFL records in one season.^[34] A major blunder also occurred during his tenure. With the ninth overall pick in the 1946 NFL Draft, the Redskins chose Cal Rossi, a back out of UCLA. However, Rossi was a junior, and at that time ineligible to be drafted.^[37] After waiting a year, the Redskins drafted Rossi again in the first-round of the 1947 NFL Draft, but he never had the intention to play football professionally.^[37]

After the end of Edwards' coaching career, the Redskins hired three different head coaches during the next three seasons: John Whelchel, Herman Ball, and former player Dick Todd, but none were successful.

Nevertheless, this did not stop George Preston Marshall from trying to make the Redskins the most successful franchise in the league. His first major innovation occurred on June 14, 1950, when it was announced that American Oil Company planned to televise all Redskins games, making Washington the first NFL team to have an entire season of televised games.^[39][40] Before that, in 1944, the Redskins formed a radio network to broadcast their games throughout the southern United States.^[39]

His next major change came in February 1952, when he hired former Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cardinals coach Earl "Curly" Lambeau.^[40] However, after two seasons, Marshall fired Lambeau following the Redskins loss in their exhibition opener to the Los Angeles Rams and hired Joe Kuharich.^[40] In 1955, Kuharich led the Redskins to their first winning season in ten years and was named both Sporting News Coach of the Year and UPI NFL Coach of the Year.^[41]

After Kuharich resigned as coach to accept the Notre Dame head coaching position, Marshall hired Mike Nixon before the 1959 season. Over the next two seasons, Nixon proved to be statistically the worst coach the Redskins have had in terms of winning percentage, with a record of 4–18–2.^[44] In the 1961 draft, the Redskins made another poor draft choice in QB Norm Snead and passing over Fran Tarkenton, who later became a Hall-of-Famer after his career with the Vikings and Giants. In 1961, the Redskins moved into their new stadium called D.C. Stadium (changed to Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in 1969). The first game in the new D.C. Stadium occurred on October 1, 1961, in front of 37,767 fans. However, the Redskins failed to hold a 21–7 lead and lost to the New York Giants 24–21.^[45] Along with stadiums, Marshall decided to change head coaches again, this time choosing Bill McPeak. Though McPeak's coaching record was nothing to be proud of (21–46–3 over five seasons),^[18] he is better known for helping the Redskins draft future stars such as wide receiver Charley Taylor, tight end Jerry Smith, safety Paul Krause, center Len Hauss, and linebacker Chris Hanburger.^[46] He also helped pull off two of the best trades of the 1960s, gaining quarterback Sonny Jurgensen from the Philadelphia Eagles and linebacker Sam Huff from the New York Giants.^[47] However, even with these additions, the Redskins were still not performing up to expectations. While the Redskins became more popular than ever, they struggled through the 1960s.

Integration controversy

During most of this unsuccessful period, Marshall continued to refuse to integrate the team, despite pressure from The Washington Post and the federal government of the United States. A typical comment by Post writer Shirley Povich was

Jim Brown, born ineligible to play for the Redskins, integrated their end zone three times yesterday.^[48]

On March 24, 1961, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall warned Marshall to hire black players or face federal retribution. For the first time in history, the federal government had attempted to desegregate a professional sports team.^[49] Finally, under threat of civil rights legal action by the Kennedy administration, which would have prevented a segregated team from playing at the new District of Columbia stadium, as it was owned by the U.S. Department of the Interior and thus federal government property, the Redskins became the final pro football franchise to integrate, in 1962, in their second season in the stadium.^[49] First, the team drafted Ernie Davis, the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy.^[49] Two days before, the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League had also drafted Davis and there was some doubt as to whether Marshall would offer enough money to sign him. For their second pick in the draft, the Redskins chose another black halfback, Joe Hernandez from Arizona. They also took black fullback Ron Hatcher in the eighth round, a player from Michigan State who became the first black football player to sign a contract with the Redskins.^[49]

In 1961, the Redskins drafted their first African-American player and first black Heisman Trophy winner, RB Ernie Davis. However, in mid-December, Marshall (who once was infamously described by Povich as the man who kept the Redskins team colors "burgundy, gold, and Caucasian")^[48] announced that on the day of the NFL draft he had clandestinely traded the rights to Davis to the Cleveland Browns, who wanted Davis to join the league's leading rusher, Jim Brown, in their backfield. Davis was traded to the Browns for running back Bobby Mitchell (who became a wide receiver in Washington) and 1962 first-round draft choice Leroy Jackson.^[49][50] The move was made under unfortunate circumstances – as it turned out that Davis had leukemia, and died without ever playing a down in professional football.

1962–1969: Continued struggles

Although Bobby Mitchell was only welcomed to the team grudgingly, he was nonetheless joined by black stars like receiver Charley Taylor, running back Larry Brown (who had a hearing aid installed in his helmet due to near-total deafness in his right ear),^[51] defensive back Brig Owens, and guard John Nisby from the Pittsburgh Steelers.^[49] The Redskins ended the 1962 season with their best record in five years: 5–7–2. Mitchell led the league with eleven touchdowns, caught 72 passes and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He was eventually elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and became assistant general manager of the Redskins. Nisby had three successful seasons with the team and then was released.^[49] 1963 saw the Redskins fall to 3–11, with Norm Snead throwing 27 interceptions, then 1964 and 1965 saw two consecutive 6–8 seasons after which Bill McPeak was fired. On January 25, 1966, the Redskins hired Otto Graham as head coach from 1966 to 1968,^[45] but whatever magic he had as an NFL player disappeared on the sidelines as the team saw records of 7–7, 5–6–3, and 5–9 in 1966, 1967 and 1968 respectively.^[18]

Edward Bennett Williams ownership (1969–1974)

Marshall, team owner and president, would begin a mental decline in 1962, and the franchise's other stockholders found it difficult to make decisions without their boss. Marshall died on August 9, 1969,^[45] and Edward Bennett Williams, a minority stockholder and Washington-based attorney, was chosen to run the franchise while the majority stockholder, Jack Kent Cooke, lived in Los Angeles and ran the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.^[52]

In addition, the Redskins hired former Packers coach Vince Lombardi after promising him part ownership of the franchise.^[53] Lombardi led the team to a 7–5–2 record,^[18] their best since 1955 (which kept Lombardi's record of never having coached a losing NFL team intact),^[45] but died of cancer on the eve of the 1970 season.^[53] Assistant coach Bill Austin was chosen to replace Lombardi in 1970 and produced a record of 6–8.^[18] However, one highlight from the 1970 season occurred on December 13, 1970, against the Philadelphia Eagles, when running back Larry Brown broke off a 12-yard (11 m) run, and became the first Redskins player to rush for 1,000 yards (910 m).^[54] That season, Brown became the first Redskins player since Cliff Battles to win the NFL rushing title with totals of 1,125 yards (1,029 m) on 237 carries, a 4.7 rushing average.^[54]

George Allen era (1971–1977)

After the death of Lombardi and Austin's successful 1970 season, Williams signed former Los Angeles Rams head coach George Allen as head coach on January 6, 1971.^[54] Partial to seasoned veterans instead of highly touted young players, Allen's teams became known as the Over-the-Hill Gang. "The future is now" was his slogan, and his players soon proved him right.^[55]

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 mark.^[18] However, they lost in the Divisional Playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers, 24–20.^[54]

1972

The 1972 season began with the Redskins winning their first two games but then suffering an agonizing 24–23 loss to the New England Patriots. After the loss, Allen re-inserted Sonny Jurgensen as the starter, but Jurgensen's season ended three weeks later when he tore an Achilles tendon. Kilmer returned and led the Redskins to a 6–2 mark over the final eight weeks and an 11–3 overall record that brought an NFC East title.^[18]

The Redskins then hosted their first post-season game in Washington since 1942, where they beat the Green Bay Packers 16–3 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs,^[31] as the shrewd Allen resorted to a five-man defensive front that handcuffed the Packers' powerful running game.^[54] The Redskins reached the NFC Championship Game, defeating Dallas 26–3, only to lose to the undefeated Miami Dolphins 14–7 in Super Bowl VII.^[54]

The Redskins posted a 10–4 record in 1973,^[18] which made them tied with the Dallas Cowboys atop the NFC East.^[54] However, Dallas won the division crown based on better point differential with a net 13 points, which forced the Redskins to play in the Divisional playoffs at Minnesota one week later, where Washington lost 27–20.^[31][54]

Jack Kent Cooke ownership (1974–1997)

1974–1978

The 1974 season ended quite similarly to the 1973 season. The Redskins finished 10–4 and again,^[18] were forced to play in the Divisional playoffs. This time, they played against the Los Angeles Rams, and again fell short, 19–10.^[31] Then before the beginning of the next season, on May 1, 1975, Sonny Jurgensen retired from pro football after 18 seasons in the NFL, 11 of which were for the Redskins.^[54]

When the 1975 season was over, the Redskins had an 8–6 record and did not make the playoffs for the first time since Allen's tenure began.^[18] The highlight of the year came during the season finale on December 21, 1975, against the Philadelphia Eagles, when Charley Taylor became the NFL's all-time receptions leader with his 634th career catch.^[54]

The 1976 season started with the Redskins going 6–4, but won the final four games to finish at 10–4^[18] and earned a playoff berth for the fifth time in six years under George Allen.^[54] However, on December 18, 1976,^[54] the Vikings beat the Redskins in the Divisional playoffs, 35–20.^[31]

After his Redskins failed to make the playoffs despite posting a 9–5 record in 1977,^[18] Allen was fired and was replaced by new head coach Jack Pardee, a star linebacker under Allen in Los Angeles and Washington.^[18] In his first year, his team started 6–0 but then lost 8 of their last 10 games to finish 8–8, being the only team until the 2003 Minnesota Vikings to start 6–0 and miss the playoffs. Then, in the offseason, Redskins majority owner Jack Kent Cooke moved from Los Angeles to Virginia and took over the team's day-by-day operations from Edward Bennett Williams.^[52]

Pardee era (1979–1980)

The Redskins chose well during the 1979 NFL Draft, where they drafted future stars Don Warren and Monte Coleman. They opened the 1979 season 6–2 and were 10–5 heading into the season finale at Dallas, against whom a win would assure a playoff spot and a possible NFC East title. Washington led 34–28 with time running out, but quarterback Roger Staubach then led the Cowboys in a fourth-quarter comeback with two touchdown passes. The 35–34 loss knocked the 10–6 Redskins out of playoff contention.^[18] Pardee's quick success with the team did not go unnoticed, however, and he was named Associated Press Coach of the Year and UPI NFC Coach of the Year.

Pardee's tenure did not last long though, for he was fired after posting a 6–10 record in 1980.^[18] He did, however, select Art Monk in the first-round.

Joe Gibbs era (1981–1992)

1981

On January 13, 1981, owner Jack Kent Cooke signed the offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, Joe Gibbs, as their head coach.^[59] Also during the off-season, the Redskins acquired Mark May, Russ Grimm, and Dexter Manley in the 1981 NFL Draft, all of whom became significant contributors to the team for the next few years. After starting the 1981 season 0–5, the Redskins won eight out of their next eleven games and finished the season 8–8.^[59]

1982

The 1982 season started with two road wins and high hopes in Washington. Then starting on September 21, 1982,^[59] the NFL faced a 57-day-long players' strike, which reduced the 1982 season from a 16 games per team to nine. Because of the shortened season, the NFL adopted a special 16-team playoff tournament, in which eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8 based on their regular season records. After the strike was settled, the Redskins dominated, winning six out of the seven remaining games to make the playoffs for the first time since 1976.^[18] Mark Moseley also got some attention on December 19, 1982, when he kicked his 21st consecutive field goal against the Giants, breaking Garo Yepremian's NFL record of 20.^[59]

During 1982, players like quarterback Joe Theismann, running back John Riggins, and receiver Art Monk got most of the publicity, but the Redskins were one of the few teams ever to have a famous offensive line. Line coach Joe Bugel, who later went on to be the head coach of the Phoenix Cardinals, nicknamed them "The Hogs", not because they were big and fat, but because they would "root around in the mud" on the field.^[61] Among the regular Hogs were center Jeff Bostic, guards Raleigh McKenzie and Russ Grimm, and tackles Joe Jacoby, Mark May and Jim Lachey.^[62] Tight ends Don Warren and Clint Didier, as well as Riggins, were known as "Honorary Hogs." Also during the early 1980s, the Redskins had a group of wide receivers and tight ends called the Fun Bunch, who were known for their choreographed group celebrations in the end zone (usually a group high-five) following a touchdown. The members included wide receivers Monk, Virgil Seay, Charlie Brown, and Alvin Garrett, and tight ends Rick Walker, and Don Warren. Every single one of these players won a Super Bowl with the Redskins, and three were chosen for the Pro Bowl. The Fun Bunch's actions eventually resulted in a league-wide ban of "excessive celebration" in 1984. The 1980s Redskins had another group of wide receivers with a nickname: "The Smurfs", which consisted of Gary Clark, Alvin Garrett, and Charlie Brown. The three were given this nickname because of their diminutive size (Garrett was 5'7", Clark was 5'9", and Brown the tallest at 5'10"), comparing them to the tiny blue comic and cartoon characters in The Smurfs.

On January 15, 1983, during the second round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings, Riggins rushed for a Redskins playoff record 185 yards (169 m), leading Washington to a 21–7 win and a place in the NFC Championship Game against Dallas, whom they beat 31–17.^[59] The Redskins' first Super Bowl win, and their first NFL Championship in 40 years, was in Super Bowl XVII, where the Redskins defeated the Miami Dolphins 27–17 on January 30, 1983.^[31] Riggins provided the game's signature play when, on 4th and inches, with the Redskins down 17–13, the coaches called "70 Chip" a play designed for short yardage.^[63] Riggins instead gained 43 yards (39 m) by running through would-be tackler Don McNeal and getting the go-ahead touchdown. The Redskins ended up winning by a 27–17 score.

1983

The 1983 season started off with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys 31–30 on the Monday Night Football season opener.^[65] The game also marked the rookie debut of Darrell Green, selected in the 1983 NFL Draft along with Charles Mann, who played for 20 more seasons. They lost only one more time in the regular season, which was filled with extraordinary individual and team achievements. On October 1, 1983, the Redskins lost to the Green Bay Packers 48–47 in the highest scoring Monday Night Football game in history, in which both teams combined for more than 1,000 yards (910 m) of total offense.^[59] Then on November 20, 1983, Riggins set an NFL record by scoring a touchdown in his 12th consecutive game during a 42–20 win over the Los Angeles Rams. His streak ended at 13 consecutive games.^[59] Then during the regular-season finale on December 17, 1983, Moseley set an NFL scoring record with 161 points while Riggins' total of 144 points was second. This marked the first time since 1951 that the top two scorers in a season played on the same team.^[59] They dominated the NFL with a 14-win season which included scoring a then NFL record 541 points,^[66] many of which came from Riggins, who scored 24 touchdowns.

In the postseason, the Redskins beat the Los Angeles Rams 51–7.^[31] The next week, Washington beat the San Francisco 49ers 24–21.^[31] It was their final win of the season because two weeks later, the Los Angeles Raiders beat the Redskins 38–9 in Super Bowl XVIII.^[31]

1984edit

During the offseason, the Redskins signed future standout Gary Clark in the second round of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft. The Redskins finished the 1984 season with an 11–5 record,^[18] and won the NFC East for the third consecutive season.^[59] However, they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Chicago Bears, 23–19.^[31]

1985edit

The 1985 season was disappointing to the franchise. Week 1 opened as usual with a trip to Texas Stadium. The game proved a disaster as Joe Theismann threw five interceptions and was taunted by Cowboys fans singing "Happy Birthday" en route to a 44–14 loss. On November 18, while playing against the Giants, Theismann suffered a comminuted compound fracture to his tibia and fibula during a sack by Lawrence Taylor. The compound fracture forced him to retire after a 12-year career, during which he became the Redskins' all-time leader in pass attempts and completions.^[59] Though the Redskins finished the season with a 10–6 record,^[18] they finished only third in the NFC East and failed to make the playoffs for only the second time in Gibbs' tenure.

1986edit

The 1986 offseason's major highlight occurred during the 1986 NFL Draft, when the Redskins picked up future Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien in the sixth round.

In 1986, the road to the playoffs was even harder, with the Redskins making the postseason as a wild-card team despite having a regular season record of 12–4.^[18] They won the Wild Card playoff against the Rams, and then again in the Divisional playoffs against the Bears. This game was Gibbs 70th career victory, which made him the winningest head coach in Redskins history.^[59] The season ended next week, however, when the Redskins lost to the Giants 17–0 in the NFC Championship game.^[31][59] As the Cowboys sank into irrelevance during the second half of the '80s, New York would become Washington's main rival in the NFC East.

1987edit

The 1987 season began with a 24-day players' strike, reducing the 16-game season to 15. The games for weeks 4–6 were won with all replacement players. The Redskins have the distinction of being the only team with no players crossing the picket line.^[68] Those three victories are often credited with getting the team into the playoffs and the basis for the 2000 movie The Replacements. The Redskins won their second championship in Super Bowl XXII on January 31, 1988, in San Diego, California. The Redskins routed the Denver Broncos 42–10^[31] after starting the game in a 10–0 deficit, the largest come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl history at that time. This game is more famous for the stellar performance by quarterback Doug Williams who endured a hyper extended knee injury and passed for four touchdowns in the second quarter en route to becoming the first African-American quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory.^[69] Rookie running back Timmy Smith had a great performance as well, running for a Super Bowl record 204 yards (187 m).^[69]

1988–1990edit

The following two seasons, the Redskins did not live up to the expectations of a former Super Bowl team by not making the playoffs in either the 1988 or 1989 seasons. One bright note that came from 1989, however, when Gerald Riggs set the Redskins' all-time single-game rushing record with a 221-yard (202 m) performance in a 42–37 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.^[59] The Redskins returned to the playoffs in 1990 as a Wild Card team, but lost in the Divisional playoffs to the 49ers, 28–10.^[31]

1991edit

The 1991 season started with a franchise-record 11 straight victories.^[70] Also during the season, the Hogs allowed a league low and club record nine sacks — the third lowest total in NFL history.^[70] After posting a 14–2 record, the Redskins made and dominated the playoffs, beating the Falcons and Lions by a combined score of 64–17.^[31] On January 26, 1992, the Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI by defeating the Buffalo Bills 37–24.^[31] After the Super Bowl, the Redskins set another club record by sending eight players to the Pro Bowl.^[70] Helping the Redskins accomplish this achievement was a trio of wide receivers known as the Posse: Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders. The trio averaged 210 catches for 3,043 yards (2,783 m) per season in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Super Bowl XXVI showcased the receivers' talents, with Clark recording seven catches for 114 yards (104 m) and a touchdown and Monk with seven catches for 113 yards (103 m).

1992edit

The Redskins in 1992 came close, but failed to equal their success of the previous season. They finished with a record of 9–7 and earned a trip to the playoffs as a Wild Card team, but lost in the Divisional playoffs to the 49ers, 20–13.^[31] The most impressive feat during the season occurred on October 12, 1992, when Art Monk became the NFL's all-time leading pass receiver against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football by catching his 820th career reception.^[70]

The era ended on March 5, 1993, when Joe Gibbs retired after 12 years of coaching with the Redskins.^[70] In what proved to be a temporary retirement, Gibbs pursued an interest in NASCAR by founding Joe Gibbs Racing.^[71]

Gibbs retirement (1993)edit

After the end of Gibbs' first tenure, the Redskins hired former player Richie Petitbon for the 1993 season. However, his first and only year as head coach, the Redskins finished with a record of 4–12.^[18] Petitbon was fired at the end of the season and on February 2, 1994, Norv Turner was hired as head coach after being the offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.^[70]

Of the starters from Super Bowl XXVI, the team entered the season having lost Gary Clark, Fred Stokes, Wilber Marshall, and Martin Mayhew through free agency; Don Warren, meanwhile, retired after 1992. And the defections through free agency or retirement did not end there: the team lost Ron Middleton, Art Monk, Charles Mann, Eric Williams, Earnest Byner, Andre Collins, Danny Copeland, Ricky Sanders, and Brad Edwards to free agency by the start of training camp in 1994. Meanwhile, Jeff Bostic, Kelly Goodburn, and Joe Jacoby retired following the 1993 season.

Norv Turner era (1994–1999)edit

Turner's first two years as head coach were unimpressive, going 9–23 during the 1994 and 1995 season. One individual achievement that happened during these season occurred on October 9, 1994, when linebacker Monte Coleman played in his 206th career game with the Redskins, which broke Art Monk's team record for games played (Coleman retired at season's end with 216 games played).^[70] The team finished 3–13 in 1994, which was the last for Chip Lohmiller, Kurt Gouveia, Raleigh McKenzie, and Mark Schlereth, all of whom left the team via free agency.

The team did see modest improvement in 1995, which was the last for pass rusher Tim Johnson, who left for Cincinnati at season's end; and Jim Lachay, who retired after 1995. The highlight of the season was arguably a season sweep over the hated Cowboys, including a shocking 24–17 upset in week 14 at Irving.

By 1996, and of the 25 players starting for Washington (including kicker Chip Lohmiller and punter Kelly Goodburn) in Super Bowl XXVI, only running back/kick returner Brian Mitchell and cornerback Darrell Green had remained with the team continuously since then. Salary cap problems gutted the Redskins; the attrition through free agency and retirements mentioned above was devastating, to say nothing of attrition of backups from the 1991 Redskins (e.g., backup quarterback Jeff Rutledge retired following the 1992 season, longtime offensive lineman Russ Grimm retired after Super Bowl XXVI, linebacker Monte Coleman retired after 1994. Meanwhile, then-third-string quarterback Stan Humphries was traded to San Diego in training camp in 1992.)

In hope of inspiring the team, on March 13, 1996, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke, Maryland Governor Parris Glendening, and Prince George's County executive Wayne K. Curry signed a contract that paved the way for the immediate start of construction for the new home of the Redskins (now FedExField).^[70] The 1996 season was an improvement, with the Redskins going 9–7, but they were still unable to make the playoffs.^[18] However, in December 1996, two important events occurred. On December 16, 1996, the Redskins played their final game at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins defeated the Cowboys 37–10, finished their tenure at the stadium with a 173–102–3 record, including 11–1 in the playoffs.^[70] The second achievement was on December 22, 1996, when Terry Allen rushed past Riggins' single-season rushing record, gaining 1,353 yards (1,237 m). He also led the NFL with 21 touchdowns.^[70]

On April 6, 1997, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke died of congestive heart failure at the age of 84.^[70] In his will, Cooke left the Redskins to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, with instructions that the foundation sell the team. His estate, headed by son John Kent Cooke, took over ownership of the Redskins and at his memorial service, John Kent Cooke announced that the new stadium in Landover, Maryland will be named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.^[70] Also during the 1997 offseason, two Redskins players became the focus of media attention when Michael Westbrook, 1995 first-round draft pick, punched Stephen Davis, an incident caught by local TV news cameras. The Redskins fined Westbrook $50,000.^[74] On September 14, 1997, the Redskins played in their new stadium for the first time, and beat the Arizona Cardinals, 19–13 in overtime.^[70] On November 23, 1997, they played the New York Giants and the result was a 7–7 tie, the Redskins first tie game since the 1971 season. The result was an 8–7–1 record, and the Redskins missed the playoffs for a fifth season in a row. One bright spot during the season, however, occurred on December 13, 1997, when Darrell Green played in his 217th career game as a Redskin, breaking Monte Coleman's record for games played.^[70]

The 1998 season started with a seven-game losing streak,^[75] and the Redskins finished with a 6–10 record, their first losing record in two seasons. On December 27, 1998, however, Brian Mitchell finished the season leading the NFL in total combined net yards for the fourth time. By doing so, he joined Jim Brown as the only players in league history to lead the league in the category four times.^[70]

Daniel Snyder ownership (1999–2023)edit

1999edit

After two seasons, John Kent Cooke eventually sold the franchise to Daniel Snyder for $800 million,^[70] a deal that was the most expensive team-purchasing deal in sporting history.^[77] One of his first acts as team owner occurred on November 21, 1999, when he sold the naming-rights to Jack Kent Cooke Stadium to the highest bidder, FedEx, who renamed the stadium FedExField.^[70]

In Snyder's first season as owner, the Redskins went 10–6,^[18] including a four-game winning streak early in the season,^[78] and made it to the playoffs for the first time in Norv Turner's career, and the first time for the Redskins since 1992. One of the most important games of the regular season occurred on December 26, 1999, when the Redskins overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 26–20, to give the Redskins their first NFC East crown since 1991.^[70] The final game of the season, on January 2, 2000, against the Dolphins, running back Stephen Davis rushed for a club-record 1,405 yards (1,285 m) and quarterback Brad Johnson completed a club-record 316 passes and threw for more than 4,000 yards (3,700 m).^[79] They then beat the Detroit Lions in the first round of the playoffs, but lost to the Buccaneers, 14–13. The Redskins had a chance to win the game with a 52-yard (48 m) field goal attempt in the final seconds of the game, but the snap from center Dan Turk to Brad Johnson, the holder, was off and the Bucs won. This was Dan Turk's last game in the NFL, as he died later that year of cancer.

2000edit

The 2000 season started with the selection of future Pro Bowlers LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels in the 2000 NFL Draft and included five consecutive wins in the first half of the season.^[81] However, they ended up going 7–6 through 14 weeks (counting their bye-week), and on December 4, 2000, Norv Turner was fired after almost seven seasons as head coach.^[79] Terry Robiskie was named interim coach to finish out the season,^[79] which ended with an 8–8 record.^[18] During the final game of the season on December 24, 2000, Larry Centers became the NFL's all-time leader in catches by a running back with 685 receptions.^[79]

Marty Schottenheimer era (2001)edit

On January 3, 2001, the Redskins hired former Browns and Chiefs head coach Marty Schottenheimer as the 24th Redskins head coach.^[79] The 2001 season began with a loss to the San Diego Chargers, 30–3. On September 13, 2001, after the September 11 attacks, the Redskins announced the establishment of the Redskins Relief Fund to help families of the victims of the attack at the Pentagon. During the course of the season, the Redskins raised more than $700,000.^[79] In light of the attacks, the NFL rescheduled the game from the weekend of September 16 and 17 to the weekend of January 6 and 7.

The rest of the Redskins' season was filled with highs and lows. They started 0–5, but then went on to win five consecutive games, to bring their record to 5–5.^[82] Despite the turnaround, they finished the season with an 8–8 record.^[18] However, on January 6, 2002, Stephen Davis became the first Redskin in team history to rush for 1,000-plus yards for three consecutive seasons. He finished the 2001 campaign with 1,432 yards (1,309 m) on 356 carries, which were both franchise single-season records.^[79]

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=History_of_the_Washington_Commanders
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