In professional
football’s early days, Washington was one of the game’s
most powerful clubs, capturing two league crowns and posting ten
consecutive winning records from 1936 to 1945. Leading the Redskins’
high-scoring offense were two-time rushing champion Cliff Battles
and six-time passing champion Sammy Baugh—both eventual Hall
of Fame members.
The Redskins
consistently fielded potent teams from 1971 to 1992, reaching the
playoffs 13 times, competing in five Super Bowls, and winning three
of them during that period. Washington’s many stars included
safety Ken Houston, quarterbacks Sonny Jurgensen and Joe Theismann,
wide receivers Art Monk and Charley Taylor, and running back John
Riggins.
George Preston
Marshall founded the Redskins franchise in 1932 in Boston, Massachusetts,
as the Boston Braves, sharing Braves Field with the Boston Braves
baseball team. A year later, Marshall moved his team to Fenway Park
and changed the team’s name to the Redskins. The Redskins
were not profitable, and even an Eastern Division championship in
1936 failed to excite Boston fans, so in 1937 Marshall moved the
club to Washington, D.C.
The team found
success in its new home. From 1936 to 1942 head coach Ray Flaherty
led the Redskins to seven consecutive winning records and three
appearances in the NFL Championship Game. Washington faced the Chicago
Bears in all three contests, posting narrow victories in 1937 and
1942 and suffering a 73-0 defeat in 1940. During the 1937 title
match Flaherty introduced the screen pass. In such a pass, the offensive
linemen run downfield in front of the running back instead of blocking
for the quarterback. The quarterback then throws a short pass to
the running back and the linemen form a screen, blocking downfield
to gain yardage. This strategy has since become a standard offensive
play.
Flaherty’s
talented offensive unit boasted four future Hall of Fame members—halfback
Cliff Battles, quarterback Sammy Baugh, tackle Turk Edwards, and
end Wayne Millner. In addition to his six passing crowns, the versatile
Baugh also led the league in punting five times and interceptions
once. His career punting average of 45.1 yards is the highest ever
compiled in NFL history.
The Redskins
suffered a 25-season playoff drought from 1946 through 1970, posting
just four winning records and changing head coaches 11 times during
that span. Noteworthy individual achievements during this period
included wide receiver Bobby Mitchell’s yardage championships
in 1962 and 1963 and league-leading performances in 1966 and 1967
by quarterback Sonny Jurgensen and wide receiver Charley Taylor.
In 1971 former
Los Angeles Rams coach George Allen took over as head coach of the
Redskins. He dramatically reshaped the team through a series of
trades for seasoned veteran players. The retooled Redskins, known
as the Over the Hill Gang, recorded nine victories, the most by
a Washington team in 29 years. In his seven seasons with the club,
Allen produced seven winning records, five playoff appearances,
and one trip to the Super Bowl. Washington’s Super Bowl appearance
was in 1973, when the Miami Dolphins defeated them 14-7. The team
remained successful throughout the 1970s, and in 1976 Allen traded
for the rights of two players who would be the key to Washington’s
success in the 1980s—Joe Theismann and John Riggins.
In 1981 former
San Diego Chargers assistant coach Joe Gibbs was hired to improve
the Redskins’ passing game. In his 12 seasons as Washington’s
head coach, Gibbs delivered ten winning records, eight playoff appearances,
and three Super Bowl championships. Gibbs earned his first league
crown following the strike-shortened season of 1982, during which
Theismann led the conference in passing and the Redskins fielded
the league’s toughest defense. Washington defeated Miami 27-17
in the Super Bowl, led by Riggins’s Super Bowl-record 166
rushing yards.
During the mid-1980s
the Redskins dominated the NFC. They were led by Theismann until
a broken leg sustained during a 1985 game forced his retirement.
Washington’s defense emerged as one of the finest in the NFL,
led by ends Dexter Manley and Charles Mann. The defense was especially
key in the 1987 season, when the Redskins finished the year with
an 11-4 win-loss record and defeated the Denver Broncos 42-10 in
the Super Bowl.
In 1991 Gibbs
assembled one of the most explosive offensive units in NFL history.
Quarterback Mark Rypien led the NFC in yardage, and running back
Earnest Byner and wide receivers Gary Clark and Art Monk each topped
the 1,000-yard mark for the season. Washington also fielded the
second-toughest defensive unit in the league. After the season the
Redskins routed the Buffalo Bills 37-24 in the Super Bowl.
Gibbs left the
Redskins following the 1992 season and was replaced by assistant
Richie Petitbone. After a year, Petitbone was replaced by former
Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Norv Turner. The Redskins were
one of the weaker teams in the league for much of the mid- and late
1990s, but they rebounded in 1999 and won their division.
1973 VII Lost
to Miami Dolphins,14-7
1983 XVII Defeated Miami Dolphins, 27-17
1984 XVIII Lost to Los Angeles Raiders, 38-9
1988 XXII Defeated Denver Broncos, 42-10
1992 XXVI Defeated Buffalo Bills, 37-24
