Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community in Loudoun County, Virginia, near Dulles International Airport. They are members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).

According to Forbes Magazine, the Redskins are the second most valuable franchise in the NFL, valued at approximately $1.538 billion, having this year been surpassed by their rivals the Dallas Cowboys.^[1] Last year they generated over $300 million in revenue and netted over $60 million. They have also broken the NFL's mark for single-season attendance eight years in a row.^[2]

Overall, the Redskins have played for eleven NFL Championships and have won five, including three of the five Super Bowls in which they have played. Four of the five Super Bowl appearances were under the leadership of Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs.

The Redskins are one of only two teams in the NFL with an official marching band. The other is the Baltimore Ravens.^[3] The Redskins were also one of the first teams to have a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins."

Franchise history

For more details on this topic, see History of the Washington Redskins.

In Boston

The Boston “Football” Braves, owned by George Preston Marshall, entered the National Football League in 1932 after the Newark Tornadoes franchise folded^[4] and played at Braves Field. They had tried to base the team in New York, but were blocked by the NFL’s territorial rule. The Braves head coach was Lud Wray, and were led by Hall of Famers Cliff Battles (Running Back) and Turk Edwards (Offensive Tackle). Their first game was held on October 2, 1932 in which they lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers.^[5] The next week, the Braves would gain their first franchise victory, with a 14-6 win over the New York Giants.^[6] The Braves would complete their first season with a 4–4–2 record.^[6]

In 1933, the team moved into Fenway Park and changed their name to the Redskins.^[7] They also changed their head coach. The team was now led by Lone Star Dietz,^[8] as Lud Wray moved to Philadelphia to head up its new franchise, the Eagles.^[9] The Redskins finished the 1933 season with a 5-5-2 record.^[10] In 1934, the Redskins finished in second place with a 6–6 record.^[10] In 1935, under head coach Eddie Casey, had a dismal season, scoring only 65 points and finishing with a 2–8–1 record.^[10] In 1936, under their fourth head coach, Ray Flaherty, the Redskins won their final three games, outscoring their opponents 74–6, and captured the Eastern Division Championship with a 7–5 record.^[10] However because of extremely poor attendance, highlighted by only 4,813 fans coming out to Fenway Park to see the Redskins trounce the Pittsburgh Pirates, 30–0, George Preston Marshall elected to give up home field advantage and played the NFL Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at the Polo Grounds.^[11] Battles was injured on the tenth play of the game and the Packers won the championship with a 21-6 victory. The Redskins moved to Washington the following season due to lack of fan support in Boston.

In Washington, D.C.

In their early years in Washington, the Redskins shared Griffith Stadium with the Washington Senators baseball team.^[12] In 1937, they signed an innovative rookie quarterback from Texas Christian University, Sammy Baugh.^[5] 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.

With Sammy Baugh at the helm, the Redskins won the Eastern Division title and went back to the NFL Championship game in their first year in the Nation's Capital. The 1937 NFL Championship game pitted them against the Chicago Bears. Sammy Baugh threw three touchdown passes and the Redskins prevailed, 28–21.^[13] The two teams would meet again in the 1940 Championship, and the Bears handed the Redskins the most lopsided defeat in NFL history, 73–0.^[13] The Redskins struck back in 1942, as George Preston Marshall used the 1940 humiliation as a rallying point and the Redskins upset the Bears to spoil their try for a perfect season, 14–6.^[13] The teams clashed again the following season and the Bears would even the series at 2-2, capturing the 1943 NFL title, 41-21.^[13] The Redskins challenged for the NFL title again in 1945, but fell a point short to the Cleveland Rams, 15-14.^[13]

Integration and front-office

The team's early success endeared it to the fans of Washington, D.C. However, after 1945, the Redskins began a slow decline. This was in part because of Marshall's tendency to micromanage the team. From 1946 to 1968, the Redskins had only three winning seasons.^[10]

Marshall refused to integrate the team, despite pressure from the Washington Post and the Federal Government (a typical comment by Post writer Shirley Povich was "Cleveland Browns runner Jim Brown integrated the Redskins' end zone three times").^[14]

Finally, in 1962, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall gave the Redskins an ultimatum--unless they signed a black player, the government would evict them from the year-old District of Columbia Stadium.^[15] As a result, the Redskins became the final pro football franchise to integrate, in 1962, its second season in the stadium. First, the team drafted Ernie Davis, the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy.^[15] Then, before signing Davis, they traded his rights to the Browns for wide receiver Bobby Mitchell.^[15] It turned out that Davis had leukemia and died without ever playing a down in professional football. Mitchell, however, was still in the first half of a career that would land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.^[15]

Mitchell would be joined by black stars such as receiver Charley Taylor, running back Larry Brown (who had a hearing aid installed in his helmet due to near-total deafness), and defensive back Brig Owens. They would also pull off two of the best trades of the 1960s, gaining colorful quarterback Sonny Jurgensen from the Philadelphia Eagles and linebacker Sam Huff from the New York Giants.^[16] But even with these additions, the Redskins were still not performing up to expectations. Although the team became more popular than ever, particularly with the addition of Mitchell, they struggled through the 1960s.

In the front office, Marshall had been forced to reduce his duties due to a mental decline in 1962, and the team's other stockholders found it difficult to make decisions without their boss. Marshall died in 1969, and the remaining stockholders sold the team to Edward Bennett Williams, a Washington resident and one of America's most esteemed attorneys.^[17]

Also in 1969, D.C. Stadium was renamed Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, and the Redskins hired Vince Lombardi — who gained fame coaching with the Green Bay Packers — to be their new head coach.^[18] Lombardi led the team to a 7–5–2 record,^[10] their best since 1955, but died of cancer on the eve of the 1970 season.^[18]

Revival

Two years later, Williams signed former Los Angeles Rams head coach George Allen as head coach. 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.^[19]

Allen helped to foster the team's rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys, which has turned into one of the NFL's most heated matchups.^[20] The Redskins reached the NFC Conference Championship in the 1972 season, defeating Dallas 26–3,^[13] only to lose to the undefeated Miami Dolphins 14–7 in Super Bowl VII.^[13] In his seven years as head coach, Allen's teams made the playoffs five times.^[21]

In 1981, new Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke signed the offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, Joe Gibbs, as their 20th head coach. He coached the team to four Super Bowls, winning three of them.^[22]

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 would later go 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.^[23] The "original" Hogs were made up of center Jeff Bostic, guards Russ Grimm and Mark May, and tackles Joe Jacoby and George Starke.^[24] In later years other notables such as Jim Lachey, Raleigh McKenzie, and Mark Schlereth were also part of the famous line. Tight ends Don Warren and Clint Didier, as well as Riggins, were known as "Honorary Hogs."

The Redskins' first Super Bowl win, their first NFL Championship in 40 years, was in Super Bowl XVII, where the Redskins beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 on January 30, 1983, in Pasadena, California.^[13] John 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.^[25] Riggins instead gained 43 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. The image of Riggins running through would-be tackler Don McNeal has become one of the all-time Super Bowl highlights. One touchdown later, the Redskins won their first Super Bowl title by a 27–17 score.

The Redskins' 1983 season began with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys 31–30 on the Monday Night Football season opener,^[26] but they lost only one more game in the regular season (also a Monday Night game, vs. Green Bay, by a score of 48–47^[26]), as they dominated the National Football League with a 14-win season that included scoring a then NFL record of 541 points^[27], many of which came as a result of John Riggins' 24 touchdowns. In the postseason, the Redskins defeated the Los Angeles Rams 51–7.^[13] The next week, they cruised to a 21–0 lead over the San Francisco 49ers after 3 quarters in the NFC Champonship Game, but the Redskins' weakness that season was their defense (they allowed 332 points that season). The 49ers fired off 3 touchdowns to tie the game. But Mark Moseley, who had missed 4 field goals, made the one that counted as the 'Skins beat the 49ers 24–21.^[13] It would be Washington's last win of the season because two weeks later, the Raiders beat the Redskins 38–9 in Super Bowl XVIII.^[13]

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.^[28] 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^[13] after falling behind 10–0 early in the first quarter. This was the largest come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl history. This game is more famous for the stellar performance by quarterback Doug Williams, who passed for four touchdowns in the second quarter en route to becoming the first black quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory.^[29] Rookie running back Timmy Smith had a great performance as well, running for a Super Bowl record 204 yards.^[29]

The Redskins won their most recent Super Bowl on January 26, 1992, in Super Bowl XXVI in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Redskins, the most dominant team in the NFL in the 1991 season, defeated the Buffalo Bills 37–24.^[13] Quarterback Mark Rypien was named the MVP. On March 5, 1993, Joe Gibbs retired after 12 years of coaching with the Redskins. In what would prove to be a temporary retirement, Gibbs pursued an interest in NASCAR by founding Joe Gibbs Racing.^[30]

Snyder era

1997

In 1997, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke died on the eve of the opening of the new stadium in suburban Landover, Maryland, that was to be named in his honor. In his will, Cooke left the Redskins to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, with instructions that the foundation sell the team. His son, John Kent Cooke, was unable to raise sufficient funds to purchase the business, and the team was later sold to Daniel Snyder.^[31]

1999

In 1999, the Redskins made the playoffs for the first time since Joe Gibbs's retirement by winning the NFC East. They beat the Detroit Lions 27-13 in a home wild card game,^[13] but subsequently dropped their divisional playoff game in a 14-13 loss on the road to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[13]

FedExField.

2000-2003

Snyder, who grew up as a Redskins fan and who made his fortune in marketing, has made many controversial moves since owning the team, including offering the name of the stadium up to corporate bidders. FedEx had the highest bid, and the stadium is now named FedEx Field. The most controversial habit Snyder has practiced is the continuous hiring and firing of head coaches, first firing incumbent coach Norv Turner, firing replacement Marty Schottenheimer after only one season, and in 2002, hiring University of Florida head coach Steve Spurrier to replace Schottenheimer. Spurrier resigned after the 2003 season with three years left on his contract.

The Washington Redskins face the New York Giants

2004

For the 2004 season, Snyder successfully lured former coach Joe Gibbs away from NASCAR to return as head coach and team president. His employment came with a promise of decreased intervention in football operations from Snyder.^[32] Snyder also expanded FedEx Field to a league-high capacity of 91,665 seats. Gibbs's return to the franchise did not pay instant dividends as the Redskins finished the 2004 season with a record of 6 wins and 10 losses.

Despite an impressive defense, the team struggled offensively. Quarterback Mark Brunell—an off-season acquisition from the Jacksonville Jaguars—struggled in his first season, and was replaced midway through the season by backup Patrick Ramsey. On the other hand, some of Gibbs's other new signings, such as cornerback Shawn Springs and linebacker Marcus Washington, did very well. The Redskins also picked Sean Taylor from University of Miami during the draft in Gibbs's first season.

Partly because owner Dan Snyder has turned the Redskins into the greatest revenue producer in pro football, he has spent a lot of money on free agents. These moves did not work out well in the beginning (Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders), but the quality of free agents signed under Coach Gibbs has improved by signing or trading for stars such as Cornelius Griffin, Santana Moss, and Clinton Portis.

2005

Main article: 2005 Washington Redskins season

During the 2005 offseason, the Redskins traded back WR Laveranues Coles to the New York Jets and acquired WR Santana Moss in return.

The Redskins used their first pick of the 2005 NFL Draft on Auburn University cornerback Carlos Rogers. The Redskins used their next first round draft pick (acquired from the Denver Broncos) on Auburn Quarterback Jason Campbell. The rest of their picks included UCLA fullback Manuel White, Jr., Louisville linebacker Robert McCune, Stanford linebacker Jared Newberry, and Citadel College fullback Nehemiah Broughton.

Hoping to improve on the previous season's dismal passing attack, Coach Gibbs added former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave as his quarterbacks coach. For the first time under Gibbs, the Redskins offense utilized the shotgun formation.

The team won its first three games, including a Monday Night Football victory over Dallas, but then fell into a slump, including three straight losses in November, which lessened the chances of the team making the playoffs. However, five consecutive victories at the end of the season allowed Washington to finish the season at 10-6, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card team. They opened the playoffs on the road against the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, January 7, 2006. They won the rematch by a final score of 17-10,^[13] after taking an early 14-0 lead, which they later seemed to have squandered until replay evidence showed that an apparent touchdown that would have tied the game was in fact an incomplete pass. In that game, the Redskins broke the record for fewest offensive yards (120) gained in a playoff victory, with one of their two touchdowns being from a defensive run after a fumble recovery. The following weekend, they played the Seattle Seahawks, who had received a first round bye. The Seahawks defeated the Redskins 20-10,^[13] ending the Redskins' hopes of reaching their first NFC Championship Game since 1991.

Three team records were broken during the 2005 season. Clinton Portis set the Redskins record for rushing yards in a season with 1,516 yards, breaking Stephen Davis's 2001 mark of 1,432 yards and Santana Moss's 1,483 receiving yards broke Bobby Mitchell's 1963 record of 1,436 yards. Chris Cooley's 71 receptions broke Jerry Smith's season record for a Redskins tight end.

2006

Main article: 2006 Washington Redskins season

Jason Campbell became starting quarterback during the middle of the 2006 season.

The inconsistency of the offense during the 2005 season resulted in Gibbs hiring offensive coordinator Al Saunders as the Associate Head Coach - Offense. Saunders came from a similar background as Gibbs through being mentored under Don Coryell and was thought to be able to make the offense become more efficient. Saunders would serve as the primary playcaller. Because of this, it was believed that Gibbs would have the role of Head Coach/CEO with the Redskins in 2006 and would largely deal with personnel matters, as well as having more time to focus on special teams and defense, while Saunders would supplement Gibbs with the offense. Gibbs also added former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray to his staff as Secondary/Cornerbacks Coach. Gibbs did lose quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave to the Atlanta Falcons over the summer of 2006.

After winning only three of the first nine games of the Washington Redskin's 2006 season Gibbs, in an effort to save some portion of their season, benched starting quarter back Mark Brunell in favor of former first round draft pick Jason Campbell. After losing his first game as a starter to Tampa Bay, Campbell got his first NFL victory against the Carolina Panthers, bringing the Redskins out of a three-game losing streak. The Redskins finished 5-11 after a home loss to the New York Giants, 34-28. Washington finished last in the NFC East division, the only team in their division to fail to make the playoffs. This marked the second losing season in Joe Gibbs' second term as head coach of the franchise.

Analysts differ on exactly why the 2006 season was such a failure. Some point to free agent signings such as strong safety Adam Archuleta and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. Others point to the disconnect between the offensive philosophies of Gibbs and Saunders: Gibbs preferring a power-running scheme while Saunders desired an aggressive pass-oriented style. Many looked to the breakdowns in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams's system, while some point to specific player breakdowns in the porous secondary such as the struggles of defensive backs Carlos Rogers, Sean Taylor, and Archuleta, allowing a league high 30 TD passes, and accumulating an NFL low 6 interceptions. The defense went from 7th overall in 2005 to 29th in 2006.

Logo and uniforms

The Washington Redskins' primary colors are burgundy and gold. The Redskins' current uniform design was introduced by coach Jack Pardee in 1979. From 1961 through 1978, the Redskins wore gold pants with both the burgundy and white jerseys, although details of the jerseys and pants changed a few times during this period. Gold face masks were introduced in 1978 and remain to this day; previous to that they were grey. They are one of four NFL teams that primarily wear their white jerseys at home (the others being the Dallas Cowboys, the New Orleans Saints, and the Miami Dolphins). The tradition of wearing white jerseys over burgundy pants at home, which is considered the "classic" look, was started by Joe Gibbs when he took over as coach in 1981. Gibbs was an assistant for the San Diego Chargers in 1979 and 1980, and the Chargers wore white at home during the tenure of coach Don Coryell in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Their burgundy jersey is primarily used when the opposing team decides to wear white at home, which comes mostly against the Dallas Cowboys and occasionally the Philadelphia Eagles, and is normally worn over white pants. From 1981 through 2000, the Redskins wore their white jerseys over burgundy pants at home almost exclusively. In 1994, as part of a league-wide celebration of the NFL's 75th Anniversary, during certain games the Redskins wore special uniforms which emulated the uniforms worn by the team in its inaugural season as the Washington Redskins, 1937. Both worn over gold pants, the burgundey jerseys featured gold numbers bordered in white and the white jerseys featured burgundy numbers bordered in gold. The most distinctive feature of both colors of the jersey was the patches worn on both sleeves, which were a reproduction of the patches worn on the full-length sleeves of the 1937 jersey. Worn with these uniforms was a plain burgundy helmet with a gold facemask. In 2001, the Redskins wore burgundy for all home games in preseason and regular season per a decision by Marty Schottenheimer, their coach for that year. In 2002, the team celebrated the passing of 70 years since its creation as the Boston Braves in 1932, and wore a special home uniform of burgundy jersey over gold pants which roughly resembled the home uniforms used from 1969-1978. The helmets used during at home during that year were a reproduction of the helmets used by the team from 1965-1969. In 2004, Joe Gibbs became the coach of the Redskins once again. The team switched back to wearing white jerseys at home.

Their white jersey has provided three basic color combinations, two of which have been previously alluded to in this article. The last combination consists of both white jerseys and pants. That particular combination surfaced in the first game of the 2003 season, when the team was coached by Steve Spurrier, on a nationally televised game against the New York Jets, which led many sports fans and Redskin faithful alike to point out that they have never seen that particular combination. That year the Redskins wore it two more times. That look didn't appear again until midway through the 2005 season when the Redskins wore it in a road game against the St. Louis Rams. The Redskins won six games, including one in the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wearing that combination and the local media jokingly pointed out that the reason the Redskins were winning was because of the white on white combination. In the NFC Divisional Game against the eventual 2005 NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks, the Redskins wore the all-white jerseys, in hopes that they could keep their streak going; however, they lost 20-10. The Redskins continued to wear the white jerseys and white pants into the 2006 preseason. In the 2006 season, the Redskins started wearing black cleats, something that hasn't been done for quite a while. It was a surprise because they wore white cleats during the preseason. They would have to wear that color for the rest of the season, because the NFL usually asks teams to choose either black or white cleats to be worn throughout the season.

After the white-on-white period which lasted from the mid/late 2005 season into 2006, the classic uniform of white jerseys over burgundy pants reappeared on November 26, 2006, in a home game against the Carolina Panthers. The decision to return to the classic look may have symbolized a desire by the team to turn a new page on their 2006 season, which had been very lackluster previous to that game, the period of success with the white jerseys over white pants having come to an end the previous season. The move may have also been related to the fact that this home game was the second start and first home start of second-year quarterback Jason Campbell, and that the game and the previous week's game were, in the hopes and perceptions of many Redskins fans, the start of the "Jason Campbell era." The Redskins went on to win that game against Carolina, preserving slim hopes of the team's being able to make it to the 2006 playoffs, although they ultimately missed the playoffs.

In celebration of the franchise's 75th anniversary, the Redskins wore a special throwback uniform for the September 23, 2007 home game against the New York Giants. Players wore a white jersey with burgundy and gold stripes on the sleeves and the 75th anniversary logo on the left chest. The pants were gold, with white and burgundy stripes down the side. The helmet was yellow-colored with a maroon "R" logo. The helmet and uniform styles (besides the anniversary patch) were the same as the ones the franchise used during the 1970-71 seasons. While this throwback uniform was worn during a home game, it was actually the away uniform for 1970-71. The legendary Vince Lombardi, who coached the Redskins in 1969 before passing away during the 1970 pre-season, was the inspiration behind the helmet. Lombardi pushed for the logo, which sat inside a white circle enclosed within a red circcle border, with Indian feathers hanging down from the side, because of its similarity to the "G" on the helmets worn by his Green Bay Packers for many years.

On September 14, 2008, Week 2 and Game Two for the team of the 2008 season, the 'Skins again donned the white-on-white look, reminiscent of the successful stretch at the end of the 2005 season.

On November 3, 2008, the Redskins wore burgundy jerseys over their burgundy pants in a Monday night home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the night before the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. The Redskins lost the game, 23-6.^[33] It was the first time the Redskins went with the dark "monochrome" look that many NFL teams have adopted in some form over the past few years, and was also a rare home game use of the burgundy jerseys. The Redskins again wore the burgundy jerseys at home against the Giants in Week 12 on November 30, 2008.

Accusations of Insensitivity

See also: Native American Mascot Controversy and Redskin

Some people consider the namesake and logo of the Washington Redskins insensitive towards Native Americans.^[34] Lately there has been movements by certain groups to change the name,^[35] but the attempts have been unsuccessful. Others make the case in defense that the The Redskins name is intended to honor the bravery and dignity of Native Americans and that, regardless of past usage, the word "redskins" today refers to the football team. Yet those who object to the name argue that no matter what the intent is, the term was classicly a label rooted in racist belief.^[36] Notwithstanding the protests of activists, a 2002 poll commissioned by Sports Illustrated found that 75% of those Native Americans surveyed had no objection to the Redskins name.^[37] However, the results of the poll have been criticized due to Sport's Illustrated's refusal to provide polling information (i.e. how participants were recruited and contacted, if they were concentrated in one region, if one ethnic group is over represented and the exact wording and order of questions).^[38][39] But in 2004, a poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania essentially confirmed the prior poll's findings, concluding that 91% of the American Indians surveyed in the 48 states on the mainland USA found the name acceptable and setting out in detail the exact wording of the questions. ^[40]In 1992, a group of Native Americans led by Suzan Harjo filed to have the United States trademarks associated with the Redskins name cancelled under statutes which prevent registration of disparaging terms. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in 1999 ruled in favor of the petition and cancelled the trademarks. Following appeals, in 2005 the D.C. Court of Appeals in Pro-Football, Inc. v. Harjo reversed the cancellation, ruling that there was insufficient evidence to support the finding of disparagement and holding that the majority of the petitioners were barred by laches from maintaining the suit.^[41] Had the cancellation of the trademark been successful, the team could have still used the name, but others could have produced merchandise branded with the Redskins name without the payment of royalties.

Season-by-season records

Main article: Washington Redskins seasons

Record vs. opponents

(As of Week 7 of the 2008 NFL season. Includes postseason records.)

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

Players of note

Main article: List of Washington Redskins players

Current roster

Pro Football Hall of Famers

Players

• 9 Sonny Jurgensen, QB, 1964-74
• 17 Turk Edwards, OT-DT, 1932-40
• 20 Cliff Battles, RB-CB, 1932-37
• 26 Paul Krause, S, 1964-67
• 27 Ken Houston, S, 1973-80
• 28 Darrell Green, CB, 1983-2002
• 33 Sammy Baugh, QB-S-P, 1937-52
• 35 Bill Dudley, RB-CB, 1950-53
• 40 Wayne Millner, TE-DE, 1936-41, player-coach 1945
• 42 Charley Taylor, WR, 1964-77, assistant coach, 1978-93
• 44 John Riggins, RB, 1976-85
• 49 Bobby Mitchell, RB, 1962-68, later team executive
• 70 Sam Huff, LB, 1964-67, player-assistant coach 1969
• 73 Stan Jones, DT 1966
• 75 Deacon Jones, DE, 1974
• 81 Art Monk, WR, 1980-93

Management

• George Allen, Head Coach, 1971-77
• Ray Flaherty, Head Coach, 1936-42
• Joe Gibbs, Head Coach, 1981-92, 2004-07
• Otto Graham, Head Coach, 1966-68
• Curly Lambeau, Head Coach, 1952-53
• Vince Lombardi, Head Coach, 1969
• George Preston Marshall, team Founder-Owner, 1932-69
• Mike McCormack, Assistant Coach, 1965-72
• Emmitt Thomas, Assistant Coach, 1986-94

Retired numbers

• 33 Sammy Baugh, QB-S-P, 1937-52

Unofficial retired numbers

The Redskins' policy since Baugh's retirement has been to not retire numbers. However, some numbers are unofficially retired and are usually withheld from being assigned to new players. The following numbers of past Redskin greats fall into that category.

• 7 Joe Theismann, QB, 1974-85
• 9 Sonny Jurgensen, QB, 1964-74
• 28 Darrell Green, CB, 1983-2002
• 42 Charley Taylor, WR, 1964-77
• 43 Larry Brown, RB, 1969-76
• 44 John Riggins, RB, 1976-79, 1981-85
• 49 Bobby Mitchell, RB, 1962-68
• 51 Monte Coleman, LB, 1979-94
• 65 Dave Butz, DT, 1975-88
• 70 Sam Huff, LB, 1964-69 (Worn by Leonard Marshall in 1993)
• 81 Art Monk, WR, 1980-93

The use of unofficial retired numbers drew controversy during Steve Spurrier's first year as head coach^[42] Quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel and Shane Matthews first wore 7 and 9 respectively during training camp. The resulting sports talk furor led to them switching to 17 and 6.^[42] During the season, reserve tight end Leonard Stephens wore number 49 for the season. After his retirement as assistant GM, Bobby Mitchell blasted the team, accusing late owners Edward Bennett Williams and Jack Kent Cooke of racism for not being considered for GM and was upset that the team would let a player like Leonard Stephens wear his number.^[43]

Washington Hall of Stars

The Washington Hall of Stars is a series of banners, on what is now the right-field wall at RFK Stadium, honoring D.C. performers from all sports. It was previously located on a series of white-and-red signs ringing the face of the stadium's mezzanine level. The Redskins honored on it include Hall-of-Famers Allen, Battles, Baugh, Dudley, Houston, Huff, Jurgensen, Marshall, Millner, Mitchell, Riggins, and Taylor; "retired number" honorees Brown, Monk, Moseley, and Theismann; and the following:

• Arthur "Dutch" Bergman, Head Coach 1943, also coached in D.C. at The Catholic University of America and President of the company that lobbied for the building of what became RFK Stadium
• 80 Gene Brito DE 1951–58
• 65 Dave Butz DT 1975–88
• Jack Kent Cooke, Team Owner 1961–97 (majority owner from 1974, sole owner from 1985)
• 37 Pat Fischer DB 1968–77
• 68 Russ Grimm OG 1981–91
• 55 Chris Hanburger LB 1965–78
• 56 Len Hauss C 1964–77
• 66 Joe Jacoby OT 1981–93
• 47 Dick James RB 1955–63
• 22 Charlie Justice RB 1950–54
• 17 Billy Kilmer QB 1971–78
• 14 Eddie LeBaron QB 1952–59
• Vince Lombardi, Head Coach 1969 (in Hall of Fame for coaching with Packers)
• 23 Brig Owens SS 1966–77
• 65 Vince Promuto G 1960–70
• 87 Jerry Smith TE 1965–77
• 17 Doug Williams QB 1986–89
• Edward Bennett Williams, Team Owner 1962–85 (majority owner until 1974)

Despite having been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Turk Edwards, Ray Flaherty, Joe Gibbs, and Paul Krause are not on the Hall of Stars banners. Edwards, Flaherty, and Gibbs had been honored on signs on the prior version of the Hall of Stars.

The 70 Greatest Redskins

Mark May, offensive lineman for the Redskins between 1981 and 1989, was named one of the 70 Greatest Redskins.^[44]

In honor of the Redskins' 70th anniversary, on June 13, 2002 a panel selected the 70 Greatest Redskins to honor the players and coaches who were significant on-field contributors to the Redskins five championships and rich history. They were honored in a weekend of festivities, including a special halftime ceremony during the Redskins' 26–21 win over the Indianapolis Colts.^[45]

The panel that chose the 70 consisted of former news anchor Bernard Shaw; former player Bobby Mitchell; Senator George Allen (son of coach George Allen); broadcaster Ken Beatrice; Noel Epstein, editor for the Washington Post; former diplomat Joseph J. Sisco; Phil Hochberg, who retired in 2001 after 38 years as team stadium announcer; Pro Football Hall of Fame historian Joe Horrigan; sportscaster George Michael; sports director Andy Pollin; NFL Films president Steven Sabol; and news anchor Jim Vance.^[45]

The list includes three head coaches and 67 players, of which 41 were offensive players, 23 defensive players and three special teams players.^[45]

Among the 70 Greatest, there are 92 Super Bowl appearances, with 47 going once and 45 playing in more than one. Twenty-nine members possess one Super Bowl ring and 26 have more than one. Also, before the Super Bowl, members of the 70 made 18 World Championship appearances including six that participated in the Redskins' NFL Championship victories in 1937 and 1942.^[45]

Other notable alumni

• LaVar Arrington LB 2000-05
• Champ Bailey CB 1999-2003
• Verlon Biggs DE 1972-75
• Stephen Davis RB 1996-2002
• Leslie "Speedy" Duncan KR DB 1971-74
• Clint Didier TE 1982-89
• Gus Frerotte QB 1994-1998
• Trent Green QB 1993-95
• Charley Harraway FB 1969-73
• Ken Harvey OLB 1994-98
• Terry Hermeling OT 1970-80
• Roy Jefferson WR 1971-76
• Brad Johnson QB 1999-2000
• Tré Johnson OG 1994-2000, 2002, 2003
• Curt Knight K 1969-73
• Max Krause FB 1937-40
• Chip Lohmiller K 1988-94
• Jack Pardee LB 1971-73
• Myron Pottios MLB 1971-73
• George Rogers RB 1985-87
• Deion Sanders DB 2000
• Bruce Smith DE 2000-03
• Sean Taylor FS 2004-2007
• Alvin Walton SS 1986-91
• Michael Westbrook WR 1995-2001

All-time first-round draft picks

Main article: List of Washington Redskins first-round draft picks

Coaches of note

Main article: List of Washington Redskins head coaches

Current staff

Single-season records

• Passing Yards: 4,109 Jay Schroeder (1986)^[46]
• Passing Touchdowns: 31 Sonny Jurgensen (1967)^[46]
• Rushing Yards: 1,516 Clinton Portis (2005)^[47]
• Receptions: 106 Art Monk (1984)^[46]
• Receiving Yards: 1,483 Santana Moss (2005)^[47]
• Pass Interceptions: 13 Dan Sandifer (1948)^[46]
• Field Goals Made: 33 Mark Moseley (1983)^[46]
• Points: 161 Mark Moseley (1983)^[46]
• Total Touchdowns: 24 John Riggins (1983)^[46]
• Punt Return Average: 15.3 Johnny Williams (1952)
• Kickoff Return Average: 29.7 Mike Nelms (1981)
• Punting Average: 51.4* Sammy Baugh (1940)^[48]

* NFL Record

Redskins career records

• Passing Yards: 25,206 Joe Theismann (1974–1985)^[5]
• Passing Touchdowns: 187 Sammy Baugh (1937–1952)
• Rushing Yards: 7,472 John Riggins (1976–1979,1981–1985)^[5]
• Receptions: 888 Art Monk (1980–1993)^[5]
• Receiving Yards: 12,028 Art Monk (1980–1993)^[49]
• Pass Interceptions: 54 Darrell Green (1983–2002)^[49]
• Field Goals Made: 263 Mark Moseley (1974–1986)
• Points: 1,207 Mark Moseley (1974-1986)^[5]
• Total Touchdowns: 90 Charley Taylor (1964–1977)
• Punt Return Average: 12.8 Johnny Williams (1952–1953)
• Kickoff Return Average: 28.5 Bobby Mitchell (1962–1968)
• Punting Average: 45.1 Sammy Baugh (1937–1952)
• Sacks: 97.5 Dexter Manley (1981–1989)^[49]

NFL records

Offense

• The Washington Redskins have had two 14 win seasons, in both 1983 and 1991. This is sixth place all time.^[50]
• The Redskins scored 541 points in 1983, an NFL record that was surpassed by the 1998 Minnesota Vikings and again by the 2007 New England Patriots, and is still third all time.^[51]
• The Redskins' 72 points against the New York Giants on November 27, 1966 is the most points ever scored by an NFL team in a regular season game and the 72 to 41 score amounted to 113 points and the highest scoring game ever in NFL history.^[51] The second half scoring for the game amounted to 65 points, the second highest point total for second half scoring and the third highest total scoring in any half in NFL history.^[51] The Redskins' ten touchdowns are the most by a team in a single game and the 16 total touchdowns are the most combined for a game.^[52] The Redskins' nine PATs is the second most all time for a single game and the 14 combined is the most ever in a game.^[53]
• The Redskins set a record for most first downs in a game with 39 in a game against Detroit on November 4, 1990. They also set a record by not allowing a single first down against the N.Y. Giants on September 27, 1942.^[54]
• The Redskins have led the league in passing eight times, in 1938, 1940, 1944, 1947–48, 1967, 1974, 1989. Only the San Diego Chargers have led more times.^[55] The Redskins led the league in completion percentage 11 times, in 1937, 1939–1940, 1942–45, 1947–48, 1969–1970, second only to the San Francisco 49ers.^[55] Their four straight years from 1942–45 is the second longest streak.
• The Redskins' nine sacks allowed in 1991 is the third fewest allowed in a season.^[55]
• The Redskins' completed 43 passes in an overtime win against Detroit on November 4, 1990, second most all-time.^[55]

Defense

• The Redskins recovered eight opponent's fumbles against the St. Louis Cardinals on October 25, 1976, which is the most ever in one game.^[56]
• The Redskins' allowed 82 first downs in 1937, third fewest all-time.^[57]
• The Redskins have led the league in fewest total yards allowed five times, 1935-37, 1939, and 1946, which is the third most.^[58] Their three consecutive years from 1935-37 is an NFL record.^[58]
• The Redskins have lead the league in fewest passing yards allowed seven times, in 1939, 1942, 1945, 1952-53, 1980, and 1985, second only to Green Bay (10).^[59]
• The Redskins had 61 defensive turnovers in 1983, the third most all-time.^[60] The turnover differential of +43 that year was the highest of all time.
• The Redskins had only 12 defensive turnovers in 2006, the fewest in a 16-game season and second all time. (The Baltimore Colts had 11 turnovers in the strike-shortened 1982 Season which lasted only 9 games.)^[61]

Special teams

• The Redskins led the league in field goals for eight seasons, 1945, 1956, 1971, 1976-77, 1979, 1982, 1992. Only the Green Bay Packers have ever led more. Their 49 field goals attempted in 1971 is the most ever attempted in a single season.^[62]
• The Redskins and Bears attempted an NFL record 11 field goals on November 14, 1971 and the Redskins and Giants tied that mark on November 14, 1976.^[62]
• The Redskins 28 consecutive games, from 1988 to 1990, scoring a field goal is third all time.^[62]
• The Redskins have led the league in punting average six times, in 1940-43, 1945, and 1958, second only to the Denver Broncos.^[63] Their four consecutive years from 1940–43 is an NFL record.^[63]
• The Redskins have led the league in average kickoff return yards eight times, in 1942, 1947, 1962–63, 1973–74, 1981, and 1995, more than any other team.^[64]

Broadcasting

Radio

As of 2008^[update], the Redskins' flagship station is WTEM (ESPN 980), owned by Red Zebra Broadcasting, which in turn is owned by Snyder. Redskins games are also simulcast on the five other Red Zebra stations in the Washington, D.C. area. ^[65]

Larry Michael, formerly of Westwood One, is the team's play-by-play announcer and director of broadcasting.^[66] Michael replaced longtime announcer Frank Herzog in 2004.^[67] Sonny Jurgensen and Sam Huff are the color analysts.^[67] Rick Walker is the sideline reporter.

Television

Telecasts of preseason games not shown on national networks are aired on WUSA in the Washington, D.C. area and on Comcast SportsNet in the overall Mid-Atlantic region. Comcast SportsNet also airs an extensive game recap after each Redskins regular season Sunday game.

Superstition regarding US Presidential elections

Main article: Redskin rule

For 17 of the past 18 United States Presidential elections, a win for the Redskins' last home game prior to Election Day coincided with the incumbent party winning re-election. The exception was in 2004, when the Republican Party incumbent George W. Bush won re-election despite the Green Bay Packers beating the Redskins.^[68] Other than this exception, this "Redskins Rule" has proven true since 1936 when they won and incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt won re-election, prior to the Redskins' move from Boston in 1937.^[69]

In 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Redskins on the eve of Election Day 23-6, and Barack Obama won the presidency the following evening at 11:02 EST.

The Redskins Rule was discovered by Steve Hirdt, excecutive vice president of the Elias Sports Bureau, while searching for discussion fodder in 2000 for a game between the Redskins and Titans.^[70]

References

External links

• Washington Redskins official web site
• Sports E-Cyclopedia.com
• ESPN's Redskin Page
• Warpath Magazine
• The Redskin Report
• History of the Washington Redskins

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