NFL

The Washington Redskins have a rich history dating back to 1932 when the failed Boston franchise was given to George Preston Marshall. After various locations and name changes such as the Braves, they finally decided on Redskins. In 1936 the Redskins won the NFL Eastern Division title. Marshall was not pleased with the local fan support so decided to more the NFL Championship game to the polo grounds in New York which the Redskins lost.The Redskins became the Washington Redskins the following season have and remained there ever since. Between 1937-1942 the Redskins won five division titles and two NFL Championships with “Slinging” Sammy Baugh as the quarterback. Slinging Sammy earned that nickname with his accurate fast passing skills for sixteen seasons. Baugh wasn’t just a quarterback but also played defense and punted. Baugh is the only player is Washington Redskin history to have his number retired, 33. Ray Flaherty accumulated a .701 winning percentage between 1936-1942, a 56-26-3 record which is the highest winning percentage in the teams history.

In 1950 the Washington Redskins took the next step by broadcasting their games making them the first NFL team to do so for the entire season. Another string of success occurred when George Allen took over the team. Allen lead the Redskins to 69 wins, five playoff appearances, and the 1972 NFC Championship in seven seasons.

Joe Gibbs, who is one of the all-time greatest coaches, became the coach of the Redskins in 1981 and won Super Bowls XVII 27-17 over the Miami Dolphins, XXII 42-10 over Denver Broncos, and XXVI 37-24 over the Buffalo Bills. Joe Gibbs had a coaching record of 140-65-0 with eight playoff births before his second stint as the Redskins coach in 2004, which was an unsuccessful one. Joe Gibbs also did something no NFL coach has ever done and that is win three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks who are Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, and Mark Rypien. The quarterback is the most important position on a football team and to win three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks is truly remarkable. Doug Williams became the first and only African-American quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP. That shows how a great coach like Joe Gibbs can utilize his players and maximize their talents to an overall successful team.

The Washington Redskins have sixteen Hall of Fame players which include “Slinging” Sammy Baugh, Art Monk, John Riggins, Joe Gibbs, and George Allen. The Redskins are in one of the toughest divisions in football the NFC East with Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants, who all have Super Bowl aspirations. It will be a uphill climb for the Redskins contending with those very good teams for the next few seasons. This decade has produced little success compared to previous years. As of now, it is uncertain when the Washington Redskins will return to their winning ways.