The Redskins Blog

Gaffney Gets A New Serenity Prayer Tattoo

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Anyone who has ever gotten a tattoo knows that maximum contact sports like football don’t mix well with fresh ink.  It takes several weeks for the skin to heal, or risk damaging the design.

Good thing Gaffney has two weeks before the team officially re-assembles at Redskins Park for the start of offseason training.  Gaffney will look to build on an impressive first season in Washington, in which he was the team’s leader in receptions, yardage, and receiving touchdowns.

He will also look to find a renewed sense of serenity in his life, a reminder of which will be forever printed on the right side of his torso.  Have a look (via @JabarGaffney): Read more »

Full Redskins Nike ‘Elite 51′ Jersey Gallery

via @NFL

Jersey-mania rages on, as NikeInc.com has released a full concept album that illustrates the changes made between the old Reebok jerseys, and the spiffy new Nike ones.

Just as forewarning, the changes are small, and will require a hi-def television to capture on gameday.  Perhaps the most important changes are coming to the technology of the jersey, which is made of lighter-weight material, and will come with improved ventilation for the players.

Here’s a technical explanation from the NikeInc website.  Evidently, the Redskins have selected the most innovative model on the market:

Keeping with their traditional design aesthetic, the uniform is completely engineered from the inside out. The new uniform focuses on creating a system where the baselayer, padding, jersey and pant work in concert with each other. A few of the new innovations include increasing sleeve articulation for better range of motion and integrating new four-way stretch fabrication to provide a streamlined shrink-wrap fit.

Sounds fancy.  So what features does this spaceman jersey actually have?

• LIGHTER - The Nike jersey and pant, wet or dry are lighter than previous versions
• FLYWIRE TECHNOLOGY - Eliminates layers, reduces weight, and provides lockdown fit
• ZONED MESH VENTILATION – Provides cooling zones for optimal thermoregulation
• ZONED STRENGTH - High tenacity, stretch material, for lightweight lockdown strength.
• CUT FOR MOBILITY – Four-way stretch, hydrophobic materials enable range of motion wet or dry.
• STRETCH TWILL NUMBERS – Four-way stretch even on numbering system
• CUSTOMIZABLE BASELAYER PADDING – Nike Pro Combat Hyperstrong baselayer with integrated lightweight, Deflex padding offering customizable flexible protection.
• DEFLEX PADDING - Lightweight, flexible impact protection integrated into top “hit zone” areas
• ALUMINUM D-RING BELT - Aircraft-grade aluminum D-ring belt reduces weight.

Here is the full gallery of uniform updates for the 2012 season (as worn by Durant Brooks. Or Rich Parson. Or maybe James Tuthill): Read more »

FedExField To Host Major World Soccer

The ball will be different and the accents will be thicker, but FedExField is set to host a full slate of football action this summer.  Just not the American kind.

FedExField, home of the Washington Redskins, will host D.C. United and three high-profile European club soccer teams including Chelsea F.C. and A.C. Milan this summer in a doubleheader extravaganza on Saturday, July 28.

Based off the successful 2011 World Football Challenge, the Redskins, D.C. United, Major League Soccer and Creative Artists Agency are finalizing details for an iconic under the lights soccer experience including D.C. United, Chelsea F.C., A.C. Milan and another prominent European club. Read more »

Full Episode of RG3′s ‘Gruden QB Camp’

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One of the more interesting components of ESPN’s recent pre-Draft coverage is their QB Camp with former head coach Jon Gruden.  While it’s usually a soft-serve interview compared to private NFL meetings, there’s usually some criticism in there to see how the player will react when put on the spot.

Last Friday, the segment debuted on ESPN with Stanford’s Andrew Luck, the presumed top quarterback in the Draft.  He was given a lot of game tape and told to diagnose a play that he runs more than any other: the Spider Two-Y Banana.  Gruden’s bone to pick with him came on a play in which he didn’t run through the proper progression, and threw a pick-six.

The conversation on last night’s episode with Griffin was of an entirely different flavor, focusing on the charismatic personality of the Heisman winner.  I really like how Griffin has appeared at both his Pro Day and at the QB Camp in shirts that say “Determined” on the front, because it indicates how seriously he takes his craft.  But he’s also unafraid to have fun, and explains his awesome collection of themed-socks to Gruden:

“It’s something I started in high school, my sophomore year.  I wasn’t one that matched very well, and I just wanted to show people that I was comfortable with who I was.  I’m comfortable in my own skin.

“I’m gonna show you the socks–not in an arrogant way–but I don’t care what you think.  I’m comfortable with who I am, and you can make fun of me, but  as long as you respect me for the player that I am and the person that I am, then you can laugh at my socks.”

Truer words were never said.  And after a recent Tweet by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, could RG3 be more likely to fall to No. 2?

A Luck private workout 2day..we want 2b as thorough n disciplined n process of #1 pick..we wanted 2do private with RG3,but his agent said no—
Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) April 03, 2012

Only time will tell.

Check out the full video of RG3 conversation with Gruden, below: Read more »

Brian Orakpo Rocks New ‘Elite 51′ Jersey

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The unveiling of the new Nike NFL jerseys will be one of those generational moments that you will always remember where you were when you heard the news.

I joke, because truthfully not much changed, but I’m not sure what folks expected.  The concept jerseys, which have been floating around the Interwebs since last year, were far too drastic for NFL standards.  While NCAA teams like Maryland and Oregon may embrace fundamental changes to color and pattern schemes, it’s just not in the NFL’s best interests to rebuild a brand that already works very, very well.

So whether you were holding your breath for or against change, you can exhale.  These changes are only tweaks to an already top-notch product.

With that being said, here’s what linebacker and runway model Brian Orakpo thought of the big hype/small changes: Read more »

First Look At ‘Elite 51′ Redskins Jerseys

via @HogsHaven

The NFL and Nike have teamed up to become the master of the tease, dangling every possible piece of apparel in front of fans and media types before unveiling the official jerseys.  The grayscale revealed a sleeker, more modern looking fit…y’know what, just have a look for yourself (via @DarrenRovell):

Read more »

New Redskin Nike Gear Unveiled In NYC

The much-anticipated jerseys will be released later today, but the new official Nike NFL gear is already being unveiled at a ceremony in New York.  We will post updates as they become available, and we will have pictures of Brian Orakpo in uniform later today.

By the way, for those of you expecting dramatic changes to the jersey designs, coloring and logo, I would calm your expectations.  Reports indicate that the jerseys will look very similar to the old Reeboks (just as they looked very similar to the Nikes before them).  What will be different will be the obvious Nike swoosh symbol, as well as a lighter, more breathable, stronger material.  All-in-all, good for the players, but more details when they emerge.

Here’s what we have so far, courtesy of Jessica Monaldo and Jordan Beane of Redskins Broadcast Network: Read more »