The Redskins Blog

Coaching Isn’t Easiest Post-Career Job

(AP Images)

The Washington Redskins have employed some of the greatest head coaches in history to include George Allen, Joe Gibbs and Mike Shanahan.

All three men had extensive coaching backgrounds to include several coordinator positions before taking their first head gig.

Others have been summoned to the sidelines due to their prolific careers on the field despite lacking any coaching related experience.

With news of the recently retired player/newest coaching fraternity member Jason Kidd’s hiring by the Brooklyn Nets, NFL.com looked at back at some of the most memorable and yes forgettable player turned coach moves in league history.

Two Redskins have found their way in, so without further ado here they are:

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So What If He Didn’t Use His First Name

(AP Images)

When David Jones decided to retire from the NFL after a sack-filled 14-year career with the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins, his name would eventually find its way to Canton, Ohio—home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame of course.

One problem—you might get an odd look on the face of a staff member working at the Hall of Fame if you ask for David Jones.

Request his nickname instead—Deacon.

It is after all the single greatest nickname in league history.

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Who Makes Cut For Redskins’ Rushmore?

(AP Photo)

Redskins fans unite to form the best fanbase not only the NFL but across the entire sports spectrum. That’s obvious.

No matter if it is a Robert Griffin III dazzling 76-yard touchdown, a Darrell Green punt return, or John Riggins barreling over the Miami Dolphins determined to bring our Nation’s Capital its first Lombardi Trophy, Redskins Nation basks in the glory of the franchise’s success together.

What isn’t so clear, though, is every fan’s thoughts on the four greatest Redskins. Whether it is at the water cooler at work or at your local bar, debates rage over who are the best in Redskins history.

Put all the banter aside and let your voice be heard as to who deserves the prestigious honor of being on the Redskins’ Mt. Rushmore.

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Redskins Quarterbacks: Greatest Ever?

Football is the ultimate team sport and the skills and attributes of all 52 players meshed perfectly together can bring home a Lombardi Trophy. However, there is only one position that has records kept for their performance as a starter and are often the most scrutinized if a team does not perform well: the quarterback.

While the 52 gridiron warriors cohesively fight together over the common bond of a will to win, the quarterback is constantly in the “spotlight” and rightfully so. The man is in charge of tacking points on the scoreboard and leading the team to victory.

Over on ESPN Radio’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”, they have decided to put together a bracket of the 65 greatest signal callers in league history together in an NCAA March Madness-style bracket and are letting the aerial barrage of who the greatest field general of all-time is begin!

Find out how many Redskins quarterbacks made the cut here: Read more »

12/12/37: Redskins’ First NFL Title

(AP photo)

Seventy-five years ago today, the Washington Redskins began a tradition of winning that few NFL teams can currently match.

On Dec. 12, 1937, the Redskins defeated the Chicago Bears, 28-21, at Wrigley Field to win their first-ever NFL championship. Chicago led 14-7 at halftime before Washington, led by quarterback Sammy Baugh, stormed back in the second half. A 35-yard touchdown pass from Baugh to wingback Ed Justice broke a 21-21 tie in the fourth quarter and gave the Redskins the title.

Baugh — a rookie at the time — led the way by completing 18-of-33 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns. The game’s first touchdown was scored on a seven-yard reverse play to halfback Cliff Battles.

Washington would go on to win four more NFL championships — one in the pre-Super Bowl era (1942) and three Super Bowls (XVII in 1982, XXII in 1987 and XXVI in 1991).

RGIII Face-To-Face With Slingin’ Sammy

(Photo via @RecordsandRadio on Twitter)

It was one of those surreal moments that saw the Washington Redskins’ historic past meet its exciting future.

Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III — on a tour Wednesday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the rest of the Redskins’ rookies as part of the Rookie Symposium – was face-to-face with the figure of Sammy Baugh, the Redskins’ quarterback drafted in 1937 that led the team to two NFL championships.

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Sammy Baugh Signing: 75 Years Later

Credit The Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg for uncovering this gem.

In a year when the Redskins are celebrating their 80th Anniversary season, it was actually 75 years ago that one of the organization’s greatest players officially became a part of the team.

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Robert Griffin III’s New Nickname

The Washington Redskins have had “Slingin’” Sammy Baugh and “Captain Bubbly” Joe Theismann under center in the team’s illustrious history, but some are already handing rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III his own nickname:

“The arm.”

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Slinging Sammy And The Anniversary Unis

Who knows how many additional yards and touchdowns Sammy Baugh could’ve racked up had today’s technology been available to him?

It’s a question that’s fun to ponder, but both the Redskins and Nike had “Slinging Sammy” in mind as they developed the team’s new 80th Anniversary Uniforms, which were unveiled Thursday afternoon at Redskins Park.

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First-Round Quarterbacks Vs. Super Bowls

via sixteenwins.com

The history of the Redskins’ franchise is highlighted by three franchise quarterbacks: Sammy Baugh, Sonny Jurgensen and Joe Theismann.  The team has also leaned on spectacular seasons by Doug Williams and Mark Rypien, but have been lacking in quarterback production over the last 20 years.

In the past decade, the team has sought consistent play from draft picks (Jason Campbell, Patrick Ramsey), journeymen (Tim Hasselbeck, Todd Collins, John Beck), and former franchise quarterbacks from other teams (Mark Brunell, Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman), but all options have fallen short.

Head coach Mike Shanahan told reporters at the recent league meetings that the team is targeting one of the two franchise quarterbacks believed to be available at the top of the first round.  Why the lack of traditional secrecy?  There’s no reason to be coy about addressing a position with strong correlation to Super Bowl wins. Read more »