Washington Redskins Tickets For Sale
| Washington Redskins One of the NFL's most storied and successful franchises, the Washington Redskins, originated as the Boston Braves in 1932, before relocating to Washington and changing their nickname in 1937. The team tasted success early, winning the first league championship over Chicago that same year. In 1940, Washington again met the Bears for the league championship, but with a decidedly different outcome, being routed 73-0, the most one-sided defeat in NFL history. Washington and Chicago would meet twice more for the championship during the 1940s, the Redskins capturing their second title in 1942, with Chicago returning the favor the following season. The Redskins made one more NFL title game appearance in 1945, losing to Cleveland. George Preston Marshall, the team's original owner, then watched the team suffer through a nearly 30-year playoff drought, which finally ended in 1971, although Marshall died two years previously. A series of head coaches (including iconic figures such as Otto Graham and Vince Lombardi) failed to lift the team from their losing ways until George Allen became head coach in '71 when the team finished 9-4-1 and reached the postseason for the first time since 1945. Allen, who preferred veteran players to untested younger ones, then led his so-called "Over the Hill Gang" to the postseason in five of the next six seasons, losing to undefeated Miami in the 1972 Super Bowl. The Redskins remained competitive despite just missing out on the playoffs. Hired in 1981, Joe Gibbs wasn't a well-known name, but he immediately put his stamp on the team and returned them to respectability. Gibbs hard work and innovative offensive schemes were rewarded in Super Bowl XVII when they defeated Miami for the franchise's first championship in 40 years. Washington returned to the Super Bowl the next season but were beaten soundly by Oakland. Under Gibbs' tenure, the Redskins were to become one of the NFL's best, regularly making the postseason and winning Super Bowls in 1988 and 1992. Gibbs retired after the '92 Super Bowl, and Washington's fortunes took a dramatic downward turn. Since Gibbs' retirement, the team has reached the postseason only three times, in 1999, 2005 and 2007, compiling a record of 2-3 during thos appearances. Seventeen former Redskins coaches and/or players have been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, including Marshall, the original owner, as well as Joe Gibbs. Some of these names are a part of football legend, including Sammy Baugh, Sonny Jurgensen, Sam Huff, John Riggins, Charley Taylor and Darrell Green. In addition, three Redskins have been named Super Bowl MVP; John Riggins in SB XVII, Doug Williams in SB XXII, and Mark Rypien in SB XXVI. Although the rivalry has waned in recent seasons, the Redskins-Dallas Cowboys rivalry remains one of the most fierce in professional sports. Supposedly, the rivalry originated due to the George Preston Marshall-led campaign to prevent Dallas from being awarded an NFL franchise in 1960. However, Marshall's notorious spendthrift ways proved to be his downfalling. When Marshall refused to compensate Redskins band leader Barnee Breeskin for Breeskin's composition, "Hail To the Redskins," Breeskin approached Clint Murchison, the owner of the Dallas hoped-for-franchise and sold him the rights to the iconic song. Once he learned of this development, Marshall had no recourse but to drop his opposition to the Dallas effort, thus the rivalry was born. |