NFL Team History: The Washington Redskins

In 1932, the Washington Redskins franchise was born. However, at the outset, the National Football League organization founded by George Preston Marshall was located in Boston, Massachusetts and was identified as the Boston Braves.

Lud Wray was hired as the Braves first head coach.

The Braves were defeated in their opening game by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Their first win occurred a week later as they defeated the New York Giants by a score of 14-6. However, their first season in the NFL ended with a mediocre 4-4-2 record.

After their inaugural season, the Boston franchise began playing their home games at Fenway Park. In correlation with the change of venue, the team's name was changed from Braves to Redskins.

In their first season known as the Redskins, they posted a 5-5-2 record, nearly identical to their previous record. A year later, the Redskins franchise completed their third straight season with a .500 record.

The Redskins stumbled incredibly in 1935 as they won only 2 games versus 8 losses and 1 tie. This was their first losing season.

The following season saw the Redskins complete their first winning season at 7-5, earning them an opportunity to play in the NFL Championship. Despite the fact that they would possibly earn the NFL title, the Boston franchise struggled to fill the seats at their home games, which led to relocation of the 1936 NFL Championship event. The game was scheduled to be played at the Redskins home field, Fenway Park; however, due to lack of attendance, the game was moved to Polo Grounds in New York. And to make matters worse, the Redskins were defeated by the Green Bay Packers 21-6.

Following the season, George Preston Marshall displaced the Redskins team from Boston and transferred them to the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C. In their first game in Washington, D.C. played at Griffith Stadium, the Redskins defeated the New York Giants 13-3. Their introductory season in Washington, D.C. resulted in an 8-3 record. The record was sufficient enough to compete in the the 1937 NFL Championship Game versus the Chicago Bears. The NFL Championship trophy was engraved specially for the Washington Redskins as they edged out the Bears 28-21.

The Redskins failed to reach the title game in 1938 and 1939.

In 1940, the Redskins capped off a remarkable 9-2 regular season record and would face the Chicago Bears for a second time in the NFL Championship game. Consequently, the Redskins were trampled by a demoralizing score of 73-0. This became the most lopsided score in the NFL's history.

Two years later, the Redskins would earn the opportunity to turn the tables on the Bears following a exceptional season that resulted in a 10-1 regular season record. For the third time in six years, they faced the Chicago Bears for the NFL Championship. This time, the Redskins came out on top by a score of 13-7, clinching their second NFL Championship trophy.

In 1943, the two NFL rivals faced off again for a fourth time in seven years. The Redskins owned a 6-0-1 record heading into the event. However, the Bears denied the Redskins an undefeated season by pasting the D.C. franchise 41-21.

An 8-2 record in 1945 capped off another winning season for the Redskins. For the sixth time, they would compete in the NFL's biggest game. This time, the Cleveland Rams were their adversaries. The Rams denied the Redskins of their third NFL title by eking out a 15-14 victory.

The team began a downward spiral in the late 1940's and continued on for over a decade. They endured losing seasons in 18 of the subsequent 22 seasons. The franchise's founder George Preston Marshall was widely vilified as he refused to add African-American's to his team's roster when most teams began to integrate. In fact, it was not until 1962 when the Redskins added Ernie Davis to their roster making them the final team to integrate.

The 1969 season, which ended with a respectable 7-5-2 record, was the first winning season since 1955. Later that season, Marshall passed away as his health had deteriorated. The remaining stockholders would eventually sell the organization to Edward Bennett Williams, a local attorney.

The 1969 was additionally noteworthy as former Green Bay Packers legendary coach Vince Lombardi was hired to lead the Washington Redskins. Lombardi led the Packers to the first two Super Bowl triumphs. Mournfully, Lombardi succumbed to cancer in 1970.

In 1971, the Redskins clinched a post-season berth for the first time in 26 years as they posted a 9-4-1 record. Their brief playoff run ended with a 24-20 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.

In 1972, the Redskins ended the season with a nine game winning streak. They would finish the season with 11 wins and only 5 losses. For the second consecutive season, they were appearing the playoffs. The Redskins were set to host the first post-season game in Washington, D.C. in 30 years. They defeated the Green Bay Packers 14-3 in the playoff homecoming. They devoured the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game by a score of 26-3 earning a trip to the Super Bowl.

In Super Bowl VII, they were set to face the undefeated Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins remained undefeated as they edged out the Redskins 14-7.

The Redskins clinched playoff spots in 1973, 1974, and 1976; however, they were unable to advance to their second Super Bowl.

In 1981, the Redskins hired former San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs as their head coach.

A year later they clinched the best record in the NFC with a 7-1 record. The season was practically cut in half due to the players strike. In the post-season the Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions 31-21, the Minnesota Vikings 21-7, and the Dallas Cowboys 31-17 en route to their second Super Bowl journey.

In Super Bowl XVII, the Redskins faced the Miami Dolphins, the same team that had defeated them for the coveted prize ten years earlier. Ultimately, they defeated the Dolphins 27-17 securing their first Super Bowl Championship. Furthermore, it was their first league championship since 1942.

In 1983, they cruised to a 14-2 record, easily clinching the NFC Eastern Division. In the post-season, they would knock off the Los Angeles Rams 51-7 and the San Francisco 49ers 24-21 and would repeat as NFC Champions. For the second consecutive season, the Redskins were destined for the Super Bowl.

In Super Bowl XVIII, the Redskins would end up on the losing end of a 38-7 route courtesy of the Los Angeles Raiders.

Three years later, the Redskins capped off a 12-4 season and would appear in the NFC Championship Game following 19-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams and a 27-13 victory over the Chicago Bears. In the NFC Championship bout, the Redskins were matched-up with their NFC East rivals, the New York Giants.

The Giants were steamrolling through the playoffs with a take no prisoners demeanor. The Redskins were no exception as they were shutout by the eventual Super Bowl Champions 17-0.

In 1987, the Redskins finished the season with an 11-4 record, clinching the NFC Eastern Division. In the playoffs, they would march past the Chicago Bears 21-17 and the Minnesota Vikings 17-10 on their way to their fourth Super Bowl appearance.

In Super Bowl XXII, the Redskins faced the Denver Broncos. After trailing by a score of 10-0 in the first quarter, the Redskins registered 42 unrequited points thanks to quarterback Doug Williams' 4 touchdown passes and 340 passing yards. The Redskins were now two-time Super Bowl champions.

Following the Super Bowl title, they would fail to reach to post-season in each of the next two seasons.

In 1991, the Washington Redskins were back among the NFL elite as they posted an NFL-best record of 14-2. They made their post-season run appear effortless as they romped past the Atlanta Falcons 24-7 and the Detroit Lions 41-10 en route to their fifth Super Bowl emergence.

In Super Bowl XXVI, the Redskins thumped the Buffalo Bills 37-24 giving the franchise their third Super Bowl trophy, all under the leadership of Joe Gibbs.

In 1992, the Redskins were unable to match the success they had achieved a year earlier. They were sent home by the San Francisco 49ers 20-13 in the divisional playoff round. Moreover, the end of an era commenced as Joe Gibbs resigned from the head coach position. Gibbs had recently built a NASCAR operation, and opted to focus his attention on that particular venture.

The Redskins would fail to reach the post-season in each of the following six seasons.

In 1997, Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke passed away less than 24 hours before the Redskins inaugurated their new home stadium in Landover, Maryland, which would eventually be named after him. Cooke's son John Kent inherited the Redskins, but was forced to sell the franchise to Daniel Snyder

It was not until the 1999 season when the Redskins clinched another post-season berth. They would defeat the Detroit Lions 27-13 in the Wild Card showdown only to fall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14-13 a week later.

From 2000 to 2003, the Redskins failed to even reach the plain of mediocrity as they won 28 games versus 36 losses in that time span.

As the 2004 NFL season commenced, Daniel Snyder offered Joe Gibbs an opportunity to return to the Redskins sidelines as head coach. The franchise's greatest success occurred under the Joe Gibbs administration which lasted from 1981 to 1992.

Gibbs' welcome back season was tainted with a 6-10 record, last place in the NFC East Division. A year later, he would lead the Redskins back into the post-season with a 10-6 regular season record. In the post-season, they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-10. Ironically, the Buccaneers were the team that defeated the Redskins in the most previous playoff game six years earlier. A week later, they would experience elimination after falling to the eventual NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks 20-10.

They failed to repeat their playoff run in 2006.

Tragedy would strike the Washington Redskins organization on November 27, 2007 when safety Sean Taylor died due to gunshot wounds sustained the night before. Taylor was the victim of an attempted burglary.