A Look Back – Washington in Transition Part 1

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May 7, 2025

By Noonefromtampa

The NFL has now entered the post-draft portion of its seasonal lifecycle. The 2025 schedule release is coming in mid-May. Teams will finish OTAs with on-field work, have their rookie and team mini-camps, and then go into vacation mode before starting training camp late July.

Much excitement is now surrounding the team since the new owners took over and Washington went to the NFC Championship game for the first time in 34 years. The transition from the old owner to the new owners led me to consider what other transition points there were in the franchise history.

This series is going to take a multi-part look at the history of the Washington franchise, and the key transition points in the last 50 years or so.

Transition Point One – George Preston Marshall to Edgar Bennett Williams

George Preston Marshall was the founder of the franchise in 1933 in Boston and moved the team to Washington in 1937. The team was mediocre in its first five years, winning only 43% of their games with no appearances in championships games.

Then came the first glory days period. Over 10 years, covering 1936 to 1945, the team won 70% of their games (74-29-5), played six league championship games and won two. They had ten straight years with an over 0.500 winning percentage. Washington fans fell in love with the team.

However, post World War II, and even more so after desegregation hit professional sports leagues, Washington languished. From 1946 until 1968 Washington had an abysmal record of 106-172-13, an under 39% winning average. The fans only saw three seasons in that span with a record above 0.500 percentage and none after 1955.

The primary cause of that was Marshall’s refusal to integrate the team, because of his fear of upsetting his primarily white fanbase spread across much of the South who were reached by the team’s extensive radio network. The Kennedy administration intervened, forcing Washington to integrate in 1962. Ernie Davis, a black running back from Syracuse and a Heisman Trophy winner, was Washington’s selection as the first pick in the draft. Marshall traded Davis away for Bobby Mitchell, who became Washington’s first black player.

The real turning point was when Marshall’s health declined and Edward Bennett Williams took over the daily operations. Williams took ownership after Marshall passed in 1969, the same year Williams hired Vince Lombardi to operate and coach the team. Lombardi led the team to the first winning season since 1955 but the joy fans felt was short-lived as Lombardi passed away from cancer just before the start of the 1970 season.

George Allen was hired in 1971 and immediately started wheeling and dealing. His tenure, featuring the motto “The Future is Now”, saw the creation of the first Redskins Park near Dulles Airport and significant trading of draft picks for veterans, proven players, many of which had played for Allen at some point. One player Allen traded for was quarterback Joe Theismann even though the team already had Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer. Theismann even returned punts trying to get playing time under Allen.

The Allen period was filled with memorable sayings and quotes, a few being:

  • Williams on Allen’s spending habits, “I gave him an unlimited budget and he exceeded it.”
  • Allen’s famous pre-game speech with the tag line of “Forty men together can’t lose”
  • “Winning is the science of being totally prepared.”
  • “Success is what you do with your ability.”
  • “Every time you win, you’re reborn; when you lose, you die a little.”

Allen lasted seven years in Washington and was followed by Jack Pardee, who went 24-24 over three seasons ending in 1980. Pardee’s most important impact was the acquisition of running back John Riggins via free agency in 1976.

A clip from that era:

The era from 1969 to 1980 featured a 60% winning average and four consecutive playoff appearances from 1971 to 1974 with a total of five overall. They had one Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl VII, a 14-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

My next column will cover the Williams to Jack Kent Cooke transition in team history.

Fun Facts for this Era

Stadiums Griffith Stadium 1937-1960

District of Columbia Stadium renamed Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium 1961-1996
Best Player Sammy Baugh 1937-1952, quarterback, safety, punter
Hall of Famers Cliff Battles, running back, 1932-1947

Sammy Baugh, quarterback, 1937-1952

Turk Edwards, tackle, 1932-40

Ray Flaherty, head coach, 1937-1942

Sam Huff, linebacker, 1964-1967, 1969

Sonny Jurgensen, quarterback, 1964-1974

George Preston Marshall, team founder, 1932-1969

Wayne Millner, end, 1936-1941, 1945

Bobby Mitchell, flanker, 1962-1968

Charley Taylor, wide receiver, 1964-1977
Top Passer Sonny Jurgensen

Games Played – 135

Completion % – 58.0%

Yards – 22,585

Passing Touchdowns – 179

Interceptions – 116

Yards per Attempt – 7.2
Top Rusher Larry Brown

Games Played – 102

Attempts – 1,530

Yards – 5,875

Touchdowns – 35

Fumbles – 40

Yards per Attempt – 3.8
Top Receiver Charley Taylor

Games Played – 124

Receptions – 649

Yards – 9,110

Touchdowns – 79

Yards per Reception – 14.0
Top Returner Rickie Harris

Punt Returns – 119

PR Yards – 1,005

Touchdowns – 3

PR Average – 8.4

Kickoff Returns – 102

KO Yards – 2,326

Touchdowns – 0

KO Average – 22.8
Kicking Curt Knight

Games – 70

Extra Points Made/Attempts – 172/175

Field Goals Made/Attempts – 101/175

Total Points – 475
Punting Mike Bragg

Punts – 896

Yards – 35,746

Net Yards – 26,120

Touchbacks – 59

Inside 20 – 77

Yards per Punt – 39.9

Net Yards per Punt – 28.9
Interceptions Brig Owens

Interceptions – 36
Scoring Charley Taylor

Rushing TDs – 11

Receiving TDs – 79

Total Points – 540

 

Sources: pro-football-reference.com

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