It’s little consolation to fans who bleed burgundy and gold, but the Redskins, at very least, seem to win the off-season every year. Owner Daniel Snyder has not been shy in doling out wads of cash to attract high-priced free agents and high-profile coaches — though the results have not always been what fans had hoped for. A sampling:
2000: Coach Norv Turner is fired and replaced by Terry Robiskie, who finishes his brief tenure with a 1-2 record. The team acquires aging
two-sport star Deion Sanders — who lasts one season and retires from football, before coming back to play for the Baltimore Ravens — as well as former Buffalo Bills great Bruce Smith.
2001: Coach Marty Schottenheimer, he of the 5-13 postseason record, goes 8-8 in his only season with Washington.
2002: University of Florida coach Steve Spurrier is brought in and goes 12-20 in his two seasons with the Redskins.
2004: Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs starts his 30-34 stint in his second go-round with the Redskins, unable to unleash the magic that he used to guide Washington to three Super Bowl titles. The Redskins acquire Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell via trade.
2008: The ‘Skins hire Jim Zorn, who is fired after going 12-20 in two seasons. They also trade for defensive end Jason Taylor, who endures an injury-plagued season before being released before the 2009 season.
2009: The Redskins sign Albert Haynesworth to a record-breaking seven-year, $100 million contract.
2010: The Redskins sign coach Mike Shanahan and trade for quarterback Donovan McNabb.
2010: Haynesworth gets into a spat with Shanahan during training camp, and infamously fails a conditioning test multiple times — though he did play the entirety of the Redskins’ 20-10 loss to Arizona Thursday in their final preseason game. They open the regular season against the Cowboys next Sunday night.
– David Sherfinski
