Jay Schroeder didn’t know he was in the Washington Redskins’ record books until a few years ago, when a friend told him he held the single-season passing yardage record for the franchise.
So when Donovan McNabb appeared to be on his way to breaking Schroeder’s record of 4,109 yards from 1986 — still the record 24 years later — Schroeder started paying attention.
He didn’t wish any ill will on McNabb, but he didn’t want to lose his place in Redskins history either.
“It means something to me,” he said. “I had great years in Washington and enjoyed what I was able to do there.”
Schroeder was the Redskins’ third-round pick out of UCLA in 1984, and he became the starting quarterback when New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor broke Joe Theismann’s leg on “Monday Night Football” on Nov. 18, 1985.
Schroeder would go on to have his record-setting season the following year, leading the Redskins to a 12-4 record and the NFC title game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants 17-0.
He suffered a separated shoulder in the season opener the following year against Philadelphia and was replaced by Doug Williams, who eventually earned the starting job at the end of the season and led Washington to a Super Bowl title.
Schroeder was traded the following year to the Los Angeles Raiders in one of the all-time steals for the Redskins, who obtained All-Pro offensive tackle Jim Lachey.
His coach in Los Angeles? Mike Shanahan.
Schroeder said he is surprised at the way the season has unfolded for Shanahan and the Redskins, particularly all the drama and turmoil with McNabb.
“I was excited when they hired Mike as the coach,” Schroeder said. “He knows a lot about football, but I am a little shocked at how things have turned out. I know a lot of changes are being made, and Mike is trying to get it done the way he wants to. Who knows how it will turn out.”
Shanahan’s first head coaching job was with Al Davis in Los Angeles in 1988, and he was fired after two seasons. Schroeder has nothing but good things to say about his time with Shanahan.
“We had a very good relationship,” Schroeder said. “Mike had a good relationship with all the quarterbacks. He was very personable and related well to us. I don’t know what has transpired in Washington this year.
“[Shanahan] understood the whole concept of offense and was very intelligent. My first game [in 1988] for Mike I was stinking up the place against Denver. I had just been there for 10 days. At halftime Mike came to me and asked, ‘What do you know, and let’s make this work.’ We got down to 10 or 15 plays, and we came back to win. He understood the quarterback position.”
Schroeder retired in 1995 having thrown for 20,063 yards, 114 touchdowns and 108 interceptions. He has been coaching high school kids and was just named director of football operations at the Village Christian School in Sun Valley, Calif. “I’m real excited about building a program, teaching football and life skills to young men. I’ve learned a lot over the last 25 years. It’s been good.”
And he still can tell them he threw for more yards in one season than any other quarterback in the history of the Washington Redskins.
Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN980 and espn980.com. Contact him at [email protected].
