Is 2009 destined to become the most disappointing season in the 73-year history of the Washington Redskins? Disappointment is not just about the record. It’s about expectations. Consider the following seasons:
10. 1980 (6-10)
Unhappy with his contract and the Redskins’ failure to make the playoffs despite a 10-6 record in 1979, John Riggins sits out the season. His replacement, Wilbur Jackson, has more fumbles (10) than touchdowns (4). Jack Pardee guides the Redskins to a 3-0 finish, but it isn’t enough to save his job.
Going by record alone, the two worst seasons in Redskins history came back-to-back. In 1960 and 1961, the Redskins won one game each. Were these seasons disappointing? Sure. But considering the Redskins were in the midst of a 20-year span with two winning seasons, expectations were low. In 1960, with Ralph Guglielmi at quarterback and Mike Nixon the coach, the Redskins started 1-1-2, before losing their final eight games. The following year, with a new quarterback, No. 2 overall pick Norm Snead, and a new coach, Bill McPeak, the Redskins went 1-12-1, their lone win and lone tie coming against the Cowboys.
9. 1952 (4-8)
After coaching the Packers for 29 years and to six NFL titles, Curly Lambeau was hired to revive the Redskins after three losing seasons. But winning while transitioning from Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh, 38, to Eddie LeBaron, 22, is a tough task and Lambeau lasts only two seasons.
8. 1988 (7-9)
The Redskins’ demolition of the Denver Broncos in the 1988 Super Bowl has fans fired up, but Joe Gibbs has the only losing season of his first tenure. After a 6-4 start, the Redskins lose five of their final six. The culprit is an anemic rushing attack led by Kelvin Bryant with just 498 yards.
7. 2006 (5-11)
After a playoff year under Joe Gibbs, the Redskins add free agent Antwaan Randle El, but have a dismal, defenseless year, ranking No. 31 in the 32-team league. The only positive is the play of Ladell Betts, who replaces injured Clinton Portis at midseason, and rushes for 1,154 yards.
6. 2003 (5-11)
With a win over the Patriots, the Redskins are at 3-1 in Steve Spurrier’s second season, but they follow with some of their most dismal play in team history, epitomized by a 27-0 home loss to the Cowboys as QB Tim Hasselback has a 0 efficiency rating. Two days after the season, Spurrier resigns via fax.
5. 1970 (6-8)
After the death of Vince Lombardi, who guided the Redskins to a promising 7-5-2 season in his lone year as Redskins coach, Bill Austin takes over. After a 4-3 start, the defenseless Redskins (No. 24 out of 26 teams) stumble to five straight losses, leading to the hire of George Allen.
4. 1994 (3-13)
The Redskins make Heath Shuler the No. 3 pick overall in the draft, but he is out-played by the 197th overall pick in the same draft, Gus Frerotte, who leads the Redskins to a 41-27 win over the Colts in his first NFL start. As a starter, Shuler goes 1-7 and finishes the year with an efficiency rating of 59.6.
3. 2000 (8-8)
Coming off a playoff year, the Redskins add LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels via the draft and an offseason spending spree nets free agents Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Mark Carrier and Jeff George. But the Redskins struggle, coach Norv Turner is fired and things only get worse under Terry Robiskie.
2. 1993 (4-12)
When Richie Petitbon clubbed the Cowboys, 35-16, in his head coaching debut after the first retirement of Joe Gibbs, fans were drinking the Kool Aid. But the aging Redskins followed with losses in their next six games. The low point comes on a frigid December day at RFK, a 3-0 defeat to the Jets.
1. 1998 (6-10)
Free agent tackle Dana Stubblefield arrives as the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. But he reports overweight and the Redskins start 0-7 under Norv Turner. Perhaps not coincidentally, when Stubblefield goes down for the season with a knee injury, Washington rebounds to win six of its last eight.
