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The Case for Moving the Redskins Back to a Downtown D.C. Stadium

By Tim Payne

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 18: Albert Haynesworth #92 the Washington Redskins struggles to get off the field against the Kansas City Chiefs during their game October 18, 2009 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. The Chiefs won the game 14-6. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 18: Albert Haynesworth #92 the Washington Redskins struggles to get off the field against the Kansas City Chiefs during their game October 18, 2009 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. The Chiefs won the game 14-6. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden calls a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden calls a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

The Redskins are moving towards more stability with their recent moves

The recent acknowledgment by the Redskins that the season ticket waiting list is no more — which surprised nobody who watched or attended a home game in the last 10 years other than 2012 — indicates at least a nod toward the right way of thinking. Don’t pretend things are great. Fix them. Focus on the fans. Focus on player development. Focus on building a first-class organization, a first-class coaching staff, a first-class personnel department, a first-class game-day experience.

There have been encouraging signs over the last couple of years. They extended Jay Gruden. They drafted Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. Torrian Gray, Bill Callahan and Jim Tomsula were hired to be assistant coaches. Kyle Smith was elevated to a higher front office role. The team brought on Brian Lafemina to oversee team business. And, most importantly, they did not overpay Kirk Cousins , though that still doesn’t make up for not paying him in 2015 or trading him last summer.

Now, the team is acknowledging the end of the season ticket waiting list. These have been the moves of an organization working their way toward normalization and stability.

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The next step they need to take organizationally is to make the move back the old RFK site and build a 70,000 seat stadium as part of an entertainment district. Even if the deal isn’t as lucrative on it’s face, it is the right long-term move. It builds back into the city. It takes the organization back to it’s winning roots. And, it allows the most fans to enjoy and maximize their game day experience instead of dreading the traffic or the claustrophobia of the metro ride. Or both.

It says to the players and coaches, “We’re not comparing ourselves to the last 20 years, but to the successful era before that. You have a proud tradition to uphold and we expect you to live up to it and make new memories on the site of RFK.” And it says to the whole fan-base, “You deserve better, and we’re going to give it to you with a stadium in the heart of your city.”

The reality is, the Redskins have to win for these things to matter, and the roster this year gives them the best chance of that since 1991. But the NFL is set up to allow organizations and teams that do things the right way to be in the hunt every year.

Next: 5 best Redskins players that nobody talks about

A move back to D.C. would set the stage for that kind of long-term success to be capitalized on in the nation’s capital. In that case, the next 20 years could have a very different feel to them than the last 20. Here’s hoping the Redskins organization wants to win as badly as us fans.

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