Some things just look better on paper. The 2000 Redskins were one them.
There’s a memorable scene in Christmas Vacation where Cousin Eddy has Clark’s boss tied up after kidnapping him and bringing him home. After talking about cutting Christmas bonuses, Clark Griswald’s boss, Frank says, “Sometimes things look good on paper, but lose their luster when you see how it affects real folks.”
The beginning of this particular quote encapsulates the 2000 Washington Redskins. From high draft picks to big name free agents to Super Bowl expectations after winning the division the year prior, this was a team that, on paper, had all the makings of a championship team. However, as the season progressed, this team quickly lost its luster.
We will look at how this team was constructed from free agents to draft picks, the season itself, and the legacy of a team with championship aspirations.
Redskins 1999 season
After Redskins’ longtime owner Jack Kent Cooke died in 1997, the ownership status of the team was up in the air for a while. Dan Snyder eventually purchased the team shortly after the draft in 1999. Snyder, who made his money in communications, was just 34 when he bought the team.
One of the first things Snyder did was keep Norv Turner on. Things had not gone quite as they hoped for when they originally hired him, but there was hope that they were heading in the right direction.
The 1999 NFL Draft provided the opportunity to build a foundation that would last for years to come. The Redskins picked at No. 5 and No. 11, and general manager Charlie Casserly coveted Champ Bailey, the shutdown cornerback out of Georgia. New Orleans Saints head coach Mike Ditka liked Texas running back Ricky Williams, a lot, and was willing to do whatever it took to get him. After the Indianapolis Colts picked running back Edgerrin James at No. 4, over Williams, Casserly pulled off arguably the most lopsided trade in NFL history, when he traded their No. 5 pick for every Saints’ pick in that draft, plus a first-round and third-rounder the next year.
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Casserly had just committed a highway robbery. It might have been the second one he performed, as he turned disgruntled defensive tackle Sean Gilbert into two first-round picks from the Carolina Panthers a year prior. He then traded back up to No. 7 to acquire the coveted Bailey, then traded the team’s No. 11 pick for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson. The Redskins now had a franchise quarterback and a real shutdown cornerback, arguably the two most important positions in football. They also drafted Jon Jansen to help upgrade the offensive line.
Not long after Snyder purchased the team, however, Casserly resigned as general manager, and Vinny Cerrato was promoted to fill the void he left. Cerrato had been with San Francisco the previous eight years and helped build a championship roster in 1994 with them. With a proven track record, he appeared to be a good hire. He also starred in Kindergarten Ninja, so what could go wrong?
With a solid draft and a lot of talent returning on a team that underachieved the last couple years by going 8-7-1 in 1997 and 6-10 a year before, they were poised to make some real noise again.
The 1999 season was a memorable one for Redskins fans, as they won their first division title since Joe Gibbs retired, going 10-6. Upon winning the division, they hosted the Detroit Lions in the wildcard round. In front of the home fans at FedExField, the Redskins got out to a 27-0 lead by halftime before winning 27-13. The score might have been even more lopsided, had a missed Brett Conway field goal not been returned 94-yards for a touchdown.
With all the excitement from the week prior, the following week brought a crushing end to the season for Washington. In the divisional round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Redskins got out to a 13-0 lead. They eventually fell behind, but had a chance to win and go to the NFC Championship. However, the hold on the game-winning field goal attempt was botched, and the Redskins lost 14-13.
The 1999 season seemed like just the beginning, as Casserly had put into place what appeared to be an excellent foundation before he left, and Washington had three first-round picks in the upcoming draft, one of them being the second overall selection. When was the last time you remember a division winner having three first round picks? They had the ammunition to put a team that was close over the top.
Redskins 2000 offseason and draft
The Offseason
After a defeat in the divisional round, the 2000 offseason was the first full offseason in which Dan Snyder was in charge of the Redskins with Cerrato by his side, and this is where things get interesting. Snyder wanted to win. And he was willing to do whatever it took to win, including spending large amounts of money on free agents, something not all owners are willing to do.
Once free agency hit, Cerrato made moves and Snyder began to open up his checkbook. Veterans Jeff George and Adrian Murrell were offensive additions, even though they had Brad Johnson and Stephen Davis. To help upgrade the defense, they added a couple of future Hall of Famers in legendary sack artist Bruce Smith and Deion Sanders, plus Mark Carrier to bolster the secondary. And, to go along with the free agency splurge, they also had the draft coming up to add a few more impact players.
The Draft
The 2000 draft wasn’t as famous as was the one the year prior but, this draft was still a memorable one. After Courtney Brown was selected first, the Redskins were on the clock. With the No. 2 overall selection, Washington took linebacker LaVar Arrington, Brown’s teammate at Penn State. It was a rarity to see teammates go one-two A first-team All-American, Arrington won the Butkus and Bednarik awards the year before. He looked like the next Lawerence Taylor, a guy who could single-handedly impact games on the defensive side.
Before the draft, the Redskins packaged their other two first-round picks, plus two more picks, to the San Francisco 49ers for the No. 3 pick in the draft, for a chance to add another elite player. With that pick, the Redskins then selected Chris Samuels, the big left tackle out of Alabama, to help solidify the offensive line and protect Brad Johnson. Samuels just won the Outland Trophy, and had all the makings to be great at the next level.
The Redskins had just added two of the top three players in the draft. They still had six selections after taking Samuels and Arrington as well. Of their next six picks, only four would be on the team for the season: Cornerback Lloyd Harrison, guard Michael Moore, quarterback Todd Husak, and defensive tackle Delbert Cowsette. Only Samuels and Arrington contributed, so their draft was very, very top heavy.
All these additions had the Redskins in a position to win, and win now, as there was no longer a grace period for Norv Turner. The pressure was on. Between the draft and free agency, Snyder and Cerrato had built a team that cost over $100 million.
Redskins 2000 roster
Quarterbacks: Brad Johnson started 11 games at quarterback. He did not play anywhere close to the Pro Bowl level he played at in 1999 when he threw for over 4,000 yards and 24 touchdowns. While injuries played a factor, the drop off in production was one of the reasons the Redskins regressed. Johnson threw for 2,505 yards and 11 touchdowns, but threw 15 interceptions as well. The recently acquired Jeff George started the other five games and threw for 1,389 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Running Backs: Stephen Davis had another outstanding season in 2000 as he earned his second straight trip to the Pro Bowl. Davis ran for 1,318 yards on 332 carries and logged 11 touchdowns. Behind Davis, Skip Hicks had 29 carries for 78 yards. The other big offensive free agent, Adrian Murrell, had 20 carries for 50 yards. Larry Centers, who was the fullback, had 19 carries for 103 yards. He led the team in receptions with 81.
Wide Receivers: James Thrash led the receivers group. Thrash had a modest 50 catches for 653 yards and two touchdowns. Irving Fryar, the first overall pick in 1984, had 41 catches for 548 yards and five touchdowns. Albert Connell was the third receiver. Connell had 39 catches for 762 yards and three touchdowns. After injuries hampered him early in his career, Michael Westbrook had a Pro Bowl season in 1999. He figured to be a big part of the offense again in 2000. However, a knee injury ended his season after just two games and nine catches.
Washington Commanders
Tight Ends: Pro Bowler Stephen Alexander led the tight ends. In his third season, Alexander had 47 catches for 510 yards and two touchdowns. James Jenkins and Zeron Flemister were behind Alexander, but Jenkins didn’t catch a pass and Flemister had only one reception for eight yards on the season.
Offensive Line: After drafting Jon Jansen the year prior, and Samuels that year, the Redskins now had two of the best young tackles in the game. They both started all 16 games and provided excellent play. Keith Sims started 13 games at left guard with Andy Heck and Michael Moore starting the other three. Jay Leeuwenburg was the starter for 12 games at right guard with Tre’ Johnson starting the other four games. Mark Fisher started all 16 games at center. The group struggled at times as they dealt with injuries, but flourished at others as Stephen Davis had five 100-yard games running behind them.
Defensive Line: The Redskins defensive line was led by one of Cerrato’s big free agent signings, Bruce Smith, who was chasing the all-time sack record. Smith started every game at right defensive end and finished with 10.0 sacks, but was somewhat of a liability against the run. Marco Coleman was on the opposite side of Smith and had the best season of his career as he made the Pro Bowl for the only time as a pro. Coleman finished with 12.0 sacks while starting all 16 games. N.D. Kalu and Kenard Lang provided depth at the defensive end position. Dan Wilkinson and Dana Stubblefield were the defensive tackles. Wilkinson started all 16 games and had 3.5 sacks while Stubblefield had 14 starts and 2.5 sacks. Nolan Harrison filled in for Stubblefield twice.
Linebackers: There was no question who led this group. After being selected second overall, LaVar Arrington was brought in to be the playmaker in the middle of the field the team had been lacking since Ken Harvey left, and to help lead the current group. He had an up-and-down season, but finished with 52 tackles and 4.0 sacks as he showed superstar potential. Derek Smith and Shawn Barber each started 14 games. Kevin Mitchell, Eddie Mason, and Greg Jones filled in during spot duty and helped round out this group.
Cornerbacks: This was an incredibly talented group that was led by the marquee signing of the offseason, Deion Sanders. Sanders had signed a seven-year, $56 million contract after being released by the Cowboys, and was still expected to be a shutdown corner as he was getting paid to be elite. While he had an average season, notching four interceptions, his play did not match his salary, and he abruptly retired after the season. Champ Bailey started every game beside Sanders and had an outstanding second year as he made the Pro Bowl. Bailey played some offense too. He had a rushing touchdown and three receptions for 78 yards; a playmaker on both sides of the ball. Behind them was the ageless Darrell Green. While he was no longer a starter, Green still had three interceptions and was a solid contributor when on the field. Tyronne Drakeford started one game, and the recently drafted Lloyd Harrison did not play.
Fun fact: Green, Sanders, and Bailey each had over 50 career interceptions and, with Bailey making it in 2019, they are all in the Hall of Fame as well. Talk about talent.
Safety: Sam Shade was the strong safety. Shade started 14 games and had two interceptions. Mark Carrier, who never played close to the Pro Bowl level he played at early in his career, had 15 starts and just one interception. After only one season in Washington, Carrier retired. Behind Shade and Carrier, Matt Stevens and David Terrell provided depth.
Special Teams: The Redskins had a revolving door when it came to kickers in 2000. Four kickers handled duties at some point: Eddie Murray, Michael Husted, Kris Heppner, and Brett Conway; plus Scott Bentley kicked a 50-yard field goal on his only attempt in the finale as well. Murray played in six games and was 8 for 12, Husted played in four games and was 4 for 8, Heppner played in four games and was 4 for 6, and Conway played in just two games, but was a perfect 3 for 3. Combined, however, that group was a pedestrian 20 for 30 on the season.
Tommy Barnhardt handled the punting duties. Barnhardt had 79 punts for 3,160 yards, good enough for a 40-yard average.
With the great Brian Mitchell gone to Philadelphia, James Thrash handled the majority of the kickoff returns alongside Adrian Murrell. Thrash had 45 returns for 1,000 yards, while Murrell had 12 returns for 214 yards. Deion Sanders handled the majority of the punt returns with Thrash getting some return opportunities here as well. On the season, Sanders had 185 return yards on 25 attempts, while Thrash had 106 yards on ten attempts.
Redskins 2000 game results
Week 1: Redskins 20, Panthers 17
Washington opened the season at home with a hard-fought victory against Carolina. Brad Johnson was 25 for 36 for 234 yards and added a rushing touchdown. Stephen Davis had 23 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown. The defense had six sacks with Marco Coleman having 2.5.
Week 2: Redskins 10, Lions 15
The Redskins hit the road to face Detroit at the Pontiac Silverdome. This game was close throughout, and they had a chance to win, but Johnson threw an interception with just under a minute left with Washington driving. The defense had another solid outing, holding Detroit to five field goals.
Week 3: Redskins 21, Cowboys 27
Washington returned home to face an 0-2 Dallas team. After jumping out to an early 7-0 lead behind the first of two Stephen Davis touchdowns, the Redskins fell behind, and got the ball back with under two minutes left with a chance to win, but couldn’t as they dropped to 1-2.
Week 4: Redskins 16, Giants 6
After two close losses, the Redskins traveled to face the division rival Giants. The defense played an outstanding game, and Brad Johnson threw two touchdowns to get Washington back on track. Deion Sanders had an interception and returned it 32 yards to shut down to an early fourth quarter drive.
Week 5: Redskins 20, Buccaneers 17
As a rematch of the previous year’s divisional playoffs, this game was equally exciting. Washington held a 17-14 lead and was attempting a field goal after a missed onside attempt by the Bucs with under a minute to play. Warren Sapp blocked it, and the Buccaneers proceeded to drive and tie it at the end of regulation. After a three and out by both Washington and Tampa Bay, Deion Sanders returned a punt 57 yards to the Tampa Bay 8-yard line, to set up a 20-yard Michael Husted field goal to win.
Week 6: Redskins 17, Eagles 14
The Redskins traveled to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. Stephen Davis and Skip Hicks each had a rushing touchdown. Darrell Green returned a Donovan McNabb interception 33 yards to the Eagles 19 with just 36 seconds left to set up a 24-yard Michael Husted field goal, and for the second consecutive week, Washington needed a last-second kick to bail themselves out.
Week 7: Redskins 10, Ravens 3
Washington returned home and welcomed a 5-1 Baltimore team that had three shutouts already. In a highly anticipated game, the defenses would again dominate throughout the day. With the score tied at 3-3 early in the fourth quarter, Stephen Davis was able to break loose for a 33-yard touchdown. Davis had a solid day against the Ravens legendary defense, as he had 91 yards on 21 carries, as Washington ran its winning streak to four.
Week 8: Redskins 35, Jaguars 16
Suddenly hot, the Redskins traveled to Jacksonville to face a disappointing Jaguars team that had won 14 games a season prior. Stephen Davis had another big game with two rushing touchdowns, and Albert Connell had a career day as he caught ten passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns. The Redskins moved to 6-2 on the season.
Week 9: Redskins 21, Titans 27
Washington welcomed a 6-1 Titans team to FedExField. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead behind a Mike Sellers receiving touchdown, Tennesee scored then next 20 points, including a backbreaking 81-yard interception for a touchdown by Samari Rolle right before halftime. Stephen Davis got it back to a one-score game with a rushing touchdown, but Tennesee answered. With the score 27-21 with two minutes left, the Redskins had a chance to take the lead, but another Samari Rolle interception essentially sealed it. Brad Johnson’s hail mary at the end was intercepted, and Washington’s five-game winning streak was over.
Week 10: Redskins 15, Cardinals 16
Hoping to rebound, Washington traveled to Sun Devil stadium to face a 2-6 Cardinals team. Looking to jump out to an early lead against an inferior team, Davis took a handoff at the Arizona 1-yard line but fumbled. Aeneas Williams picked up the fumble and ran it back 103 yards for the only Cardinals touchdown. The Redskins eventually fought their way back to make it a 16-15 game, and similar to last week, had an opportunity to win with two minutes left. A Chris Samuels false start moved them back to their own 5-yard line with no timeouts. Jeff George got them out to their own 24 before turning it over on downs, and Washington dropped another one heading into the bye.
Week 12: Redskins 33, Rams 20
In a huge Monday night game, Washington traveled to face the defending Super Bowl Champs, who were 8-2. After falling behind 13-3, the Redskins were able to even it up before the half. Jeff George threw two second-half touchdowns as the defense held the “greatest show on turf” to just seven points in the second half. Eddie Murray kicked four field goals, and Champ Bailey had a 48-yard interception return. Bruce Smith had three of the six sacks on the day to help get Washington back on track.
Week 13: Redskins 20, Eagles 23
After a big win on Monday Night, the Redskins returned home to face the Eagles in what was a must-win game if they wanted to keep pace with both Philadelphia and the Giants in the NFC East. The Redskins jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead behind a James Thrash touchdown. After trading leads for much the game, the score was 20-20 in the fourth quarter. With three minutes left, the Eagles kicked a field goal to take the lead. And for the third time in four weeks, Washington was down late with a chance to win or tie. The final drive got off to a fast start, as Jeff George hit James thrash for a 50-yard gain to get to the Eagles 34. The drive stalled, however, and Eddie Murray had a 44-yard attempt to tie. His kicked missed and dropped Washington to 7-5.
Week 14: Redskins 7, Giants 9
In a pivotal NFC rematch, the Redskins welcomed the division rival Giants to town. This game was another ugly one. The Giants managed to get out to a 9-0 lead behind three Brad Daluiso field goals. The Redskins made it a 9-7 game with a 5-yard Irving Fryar reception from Jeff George with five minutes to go. After forcing the Giants to punt, Washington (once again) got the ball with under three minutes to play, and a chance to win. George was able to work the Redskins to the Giants 35. George then appeared to hit Thrash for a 16-yard reception to get into the red zone. But the play was overturned, and the drive stalled. Murray had a 49-yard attempt to win, but missed. This game was the last Norv Turner would coach for the Redskins. Turner was fired and replaced with Terry Robiskie with three games to go.
Week 15: Redskins 13, Cowboys 32
In their first game with a new coach and very slim playoff hopes, Washington traveled to face the Dallas Cowboys in what would be Troy Aikman’s last game. After getting out to a 7-6 lead behind a Stephen Davis touchdown, Dallas scored the next 23 points, as the defense had no answer for the Cowboys’ running game. Dallas ran it 43 times for 242 yards to go with three scores. Irving Fryar caught a late touchdown to make this game look closer than it was.
Week 16: Redskins 3, Steelers 24
In a battle of two 7-7 teams, Washington traveled to Pittsburgh. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the Steelers scored 24 unanswered points. The Redskins turned the ball over five times and much like last week, could not stop the running game. Pittsburgh ran the ball 45 times for 200 yards and had two touchdowns. Washington had just 64 yards on 21 attempts. Jeff George threw two interceptions and a team that was once 6-2 was now 7-8.
Week 17: Redskins 20, Cardinals 3
In the season finale at FedEx Field, the Redskins played host to Arizona. The Cardinals were on a six-game losing streak; their last win against the Redskins in Week 10. The Redskins scored quickly behind a Champ Bailey rushing touchdown, who showed what a weapon he was. They added another score in the first with an Irving Fryar touchdown from Brad Johnson. Eddie Murray and Scott Bentley kicked field goals in the second quarter to make it 20-0 before a lone Arizona field goal finished the scoring. A team that was a popular choice for the Super Bowl before the season just finished as a .500 team.
Legacy
When people talk about super teams today, a lot more of the talk seems to be about the NBA than NFL. Super teams in the NFL are hard to construct because there are so many moving components such as free agency, the draft, and the salary cap. And since their rosters are so much bigger than any other sport, it’s hard to fill it out with talent from top to bottom. Every team has a weakness at one position. But, this was one of the first super teams assembled in the NFL, on paper, at least.
Snyder tried to imitate what the MLB’s New York Yankees do, and spend lavishly at free agency to shore up any weaknesses, effectively buying a championship. The MLB doesn’t have a salary cap though, so Snyder had to be creative in getting under the $62 million cap (imagine a $62 million cap with today’s quarterback contract demands) by paying out over $50 million in signing bonuses. The total sum between salaries and bonuses was an excess of $100 million. The 2000 Redskins were the first team in NFL history to exceed that threshold. This team was the best that money could buy.
They were a botched field goal away from being in the NFC Championship a year prior, so they were talented as it was. Then when you add the high-priced future Hall of Famers (even though they were shadows of their former selves) plus the other free agent additions, and a couple of top three draft picks, this team was a team that added quality depth and shored up its weaknesses. They appeared loaded. And, lofty expectations were heaped on them because it was Super Bowl or bust for the Redskins.
While they finished 8-8, they had six games in which they were trailing with a chance to tie or win with less than three minutes left. They finished 0-6 in those games. How could a team with this much talent regress to .500? The answer was the team’s inability to close out games, which had become a calling card for Norv Turner, and he didn’t make it through the season because of it. Missed field goals, drive-killing penalties, and interceptions had become an all-too-common theme for this team at the end of games. The Redskins were picked by many as a Super Bowl contender before the season and then missed the playoffs entirely, so 2000 will always be looked at as an expensive disappointment.
This season was the first in which Dan Snyder was running things in Washington and us, as fans, got a glimpse of what Snyder’s ownership would offer for years to come: a big spending spree to give a glimmer of hope, followed immediately by disappointment.
In many ways, this was the perfect season to start the transition from the Jack Kent Cooke era to the Snyder era, as it was a season ripe with disappointment, something that has almost now become synonymous with the Snyder era.
“Disappointment often signals transition toward change or a stagnation into nothingness.” -Unknown