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10 greatest in-season turnarounds in Washington Football Team history

By Jonathan Eig

WASHINGTON, D.C. - CIRCA 1984: Head coach Joe Gibbs of the Washington Football Team talks with quarterback Joe Theismann #7 on the sidelines during an NFL football game circa 1984 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.. Gibbs coached the Redskins from 1981-92 and 2004-2007. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - CIRCA 1984: Head coach Joe Gibbs of the Washington Football Team talks with quarterback Joe Theismann #7 on the sidelines during an NFL football game circa 1984 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.. Gibbs coached the Redskins from 1981-92 and 2004-2007. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Frank Gifford #16 of the New York Giants takes the handoff from Don Heinrich #11 during the game against the Washington Football Team at the Polo Grounds on October 30, 1955 in New York, New York. (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Frank Gifford #16 of the New York Giants takes the handoff from Don Heinrich #11 during the game against the Washington Football Team at the Polo Grounds on October 30, 1955 in New York, New York. (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images) /

5. 1953

Statistically, this season might not look all that impressive. WFT was 2-3-1 after the first half of the season. They went 4-2 in the second half to finish at 6-5-1.

But this constituted WFT’s first winning season since 1948. With the Little General Eddie LeBaron and rookie Jack Scarbath splitting time at quarterback, Washington became a competitive team once again. They had won two out of their first three games before hitting a rough patch in the middle of the season. But they found life late and were one LeBaron interception away from closing on a 4-0 run.

This team had a lot of good players, the likes of Paul Lipscomb, Lauri Niemi, Sam Baker, Bones Taylor, Chuck Drazenovich, and Gene Brito. Though in the end, 1953 felt frustrating, it signaled good things to come. Some management issues and a coaching change would delay those good things, and 1954 would be another forgettable season.

But everything would coalesce the following year, in 1955, when WFT would have its best season in that wasteland known as the ‘50s and ‘60s.

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