Washington Commanders – Out with the old, in with the new

The Washington Commanders are about to embark on a different journey – a new team name and the change that all fans have been anticipating.  This is one fan’s view of the last fifty-eight years.

The Washington name change is here.  The drama was steadily building for nineteen months. We are now at a point of no return.  Some fans are excited about the change.  Some are withholding judgment.  Others are sad and the remainder is angry.  No matter what emotions we are feeling, it will take a while to get used to the new name and then everything will be fine – at least the team hopes so.

Today, I hope you will indulge me a bit.  My earliest memories of this team date back to the fall of 1963 and it is time to share some of this history with you as the new name arrives.  It’s my last look at the old name and a final reflection of each decade, but don’t be surprised if we take a look back on occasion.  Historical perspectives never get old, but this is about the team name and that is certainly different than the football performances of yesteryear.  With that in mind, let’s take a final few minutes to usher out the old and welcome the new.

The 1960s and 1970s

My first memory of the Burgundy and Gold was the fall of1963.  I was four years old and turned five in mid-December.  The season ended two days before my birthday and Washington finished with a dreadful 3-11 record.  The next spring, quarterback Norm Snead was traded for Philadelphia’s reckless gunslinger – a red-headed, out of shape quarterback named Sonny Jurgensen.  My father hated the trade, but he quickly changed that tune within a couple of years.

In 1966, Hall of Famer Otto Graham became the head coach and general manager.   All he brought to Washington was a great offense, but a defense that left a lot to be desired.  However, Graham’s team was able to win the highest scoring game in NFL history – a 72-41 triumph over the New York Giants.  It was one big play after another and the late afternoon games on television were boring compared to what we witnessed.  I went outside and tossed a couple of footballs around while pretending to be Sonny.  I completed at least 50 passes to imaginary targets.

Remember the season when Charley Taylor, Jerry Smith, and Bobby Mitchell went 1, 2, and 4 in the NFL with receiving yardage?  I certainly do.  If only they had a decent defense.

The legendary Vince Lombardi arrived in 1969 as head coach and general manager.  Washington didn’t have a winning season since 1955, but that changed in his only season.  Unfortunately, Lombardi died of cancer just prior to the 1970 season, but he taught the team how to win and how to be a winner.

Note:  Sonny Jurgensen is my all-time favorite player.

In 1971, Washington hired former Rams coach George Allen and he took the team to a level that it hadn’t experience in nearly thirty years.  He took the Burgundy and Gold to the Super Bowl after a very successful season in 1972.

A new level of success for Washington

Following the Super Bowl loss to the Dolphins, Washington enjoyed several additional seasons of success under Allen, but never had the chance to play in another Super Bowl.

It was tough to see Sonny retire after the 1974 season, but he was the leader in passing yardage for the league at age 40.  That is amazing, especially when you consider that he shared his duties at quarterback with former player Billy Kilmer.  I’m sure he has mixed emotions about the name change, but it’s also nice to see that he is still active at age 87.

Late in the 1975 season, Charley Taylor became the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions.  It was even sweeter when he accomplished the feat against Philadelphia.

Former Washington player Jack Pardee was hired as the new coach in 1978 and the Allen magic was gone in a heartbeat.  The season finale in 1979 was downright depressing.  Washington had a 34-21 lead over the Cowboys with less than two minutes to go.  Dallas won 35-34 and I will never forgive Pardee for that loss.  It knocked Washington out of the playoffs and put Dallas in.  It was also the last regular season game for Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.  I’m still seething about it.

The 1980s and 1990s

The glory years.  The golden years.  Four Super Bowls.  Three Super Bowl trophies.  Five conference championship appearances.  Eight playoff appearances.  From 1981 to 1992 it was a great time to be a fan of the Burgundy and Gold.  In 1980, the final year with Jack Pardee at the helm was disastrous.  Enter, Joe Jackson Gibbs and the Bobby Beathard (general manager) era.

The Joe Gibbs era started with a record of 0-5 in 1981 and team owner Jack Kent Cooke nearly moved on from the former offensive coordinator for the Chargers.  I admit to being frustrated that first season, but an owner’s patience would go on to pay major dividends.

The strike-shortened 1982 season introduced us to a blue collar team that was quickly embraced by the fans.  It also produced “The Hogs”, the legend of “Riggo”, Art Monk, the “Fun Bunch”, and “Hail to the Redskins” which became a fight song that was known across the country.  As a fan, I finally had a Super Bowl championship to cherish.

The magic continues

1982 was awesome!  A 14-2 record.  Cruised through the NFC playoffs.  Heavily favored over the Raiders in the Super Bowl.  It was exciting!  The Super Bowl was dominated by the Raiders and a repeat didn’t happen.  I was really down for at least two months.  It was devastating.

Washington continued to pile up double-digit wins each year and it culminated with the 1987 season and a Super Bowl rout of the Denver Broncos.  That game will always be my favorite in a Redskins uniform.  That second quarter was an absolute masterpiece.

Gerald Riggs had a game for the ages and set a team record of 221 yards rushing against the Eagles.  The outcome of the game was horrible – a shootout loss!  Ugh!

1988 was the only losing season for Coach Gibbs (in his first stint) and the injuries were numerous.  It was tough to go from a Super Bowl champion to a team that had a lot of bad luck, but little did I know what would happen in the coming years.

1991 was another magical season and it culminated with a Super Bowl thrashing of the Buffalo Bills.  It was an awesome time to say that I cheered for a three-time Super Bowl champ.  Friends of other teams seemed a bit envious and I soaked it up to the maximum.

1992 produced another solid playoff run, but what happened a few weeks later was a shock to many fans.  Joe Gibbs announced his retirement and would now focus solely on his NASCAR team in North Carolina.  I was hopeful that good things would continue to happen to my favorite team.

1993 was certainly different.  Very different.  A slap in the face.  Former defensive coordinator Richie Petitbon’s lone season as head coach was a 4-12 disaster.  Enter the Norv Turner era.

In 1996 everything seemed to be going very well during the first half of the season with a 7-1 record.  The wheels came off of the bandwagon as the team limped to a 9-7 record and missed the playoffs.  Another change was coming the following season.  I wasn’t happy about it, but was willing to see what was on the horizon.

In 1997, Washington no longer called RFK Stadium their home.  Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Landover, MD opened and another piece of the past was history.  Another mediocre season at 8-7-1 was starting to wear on me a bit.  I was spoiled by all of those Super Bowls.

1999 brought the biggest change in decades.  A new owner with several partners would usher in a new millennium.  Fans were truly excited about the change, but we had no idea what was on the horizon.

The 1999 team won the NFC East and won a playoff game, but came up short with a botched field goal attempt.  That was devastating.  I was really beginning to think that the team was on the right path and could challenge for a Super Bowl very soon.

The 2000s

The 1999 season was encouraging and all of the major Y2K computer concerns were overblown.  Could Washington be on a new path to success?

A collection of stars were signed during the 2000 offseason, but all of them were well past their prime.  I had concerns, but was willing to see what could happen.  The guarded optimism became a nightmare as Norv Turner was fired late in the season.

The 2001 season was supposed to be the start of a new era.  Marty Schottenheimer was the new coach and general manager.  He had total control and I was happy with the direction of the team after nine years of frustration.  Hey, it was time to head back to the Super Bowl.  Washington won eight of their last thirteen games and the momentum for 2002 was encouraging.  However, Dan Snyder fired Marty after the season and assumed full control once again.  I was beyond livid.

The Steve Spurrier era lasted for two years and we really don’t want to talk about it, do we?  General Manager Vinny Cerrato needed a pink slip, pronto!

The return of head coach Joe Gibbs was welcomed news in 2004, but he employed an offensive scheme his first season that was terribly outdated.  It was obvious that his time away from the game hurt the team in his return, but the next season proved that his leadership is second to none.  The 2005 team earned a playoff berth and was able to advance to the divisional round.

All-everything free safety Sean Taylor was drafted in 2004 and he quickly became a fan favorite.  The former Miami Hurricanes stud was well on his way to superstardom and likely one of the best safeties of all time.

Changes, tragedies, sadness, and challenges

The 2007 season produced another playoff run, but it came with the tragedy that still affects the fan base to the present day.  Sean Taylor was murdered at his Florida home and the emptiness continues.  Also, Coach Gibbs decided to retire a second time and return to his loved ones and NASCAR team.

In 2008 and 2009, former offensive assistant Jim Zorn was the head coach and he was simply not qualified to lead a team.  The doldrums that had plagued the Burgundy and Gold since 1993 would continue.  On December 17, 2008 (my 50th birthday), legendary Washington quarterback and Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh passed away.  Exactly one year later, Bruce Allen would replace Cerrato as the general manager.

The 2010 season ushered in the Mike Shanahan regime and fans were genuinely pleased that a respected coach was in charge once again.  After some rebuilding, the team made a major trade before the 2012 NFL draft and a franchise quarterback was drafted.  Robert Griffin, III delivered a rookie campaign for the ages and the fan base was energized for the first time in nearly two decades.

Griffin suffered a major knee injury in the playoffs, but he vowed to be back for the 2013 opener.  The bottom line is that the magic was gone and the team went 3-13 that season.  Mike Shanahan was fired and the Dan Snyder ownership would become even more unbearable.

Jay Gruden was hired in 2014 and his tenure was filled with mediocrity and more meddling from the owner.  The de facto general manager was somehow worse than Vinny Cerrato.  Washington brought in a general manager that was a known alcoholic.  In 2020, several top employees were fired due to harassment claims and a hostile work environment.  I was really questioning my fandom at this juncture.  What a mess!

Final Thoughts

It is difficult to say goodbye to a name that I loved so much, but I have chosen not to use that name today – even in an accurate historical sense.  There are two reasons why I am moving on and not looking back.

First, being mad about the change and dwelling on it each day is not good for my mental health.  I’ll never forget the old name, but I do not have the power to bring it back.  I accept the change and will move forward.

Second, changes in the summer of 2020 to the entire front office needed to happen.  Too many negative variables were hanging over this team and what happened that summer encompassed many positive changes – changes for the better.  Much better.  Nothing is perfect, but the leadership we see today with the Commanders is better than what it has been over the last thirty years.

The name change drama is over and now it is time to focus on offseason football.