20 moments
The touchdowns, stops and seasons that made Washington football. Newest first; tap a play button to watch.
Washington won 45–31 at top-seeded Detroit to reach its first NFC Championship Game since the 1991 season. A week earlier, a 23–20 win at Tampa Bay had been the franchise's first playoff win since the 2005 season.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
On the final play, Jayden Daniels threw a 52-yard Hail Mary to Noah Brown to beat the Chicago Bears 18–15 at Northwest Stadium. Daniels went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Washington retired Sean Taylor's No. 21 before a game against Kansas City, with his family in attendance. The two-time Pro Bowl safety died in November 2007 at 24.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
A 20–14 win at Philadelphia clinched the NFC East and made the Washington Football Team the first team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after a 2–7 start. Alex Smith, back from a life-threatening leg injury, was named Comeback Player of the Year.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
A 28–18 win over Dallas at FedExField finished a seven-game winning streak after a 3–6 start and gave Washington its first division title since 1999. Robert Griffin III was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Darrell Green and Art Monk were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Monk's standing ovation, timed by NFL Films at four minutes and four seconds, is the longest in Hall of Fame history.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Washington closed 36 seasons at RFK Stadium with a 37–10 win over Dallas before 56,454, the stadium's largest football crowd. Terry Allen broke John Riggins' single-season team rushing record that day, finishing with 1,353 yards.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Art Monk caught his 820th career pass against Denver on Monday Night Football, passing Steve Largent for the NFL record. He later became the first player to reach 900 receptions.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Washington beat Buffalo 37–24 in Minneapolis to finish 17–2, the most wins in franchise history. Mark Rypien threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns and was MVP, and Joe Gibbs won his third Super Bowl with a third different starting quarterback.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, commanders.com
Down 10–0 to Denver in Super Bowl XXII, Washington scored 35 second-quarter points on five possessions. Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to start a Super Bowl, threw four touchdowns in the quarter and was MVP of the 42–10 win; Timmy Smith ran for a Super Bowl-record 204 yards.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, commanders.com
Minnesota faced fourth-and-4 at the Washington 6 with 56 seconds left in the NFC Championship Game. Darrin Nelson dropped a potential tying touchdown pass as Darrell Green hit him, sealing a 17–10 win at RFK Stadium.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
With the divisional playoff tied 14–14, Darrell Green returned a punt 52 yards for a touchdown, injuring his ribs as he hurdled a defender, and Washington beat Chicago 21–17.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
During the 1987 strike, no Washington union player crossed the picket line. On Monday Night Football at Texas Stadium, the all-replacement roster beat a Dallas team that included several players who had crossed, 13–7, finishing 3–0 in replacement games on the way to Super Bowl XXII.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Joe Theismann suffered a career-ending leg injury when sacked by Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor on Monday Night Football at RFK Stadium. Washington won 23–21, but Theismann never played in the NFL again.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trailing Miami 17–13 in Super Bowl XVII with about 10 minutes left, Washington went for it on fourth-and-1 at the Dolphins' 43. John Riggins broke cornerback Don McNeal's tackle and ran 43 yards for the winning touchdown in a 27–17 victory and was named MVP.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, commanders.com
John Riggins ran 36 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns, and Darryl Grant's 10-yard interception return clinched a 31–17 NFC Championship win over Dallas at RFK Stadium, the only conference title game ever played on a Saturday.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
George Allen's veteran team routed Dallas 26–3 at RFK Stadium to reach its first Super Bowl. Charley Taylor caught seven passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns from Billy Kilmer, and Curt Knight kicked four field goals.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Washington beat the New York Giants 72–41 at D.C. Stadium, setting the NFL record for points by one team in a regular-season game.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Two years after a 73–0 title-game loss, Washington beat the undefeated Bears 14–6 at Griffith Stadium, ending Chicago's bid for a third straight title. Sammy Baugh threw a 39-yard touchdown to Wilbur Moore and Andy Farkas ran for the winning score.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
In Washington's first season in D.C., rookie Sammy Baugh passed for 335 yards and three second-half touchdowns on a frozen Wrigley Field to beat the Chicago Bears 28–21 for the NFL championship.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
