Real World 51: Redskins Magic: The Story of the 1982 Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins

Source:The Daily Press

Of the three Super Bowl Championships that the Washington Redskins won, the 1982 Championship is my favorite because no one other than the Redskins themselves, expected them to do anything. I believe the Redskins knew they were good. Joe Theisman knew he was a good quarterback and could play. John Riggins knew he was a good tailback who just needed an opportunity and be able to play the right position tailback not fullback. They knew they had a very good offensive line, if not the best in the NFL. They knew they had a good defense, giving up the fewest points in the league in 1982.

But no one else knew, because the Redskins were a collection of players, their main players that other teams had given up on or didn't bother drafting. Like offensive tackle Joe Jacoby who will be in the Hall of Fame, offensive guard Russ Grimm who's in the Hall of Fame by the way. Center Jeff Bostic was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles a big rival of the Redskins. So as a Redskin fan myself, it's great that we took both QB Sonny Jurgenson and Jeff Bostic from the Eagles. And a lot of the other players were holdovers from the George Allen regime, the "Over the Hill Gang".

People like OT George Starke, defensive tackle Dave Butz, kicker Mark Mosely who was the NFL MVP in 1982. But some of the Redskins key players were drafted after Bobby Beatherd became general manager in 1978 replacing George Allen and drafted some of the players, so the Redskins were starting to regroup in the late 1970s. With players like tight end Don Warren, linebacker Monte Coleman, LB Mell Kauffman, LB Rich Milot, LB Neal Olkewitz who the rest of the NFL probably thought was too small. But started for two Super Bowl Champions in Olkewitz's case.

The 1982 Redskins were a collection of holdovers, free agents that no one else wanted or drafted and a group of players that were drafted before the Joe Gibbs era. And Joe Gibbs knew that he had a good team with the Hogs on the OL, QB Joe Theisman, TB John Riggins, WR Art Monk, WR Charlie Brown, one of the best defenses in the NFL. Not one of the most talented, but one of the best and that's different. With defensive end Dexter Manley, DT Darryl Grant, DT Dave Butz, the LBs that I just mentioned. Vernon Dean and hard-hitting Mark Murphy in the secondary.

But the rest of the NFL didn't know that the Redskins were a good team and nobody else respected them as NFC East Champions or the number one seed in the NFC. Which was perfect because the best time to strike is when your opponents aren't ready for you. And the way to earn your respect is by winning, winning playoff games and winning championships. Which is exactly what the Redskins did in 1982, take out their disrespect against their opponents.

That's what made the 1982 Redskins so special and I believe are still the best Redskins Super Bowl Champion. They were a collection of very good players that most people never heard of, all put into one championship package. Led by Joe Gibbs and his coaching staff the 1982 Redskins were so good that they could take it to the best defense in the NFL if you look at their talent in the Dallas Cowboys with their Doomsday Flex Defense. That probably had the best defensive line in the NFL with DE Ed Jones, the best DT in the NFL in Randy White, arguably the best DT of all-time, and DE Harvey Martin.

The Redskins ran the ball down the Cowboys Flex Defense throat with John Riggins and the Hogs and they ran it down Randy White's throat with OG Russ Grimm smashing and blowing Randy White out-of-the-way play after play and it was great. That's how good the 1982 Redskins were and I'm not sure a lot of people understand that.

HBO Sports: Lombardi: How Vince Lombardi Impacted the Washington Redskins

Source:The Daily Press

In the 1960s the Redskins weren't bad at least starting around 1964 when they traded quarterback Norm Snead to Philadelphia for future Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgenson. They also picked up tailback/receiver Charlie Taylor who would also end up in the Hall of Fame and you could make a good case that he's the best WR of his era and of all time. And they picked up TB/WR Bobby Mitchell in 1962, who's also in the Hall of Fame. Drafted tight end Jerry Smith who should also be in the Hall of Fame. Drafted linebacker Chris Hamburger who just went in to the Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame LB Sam Huff was still there.

The Redskins weren't bad in the 1960s, but they weren't very good either, they only had one winning season, 1969 Vince Lombardi's only season in Washington and had several 7-7 seasons and a few 6-8 seasons, but they were building a lot of the success that the Redskins had in the 1970s started in the 1960s with the players that they drafted, including tailback Larry Brown in 1969 the Redskins first 1000 yard rusher. The Redskins had some of the best passing offenses in the NFL in the 1960s from 1964 and on, but they never had a solid running game until 1969 with Larry Brown.

But they also had some of the worst defenses in this decade unlike the 1970s and 80s when they were always in the top 10 in defense with George Allen and then Joe Gibbs where they win five NFC Finals from 1972-91 and three Super Bowls in that same period. Which is why Vince Lombardi and George Allen were so important for the Redskins to change the culture in how they operated.

When George Allen took over the Redskins in 1971 as head coach/general manager, I believe he knew he had a good nucleus, but that he had to add to it to make the Redskins a winner and contender. Which is what he did, he did not come to Washington from Los Angeles, where he was one game away from the Super Bowl a few times to have a 500 team or a team that barely has a winning record, but he wanted to build a champion win the NFC East, the NFC Final and the Super Bowl. He had very good teams with the Rams that always had one of the best defenses which was his background. He was George Halas's defensive coordinator with (da Bears) before he went to Los Angeles to be the Rams head coach.

His philosophy was simple. Tough take charge defense that takes away the run to attack the QB. Run the ball on offense, protect the QB and take a few shots down field on offense off of play-action and win the turnover battle. That if you do these things well you'll win much more than you lose and when he came to Washington that's what he wanted to establish. He knew he had a good group that he had to add a few pieces to make them winners and contenders,which is why he brought in some Rams, like defensive tackle Diron Talbert who reminds me a little of DT Dave Butz who Allen also brought to Washington. As well as linebacker Jack Pardee who would later be the Redskins head coach from 1978-80 and others. 

The Redskins in the George Allen era were nicknamed the "Over the Hill Gang", not because his players couldn't play anymore, but because most of them were in their thirty's when they got there. Or were going bald or were coming from teams, like QB Billy Kilmer's case that no longer wanted them and when you get released from the New Orleans Saints like Kilmer did in 1971 you are starting over and trying to find a place for yourself. Because the Saints were awful their first few years, but it all worked for Allen in Washington because he sold them on the idea that they are here to win. "Thats why I brought you here and kept you here to win and become champions". Something a lot of these players had never done before.

NFL Films: The 1972-73 Washington Redskins

Source:NFL Films- Washington Redskins Head Coach/General Manager George Allen (1971-77)

Source:The Daily Press 

"This is old footage from 1972 that shows George Allen as Washington Redskins head coach and running-back and kickoff return specialist Herb Mul-Key (#28) filling in for an injured running back Larry Brown against the Buffalo Bills in 1972.  Mul-Key was a walk-on who would have had a much more notable career if he wasn't always playing hurt.  O.J. Simpson is also shown briefly in this video as well as old-timers Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer are also shown but the commentator seems to focus on Herb Mul-Key. I am not sure, but I think the last clip shown is Herb Mul-Key running back a 97-yard kickoff return against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973.  The next evening on ABC Monday Night Football 09/24/73 Howard Cosell made one of his verbal gaffs using the term "little monkey." 

From Howard Cosell Fan

The 1972 Redskins didn't win the NFC Eastern Division Championship their first in thirty years or win the NFC Final their first in thirty years because they had overwhelming talent. They had very good talent with wide receivers Charlie Taylor, WR Roy Jefferson, tight end Jerry Smith and tailback Larry Brown. And on defense with people like defensive tackle Diron Talbert, linebacker Chris Hamburger, LB Jack Pardee and others, one of the best defenses in the NFL. I believe the best in the NFC that only gave up 217 points. They didn't accomplish these things because of great talent. They weren't the Cowboys Doomsday Defense, or the Vikings Purple People Eaters or the Rams Fearsome Foursome or the Steelers Steel Curtain.

They were a bunch of tough guys who could play who all had character, that all wanted to win and never were champions before. Thats why George Allen the Redskins head coach/general manager brought them to Washington to become champions. George Allen's whole philosophy was about the team, "how do I get forty men (as was the case back then) to play the best that they can and play together". (And I know this sounds corny)

But thats how George Allen operated. His favorite drink was milk probably because he didn't spend much time drinking other things or even thinking about other drinks that he liked, because he was all about his team. "How do I get them to play the best that they can and play together at the same time". And everything else including his family came after his team as his kids would tell you. In the 1960s the Redskins had a pass first explosive offense that was built around QB Sonny Jurgenson, WR Charlie Taylor, WR Bobby Mitchell and TE Jerry Smith. That didn't run the ball very well or play a lot of defense, sort of like the Miami Dolphins with Dan Marino in the 1980s.

But George Allen came from the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams where they played tough defense always had one of the best defenses in the NFL. With ball control offenses so thats exactly what he wanted to establish in Washington, but the difference being that he was able to bring those defenders to Washington. Diron Talbert, Jack Pardee, but had a lot more offensive talent to go with his defense, which made the Redskins very explosive on both sides of the ball.

Allen inherited a team that was like 5-9 in 1970 the year Vince Lombardi died and took them to 10-4 and into the NFC Playoffs and 11-3 in 1972 as they won the NFC East, beat the Cowboys in the 1972 NFC Final, became NFC Champions. And went to Super Bowl 7 where they lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins, but I believed the Redskins had the better team. The 1972 Redskins were a team that represent what a good team looks like, with star players, but other players on the team who are also good. But know their roles and everyone playing together and playing their roles.

George Allen was not perfect, the way he handled Sonny Jurgenson and Billy Kilmer and then later Joe Theisman. All three of them playing at the same time was a tragic mistake, that I believe cost him a championship. Sonny Jurgenson was clearly his best QB and should've led his teams until he retired instead of splitting time with Billy Kilmer. Who was at best a journeyman QB and a part-time starter and Joe Theisman should've replaced Jurgenson when Sonny retired. But George Allen's whole philosophy was built around "how to get the most out of my team at the same time to win as many games as possible" and he had a lot of success with that philosophy.

NFL Films: NFL 1972- Redskins Championship Week

Source:NFL Films- the Miami Dolphins meeting the Redskins during Super Bowl 7.

Source:The Daily Press   

“Redskins Super Bowl Week 1972”  

From Redskinray Hail 

I’m sure, actually I’m positive that the Redskins wanted to beat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl 7. But beating the Dallas Cowboys in the 1972 NFC Final was their Super Bowl victory and championship that year. That is the goal that they set out to accomplish. Not that different from the 1982 Redskins that admitted to feeling better about beating the Cowboys in the 1982 NFC Final than beating the Dolphins in Super Bowl 17. The Super Bowl was sort of icing to the Cowboys victory.  

That is how important these rivalry games are to teams. Especially the team that isn’t traditionally as successful as the other team. Which the Redskins are in the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry and perhaps hate the Cowboys more than the Cowboys hate the Redskins. And may if anything see other teams and games as more important to them.