Washington Football Team
Franchise Overview 1932-2021 (90 seasons)

Teams Washington DC Washington Football Team History Franchise Overview

Formerly known as the Washington Redskins, the team competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the NFC East division. The team plays its home games at FedExField in Landover, Maryland; its headquarters and training facility are in Ashburn, Virginia. The team has played more than 1,000 games and is one of only five in the NFL to record over 600 total wins. It was the first NFL franchise with an official marching band and a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins". The team was founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves; it changed its name to the Redskins the following year. The franchise moved to Washington, D.C., in 1937. The team won the 1937 and 1942 NFL championship games and Super Bowls XVII, XXII, and XXVI. Washington has finished a season as league runner-up six times, losing the 1936, 1940, 1943, and 1945 title games and Super Bowls VII and XVIII. With 14 division titles and 24 postseason appearances, they have an overall postseason record of 23–18. Their three Super Bowl wins are tied with the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots (six each), San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys (five each), and the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants (four each). All of Washington's championships were attained during two 10-year spans. From 1936 to 1945, the team went to the NFL Championship six times, winning two of them. The second period lasted from 1982 and 1991, when they appeared in the postseason seven times, captured four Conference titles, and won three Super Bowls in four appearances. But from 1946 to 1970, Washington posted just four winning seasons and never reached the postseason. They went without a single winning season from 1956 to 1968, a span that included and their worst regular-season record: 1–12–1 in 1961. Since the 1991 season, when the team last won the Super Bowl, they have won the NFC East four times, had a winning record in nine seasons, and reached the postseason in seven. Washington's former Redskins name and logo generated controversy over its history, with many criticizing the term "redskin" as racially insensitive to Native Americans. Despite years of refusal from the team to change it, pressure from several NFL and team sponsors eventually led it to be retired in 2020 as part of a wave of name changes in the wake of the George Floyd protests. The team temporarily rebranded as the Washington Football Team and will adopt a permanent name in 2022. The team is valued at about US$3.5 billion according to Forbes, making it the eight-most valuable team in the NFL and the 19th-most valuable sports franchise globally.

Formerly known as the Washington Redskins, the team competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the NFC East division. The team plays its home games at FedExField in Landover, Maryland; its headquarters and training facility are in Ashburn, Virginia. The team has played more than 1,000 games and is one of only five in the NFL to record over 600 total wins. It was the first NFL franchise with an official marching band and a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins". The team was founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves; it changed its name to the Redskins the following year. The franchise moved to Washington, D.C., in 1937. The team won the 1937 and 1942 NFL championship games and Super Bowls XVII, XXII, and XXVI. Washington has finished a season as league runner-up six times, losing the 1936, 1940, 1943, and 1945 title games and Super Bowls VII and XVIII. With 14 division titles and 24 postseason appearances, they have an overall postseason record of 23–18. Their three Super Bowl wins are tied with the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots (six each), San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys (five each), and the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants (four each). All of Washington's championships were attained during two 10-year spans. From 1936 to 1945, the team went to the NFL Championship six times, winning two of them. The second period lasted from 1982 and 1991, when they appeared in the postseason seven times, captured four Conference titles, and won three Super Bowls in four appearances. But from 1946 to 1970, Washington posted just four winning seasons and never reached the postseason. They went without a single winning season from 1956 to 1968, a span that included and their worst regular-season record: 1–12–1 in 1961. Since the 1991 season, when the team last won the Super Bowl, they have won the NFC East four times, had a winning record in nine seasons, and reached the postseason in seven. Washington's former Redskins name and logo generated controversy over its history, with many criticizing the term "redskin" as racially insensitive to Native Americans. Despite years of refusal from the team to change it, pressure from several NFL and team sponsors eventually led it to be retired in 2020 as part of a wave of name changes in the wake of the George Floyd protests. The team temporarily rebranded as the Washington Football Team and will adopt a permanent name in 2022. The team is valued at about US$3.5 billion according to Forbes, making it the eight-most valuable team in the NFL and the 19th-most valuable sports franchise globally.

1937 Washington Redskins

1932-2021 (90 seasons)

Washington Football Team Team History

All-time franchise record

617-622 (.498)

5 championships in 11 appearances

Franchise History

2020-2021

Washington Football Team (NFL)

1937-2019

Washington Redskins (NFL)

1933-1936

Boston Redskins (NFL)

1932

Boston Braves (NFL)

Top Seasons

Year Record Result

1991 14-2 Won Super Bowl

1987 11-4 Won Super Bowl

1983 14-2 Lost Super Bowl

1982 8-1 Won Super Bowl

1972 11-3 Lost Super Bowl

View More Football Team Seasons

Last 5 Seasons

Year Record Result

2021 7-10 Missed Playoffs

2020 7-9 Lost Wild Card Game

2019 3-13 Missed Playoffs

2018 7-9 Missed Playoffs

2017 7-9 Missed Playoffs

View All Football Team Seasons

1st Round Draft Picks

Year Rd/Pick Player

2021 1 / 19 Jamin Davis LB

2020 1 / 2 Chase Young DE

2019 1 / 15 Dwayne Haskins QB

2019 1 / 26 Montez Sweat DE

2018 1 / 13 Daron Payne DT

View All Football Team Draft Picks

Longest Serving GM's

Tenure Years General Manager

1947-61 15 Dick McCann

1978-88 11 Bobby Beathard

1989-99 11 Charley Casserly

2000-09 8 Vinny Cerrato

1936-43 8 Jack Espey

View All Football Team General Managers

Team Owners

Tenure Years Owner

1999-21 23 Daniel Snyder

1997-98 2 John Kent Cooke

1974-96 23 Jack Kent Cooke

1965-73 9 Edward Bennett Williams

1963-64 2 Leo C. De Orsey

1932-62 31 George Preston Marshall

View All Football Team Owners

Related Content

Stories, Photos, Videos, Podcasts, and Publications featuring Washington Football Team Franchise Overview

F i l t e r & S o r t

Washington Commanders Media Guidepublication

Washington Commanders Media Guide

94 issues 1932-2025

This media guide is a comprehensive resource created by the team to provide detailed information about its players, coaches, history,...