Tag: 1983 NFC Champions

Commanders introduce the Darrell Green suite at Northwest Stadium

Darrell Green has a huge weekend ahead and deserves every second of it.

Darrell Green has had some pretty big weekends, but this may be one of the most emotional.

Green has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, won three NFC Championship games, played in three Super Bowls, winning two Super Bowls (XXII, XXVI) all with the Washington Redskins.

This week, the Commanders invited Green to come see the new Darrell Green suite at Northwest Stadium. The suite features memorabilia from Green’s 20-year career with the Redskins, as well as a wall documenting his NFL career achievements.

Green was a seven-time Pro Bowler, voted to the 1990s Decade Team, voted the 1996 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Inducted into the HOF Class of 2008, and won the NFL Fastest Man competition four times. His 295 games are the most played by an NFL defensive player, and he holds the record for an interception in 19 consecutive NFL seasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4rgAR1Z3CQ

But having been out of the sports headlines for decades, this upcoming weekend could be very emotional for Green. Green was caught by surprise this summer when the Commanders had him read on camera the announcement that they would retire his No.28.

Sunday in Landover, at Northwest Stadium, the Commanders will give Green the honor of joining Sammy Baugh (33), Sonny Jurgensen (9), Bobby Mitchell (49), and Sean Taylor (21) as those in Redskins history to have their jerseys officially retired. No one has worn No.28 since Green played his last Redskins game in 2002, so this day has been expected for two decades.

“For 20 years, Darrell Green gave everything he had to this organization and fan base. Even after retiring from the burgundy and gold, he remained committed to giving back to this community, which to this day holds him in the highest regard,” said Josh Harris, of the Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient. “No one on our team will ever again wear No. 28. Thank you, Darrell, for embodying what it means to be a Washington football player, both on and off the field.”

Green, now 64, will also be presented with a key to the city by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on Saturday, October 19, at 10 AM in Franklin Park. So, this weekend’s events could be moving and touching for Green.

Why not?

It will bring back so many good memories for so many of us old enough that we, too, might become a little sentimental, remembering Green running down Tony Dorsett and Eric Dickerson, returning a punt for a touchdown in Chicago to help the Redskins beat the Bears in the 1987 playoffs on their way to winning Super Bowl XXII.

Yes, we too might become a bit sentimental, thank you for the memories, Darrell Green.

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and Joe Theismann both took the lead

Jayden Daniels has been praised for his leadership qualities, like another former Washington QB.

Recently drafted Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels would probably enjoy learning about the quarterback leadership provided by Joe Theismann.

After only two regular season games in 1982, the NFL player’s strike began. The players vowed together to withhold their services and did for 57 days.

The then Redskins were 2-0, and Joe Theismann, Washington’s starting quarterback, rather than simply sit out on strike, had the foresight to call up teammates and arrange team workouts. Why wait until the strike concluded? “We wanted to be ready when it happened,” said Theismann.

Art Monk has stated that it was Theismann who was the leader, “who orchestrated everything” as the team would work out at local fields, unable to use their Redskins practice facility.

“When the season started back up, we just kept rolling, and it was because of Joe’s leadership,” recalled then Redskins kicker Mark Moseley. “I think that is when the players really started to rally around Joe as their leader, the catalyst who was going to take us to where we were going.”

Where they were going was an 8-1 regular season, an NFC championship with playoff wins over the Lions, Vikings, and Cowboys, and a Super Bowl XVII championship win over the Dolphins.

Theismann, with Washington beginning in the 1974 season, had not been an elite NFL quarterback. Nor had he been voted a Pro Bowler. But leading as he did in the 1982 season, he was a Pro Bowler and the unquestioned leader of the Super Bowl champs. The next season he was again a Pro Bowler, even more an All-Pro, and the Associated Press MVP of the NFC champion Redskins.

What does this have to do with Jayden Daniels?

Soon after Daniels was drafted, he told former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen he needed to work to get better. So many rookies are clueless, thinking that because they were successful in college, they will be successful in the NFL. Most of them have rarely thought about the fact that roughly 200 colleges play college football, and there are only 32 NFL teams.

Daniels really improved while at LSU, and it was not all because of his physical ability. Commanders fans will love to hear that John Keim reported following the draft that Daniels was on the plane already beginning his study of the Commanders’ playbook.

While at LSU, Daniels did not rely solely on his talent. He was a team leader, organizing some 5 a.m. workouts with players.

As Keim pointed out to Paulsen, other players who might not have wanted to, showed up as well, following Daniels’ leadership.

Paulsen responded, “I want my quarterback to have that ability to engage with his teammates.” Daniels admitted to Paulsen that it was not easy. Initially, there were, understandably, players who did not want to be there by 5 a.m., but Daniels had the ability to persuade them, leading them by example.

Paulsen is convinced that Daniels was drafted by Washington not only because he is a great runner but also because he is an accurate passer. Paulsen firmly believes Daniels was chosen because he was a leader at LSU.

Like Theismann, Daniels may have begun to learn that leaders don’t just give orders. No, leaders make the sacrifices to get out front and lead.

Who knows, perhaps he will have the opportunity to learn a thing or two about leadership from Theismann himself.

 

Commanders season opener in 7 days: Washington’s best No. 7

7 Joe Theismann days until the Commanders open the 2023 NFL season.

Commanders Wire continues a countdown to Washington’s season opener for 2023 in 7 days. Who was the team’s best player wearing No. 7?

In 1970, Notre Dame Sports Information Director Roger Valdiserri informed Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann (pronounced Thees man) that during his senior football season, Notre Dame was going to pronounce his name Theismann.

So, Notre Dame then orchestrated the slogan “Theismann for the Heisman.” Joe had a good senior season, and it almost worked as he finished second in the balloting behind Stanford’s Jim Plunkett.

Joe Theismann was then drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1971 draft. Realizing he had no chance of playing before Miami’s Bob Griese, Theismann went and played in the Canadian Football League for three seasons.

George Allen, ever eager to make a trade, traded away Washington’s first-round 1976 pick to Miami for Theismann in 1974. Wanting to play, despite being behind Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer, Theismann volunteered to return punts in 1974, returning 15, averaging 10.5 yards a return with a long of 44 on MNF against the Rams.

Theismann (1974-85) started five games in 1976 (3-2) and six in 1977 (4-2) before Allen returned to Kilmer as his starter.   He became the full-time starter in 1978 when Jack Pardee became the Redskins head coach.

Leading the Redskins to three straight division titles in 1982-84, he was a Pro Bowler in 1982 and 1983. He led the 1982 team to the Super Bowl XVII championship and a trip to Super Bowl XVIII with the 1983 team.

He was All-Pro 1st team in 1983 and also voted the AP Offensive Player of the Year and AP MVP, passing for 29 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and leading the NFL with 4 game-winning drives.

He finished his career with Washington in the 1985 season during a MNF home game against the NY Giants when he tragically suffered a double compound fracture.

His record as a Washington starter was 77-47, passing for 25,206 yards, 160 touchdowns, averaging 7.0 yards per attempt.

Theismann was voted one of the 70 Greatest Redskins in 2002 and is included in the franchise’s Ring of Fame.