Tag: Vince Lombardi Washington Head Coach 1969

Larry Brown named Commanders’ Legend of the Game for Week 13

A true Washington legend.

This week, the Commanders have a real legend of the game.

Sunday’s home game at Northwest Stadium will see former Washington Redskins running back Larry Brown honored as the legend of the game.

Brown was drafted 191 overall in the 1969 NFL draft by the Redskins. He had been primarily a fullback at Kansas State, so his running ability was not widely known. Brown had been a blocker and running only in short-yard situations, so not even Brown himself knew what would transpire when he became Washington’s starting halfback in his rookie season.

Head coach Vince Lombardi noticed Brown was always a step slow at the snap of the ball and ordered a hearing test. Sure enough, he was impaired in one ear, so Lombardi, with the NFL’s approval, had a hearing aid inserted into Brown’s helmet.

Brown flourished immediately, starting 13 of his 14 games in the 1969 season and gaining 888 yards on his 202 carries (4.4 YPC). It was in his second season that everyone in the NFL realized that Larry Brown was not only a starting halfback but also one of the most aggressive running backs in the league.

Brown led the NFL in 1970, averaging 86.5 rushing yards a game and also gaining 1,125 rushing yards. As a result, he was voted NFL All-Pro First Team.

A daring, slashing runner, Brown rushed for over 5,000 yards in his first five seasons in the NFL (the NFL played 14-game seasons from 1961 to 1978). At the peak of his career, Brown led the NFL in 1972, averaging 101.3 rushing yards per game and gaining 1,216 yards in 12 games. He also led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage that season with 1,689 yards.

He was rested the last two games as the Redskins had already clinched their division with an 11-1 record. As a result, Brown was voted the Associated Press MVP for the 1972 season.

However, Brown began suffering debilitating knee injuries that slowed him down in 1974-76. He barely played his final season, not starting any games, and was battered and beaten down. He only carried the ball 20 times in his last season, retiring after the 1976 season.

He officially was a Redskin for eight seasons, gaining 5,875 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns. Brown was also a very adept receiver out of the backfield, on the receiving end of 238 receptions for 2,485 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns.

How good was Larry Brown? No Washington player has yet to wear No. 43 since Brown retired from the NFL.

The Commanders have been naming former players as “legends” of the home games this 2024 season. Last week, they came under understandable scrutiny when they named Robert Griffin III the legend of the game, though Griffin only had one successful NFL season.

There will be no scrutiny this week. Larry Brown was a stud, a workhorse. Larry Brown is a true Washington Redskins “legend.”

Commanders season opener in 41 days: Washington’s best No. 41

41 Mike Bass days until the Commanders open the 2023 NFL season.

Commanders Wire continues a countdown to the Commanders season opener for 2023 in 41 days. Who was Washington’s best player wearing number 41?

Mike Bass (1969-75) was a Michigan Wolverine who was drafted 314 overall by Vince Lombardi and the Packers in the 1967 NFL draft. But Bass was traded before the regular season to the Lions.

Playing for the Lions his rookie season, he was released and remembered by Lombardi, who brought the free agent Bass to Washington in 1969. Bass who had only played in two games for the Lions (starting neither), was an instant starter for Lombardi’s Redskins.

Bass was an iron man for Washington, starting all 14 games all seven seasons in Washington at cornerback. Mike has the distinction of scoring the first touchdown in Washington’s five Super Bowl games. In the final quarter of Super Bowl VII, Miami attempted a field goal when Washington’s Bill Brundige blocked the kick. When kicker Garo Yepremian bobbled the ball, it was Bass who caught the “fumble,” returning it 49 yards for a touchdown.

Concluding his seven Washington seasons, Bass had started all 98 games he could have played, intercepted 30 passes, returned three for touchdowns and recovered six fumbles.

In the 1971 season, Bass intercepted eight passes in the 14 games and was “not” chosen for the Pro Bowl. He was a solid starter at right cornerback for the playoff teams of 1971-74 and was voted All-Pro second team in 1974.

Being named one of the 70 Greatest Redskins in 2002, Bass was then named to the franchise’s Ring of Honor in 2022.

Check out this highlight package of Mike Bass

How good were those Redskins defenses in the early 1970s? All four defensive back starters from 1973-75 were voted as the 70 Greatest Redskins. They were Pat Fischer (1968-77) and Bass (1969-75) at cornerback, and Ken Houston (1973-80) and Brig Owens (1966-77) at safety.

Commanders season opener in 43 days: Washington’s best No. 43

43 Larry Brown days until the Commanders open the 2023 NFL season.

Commanders Wire continues a countdown to the Commanders season opener for 2023 in 43 days. Who was Washington’s best player wearing number 43?

When Larry Brown (1969-76) retired after the 1976 season, no one had worn jersey No. 43 during a regular season game until, for some reason, in 2021 when outside linebacker Nate Orchard donned No. 43 for two games that season.

There is good reason No. 43 has been set aside for 46 of the last 47 seasons. Larry Brown was a Kansas State running back that Vince Lombardi drafted in the 1969 NFL draft at 191 overall.

Brown rushed for 888 yards averaging 4.4 yards per carry, and was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season. In 1970, Brown led the NFL in rushing with 1,125 yards and rushing yards per game with 86.5. He impressively averaged 4.7 yards per carry and was again a Pro Bowler and was voted All-Pro 1st team. 1971 was a third consecutive Pro Bowl as Brown rushed for 948 yards in 13 games.

Brown’s greatest season was 1972, leading Washington to the NFC East title with an 11-3 record, the NFC Championship and Super Bowl VII. Brown rushed for 1,216 yards in only 12 games! Thus, he led the NFL in rushing yards per game at 101.3 and yards from scrimmage with 1,689. As a result, Brown was AP 1st team All-Pro, AP Offensive Player of the Year, and AP Most Valuable Player.

But in 1973, Brown’s knees began to show some wear and tear, limiting Larry to 860 yards. Brown could have retired after that season, but he persevered trying to play. However his final three seasons, Brown was limited to 430, 352 and 56 rushing yards.

Larry Brown had achieved a great accomplishment, rushing for over 5,000 yards in his first five seasons, which were 14-game schedules. Over those five years, with Brown gaining 5,467 rushing yards, he became the third man in NFL history to average more than 1,000 yards per year in his first five seasons. The others were Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson.

He finished his career with 5,875 rushing yards, 35 rushing touchdowns, 238 receptions out of the backfield, 2,485 receiving yards, averaging 10.4 yards per reception, 20 receiving touchdowns, and 8,360 total yards from scrimmage.

On the day Larry Brown retired, Washington head coach George Allen said, “This is Larry’s day, Larry’s show. “There won’t be many Larry Browns in our lifetime.”

 

Commanders season opener in 70 days: Washington’s best No. 70?

70 Sam Huff days until Week 1 for the Washington Commanders.

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Commanders Wire continues a countdown to the Commanders season opener for 2023 in 70 days. Who was Washington’s best player wearing number 70?

Have you noticed that not many good players have worn No. 70 for Washington? There might be a very good explanation for this, actually. It’s not all that complicated.

The data reveals the organization has often chosen to not distribute jersey No. 70 very often. They have only done so a few times since 1969. Leonard Marshall came from the Giants having worn No. 70 to play his last season in Washington (1994).

Will Wynn (1977) and Troy Drake (1998) both played one season for Washington wearing No. 70. Then there is Kip Vickers, who finished with one season in Washington (2002) wearing No.70. Thus, Vickers is the only player in the Daniel Snyder era to wear No. 70.

Sam Huff came to Washington following eight seasons with the NY Giants. He was a Pro Bowler for four consecutive seasons (1958-61) and 1st team All-Pro (1958-59) as a Giant. In an interview with Time Magazine in 1959, Huff said, “We try to hurt everybody…We hit each other as hard as we can. This is a man’s game.”

Traded to Washington, he was a Pro-Bowler his initial season (1964) at age 30. Huff led the Washington defense for three more seasons (1965-67) retiring after the 1967 season.

One year out of football (1968), Vince Lombardi decided to come out of retirement and came to Washington to coach in 1969. Huff wanted back in and told Lombardi he could still play and wanted to play for Lombardi.

At age 35, Huff came out of retirement, indeed, did play one final season at middle linebacker in Burgundy and Gold, and Washington under Lombardi enjoyed their first winning season since 1955, as the Redskins finished 7-5-2.

During that 1969 season, Huff intercepted three passes, including returning one for a touchdown against the division-rival Eagles. In his five Washington seasons, Huff collected 12 interceptions and 14.5 sacks manning the middle of the 4-3 defense.

Huff concluded his NFL career as a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time 1st team All-Pro, and NFL Champion once, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the class of 1982. He, of course, is a member of Washington’s Ring of Fame.

The former West Virginia Mountaineer was a member of the Redskins radio broadcast team from 1975-2012. Huff died on November 13, 2021.