1969 Washington Redskins season


The Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 38th season in the National Football League. The team improved on their 5–9 record from 1968, by hiring legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi. Sam Huff came out of retirement specifically to play for Lombardi and finished with a record of 7–5–2.

Offseason

During Super Bowl III, rumors had circulated that Vince Lombardi had job offers from the Philadelphia Eagles, the Boston Patriots, and the Washington Redskins. The night before the Super Bowl, Lombardi met with Redskins president Edward Bennett Williams for dinner at Tony Sweet's restaurant. Lombardi agreed to coach the Redskins after Williams offered him complete authority over all personnel and football operations, the position of "Executive Vice President", and a 5% ownership stake in the team.

NFL Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionSchool/Club Team
246Eugene EppsDefensive backTexas-El Paso
362Ed CrossRunning backPine Bluff
5114Bill KishmanDefensive backColorado State
6139Harold McLintonLinebackerSouthern
7166Jeff AndersonRunning backVirginia
7173John DidionCenterOregon State
8191Larry BrownRunning backKansas State
11269Eric NorriDefensive tackleNotre Dame
12295Bob ShannonDefensive backTennessee State
13322Michael ShookDefensive backNorth Texas
14347Rick BrandDefensive tackleVirginia
15374Paul RogersTackleVirginia
16399Mike WashingtonLinebackerSouthern
17426Rich DobbertDefensive endSpringfield

Vince Lombardi

After stepping down as head coach of the Packers following the 1967 NFL season, a restless Lombardi returned to coaching in 1969 with the Washington Redskins, where he broke a string of 14 losing seasons. The 'Skins would finish with a record of 7–5–2, significant for a number of reasons. Lombardi discovered that rookie running back Larry Brown was deaf in one ear, something that had escaped his parents, schoolteachers, and previous coaches. Lombardi had observed Brown's habit of tilting his head in one direction when listening to signals being called, and walked behind him during drills and said "Larry." When Brown did not answer, the coach asked him to take a hearing exam. Brown was fitted with a hearing aid, and with this correction he would enjoy a successful NFL career.
Lombardi was the first coach to get soft-bellied quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, one of the league's premier forward passers, to get into the best condition he could. He coaxed former All-Pro linebacker Sam Huff out of retirement. He even changed the team's uniform design to reflect that of the Packers, with gold and white trim along the jersey biceps, and later a gold helmet. The foundation Lombardi laid was the groundwork for Washington's early 1970s success under former L.A. Rams Coach George Allen. Lombardi had brought a winning attitude to the Nation's Capital, in the same year that the nearby University of Maryland had hired "Lefty" Driesell to coach basketball and the hapless Washington Senators named Ted Williams as manager. It marked a renaissance in sports interest in the Nation's capitol.
Lombardi lasted only one season with the Redskins; he was diagnosed with terminal cancer after the 1969 season and died shortly before the 1970 regular season was to start.

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordAttendance
1September 21at New Orleans SaintsW 26–201–0
73,147
2September 28at Cleveland BrownsL 27–231–1
82,581
3October 5at San Francisco 49ersT 17–171–1–1
35,642
4October 12St. Louis CardinalsW 33–172–1–1
50,481
5October 19New York GiantsW 20–143–1–1
50,352
6October 26at Pittsburgh SteelersW 14–74–1–1
46,557
7November 2at Baltimore ColtsL 41–174–2–1
60,238
8November 9Philadelphia EaglesT 28–284–2–2
50,502
9November 16Dallas CowboysL 41–284–3–2
50,474
10November 23Atlanta FalconsW 27–205–3–2
50,345
11November 30Los Angeles RamsL 24–135–4–2
50,352
12December 7at Philadelphia EaglesW 34–296–4–2
60,658
13December 14New Orleans SaintsW 17–147–4–2
50,354
14December 21at Dallas CowboysL 20–107–5–2
56,924

Season summary

Week 12