1970 Washington Redskins season


The Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 39th season in the National Football League and their 34th in Washington, D.C.. Second-year head coach Vince Lombardi was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late June and died on September 3; offensive line coach Bill Austin stepped in as interim head coach in mid-July.
Austin had been an NFL head coach for three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was starting his eighth year as an assistant coach under Lombardi. Also, Austin's final four seasons as a player on the offensive line with the New York Giants were with Lombardi as offensive coordinator.
The Redskins finished at 6–8 in 1970, fourth in the NFC East, but with a five-game losing streak in the second half of the season. The last loss was a 34–0 shutout at rival Dallas on December 6, and Washington fell to a 4–8 record and four games behind the Cowboys.
It was the 25th consecutive season that the Redskins did not advance to the playoffs. Austin's contract was not renewed, and he was succeeded by George Allen in January 1971. Austin returned to Redskins in 1973 as the offensive line coach under Allen for five seasons.

Offseason

NFL Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionSchool/Club Team
243Bill BrundigeDefensive tackleColorado
4103Paul LaavegTackleIowa
5114Manny SistrunkDefensive tackleArkansas AM&N
5121Danny PierceRunning backMemphis State
7173Roland MerrittWide receiverMaryland
7178Jimmy HarrisCornerbackHoward Payne
8199Paul JohnsonDefensive backPenn State
9225Ralph SonntagTackleMaryland
11277Mack AlstonTight endMaryland State
12303James KatesLinebackerPenn State
13329Joe PattersonTackleLawrence
14355Tony MoroRunning backDayton
15381Vic LewandowskiCenterHoly Cross
16407Steve BushoreWide receiverEmporia State
17433Earl MaxfieldDefensive tackleBaylor

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

Standings

Awards, records, and honors