Editing Washington Commanders (section)

===== Super Bowl XVII champions (1982) =====
{{Main|1982 Washington Redskins season}}
[[File:Joe Theismann1983.jpg|thumb|left|Quarterback [[Joe Theismann]] won the 1983 [[NFL MVP]] award]]
Starting on September 21, 1982,<ref name="eighties" /> the NFL faced a 57-day long players' [[1982 NFL strike|strike]], which reduced the [[1982 NFL season|1982 season]] from a 16-game schedule to nine.<ref name="z547">{{cite web | title=NFL strike ends after 57 days in 1982 | website=New York Daily News | date=November 16, 2015 | url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2015/11/16/nfl-strike-ends-after-57-days-in-1982/ | access-date=August 10, 2024}}</ref><ref name="d560">{{cite web | last=Wojciechowski | first=Gene | title=NFL STRIKE : 1982 : A History Lesson Not Learned | website=Los Angeles Times | date=September 23, 1987 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-23-sp-6303-story.html | access-date=August 10, 2024}}</ref> Because of the shortened season, the NFL adopted a special 16-team playoff tournament, in which eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8 based on their regular season records. After the strike was settled, the Redskins dominated, winning six out of the seven remaining games to make the playoffs for the first time since 1976.<ref name="seasonresults" />

In January 1983, during the second round of the [[1982–83 NFL playoffs|playoffs]] against the [[Minnesota Vikings]], [[John Riggins]] rushed for franchise playoff record 185 yards, leading Washington to a 21–7 win.<ref name="w459">{{cite web | last=Lambert | first=Ivan | title=John Riggins took a bow for the RFK fans in the 82 playoffs | website=Yahoo! Money | date=January 21, 2023 | url=https://money.yahoo.com/john-riggins-took-bow-rfk-140000145.html | access-date=August 10, 2024}}</ref> The game is perhaps best known for a moment when the stadium physically shook as a crowd chanted "We Want Dallas!", which later became a rallying cry of sorts for Redskin fans before games against the Cowboys.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Dan |date=November 21, 2016 |title=Redskins fans are back to chanting 'We Want Dallas' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2016/11/21/redskins-fans-are-back-to-chanting-we-want-dallas/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518055514/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2016/11/21/redskins-fans-are-back-to-chanting-we-want-dallas/ |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |access-date=May 17, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> In the NFC Championship Game against them at [[RFK Stadium]], Redskins defensive end [[Dexter Manley]] knocked Cowboys' quarterback [[Danny White]] out for the rest of the game and sent him into the locker room shortly before halftime. Later in the game, Redskins defensive tackle [[Darryl Grant]]'s interception, which he returned for a 10-yard touchdown, off one of Cowboys' backup quarterback [[Gary Hogeboom]]'s passes which was tipped by Dexter Manley to score the decisive points. John Riggins rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries and the Redskins went on to defeat the Cowboys' by a score of 31–17.<ref name="eighties" /> The Redskins' first [[Super Bowl]] win, and their first NFL Championship in 40 years, was in [[Super Bowl XVII]], where the Redskins defeated the [[Miami Dolphins]] 27–17.<ref name="playoffs" /> Riggins provided the game's signature play when, on 4th and inches, with the Redskins down 17–13, the coaches called "70 Chip", a play designed for short yardage.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Denlinger |first=Ken |date=January 31, 1982 |title=Magic '70 Chip' Ends Four Decades of Trying |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/gibbs/82sbowl.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531050503/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/gibbs/82sbowl.htm |archive-date=May 31, 2010 |access-date=April 5, 2008 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Riggins instead gained {{convert|43|yd|abbr=off|sp=us}} by running through would-be tackler [[Don McNeal]] and getting the go-ahead touchdown. The Redskins ended up winning by a 27–17 score with John Riggins winning the [[Super Bowl MVP]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XVII - Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins - January 30th, 1983 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198301300mia.htm |access-date=August 10, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="t732">{{cite web | last=Kimes | first=Mina | title=NFL 100 | website=NFL.com | url=https://www.nfl.com/100/originals/100-greatest/games-73 | access-date=August 10, 2024}}</ref>

After the [[1982 Washington Redskins season|1982 season]] Redskins placekicker [[Mark Moseley]] was the first and only placekicker in NFL history to be named the [[List of NFL Most Valuable Player awards|NFL's Most Valuable Player]];<ref name="g201">{{cite web | last=Morse | first=Ben | title=Mark Moseley became the first player in his position to win the NFL MVP. He thinks the feat will never be matched | website=CNN | date=February 8, 2023 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/sport/mark-moseley-1982-mvp-nfl-spt-intl/index.html | access-date=August 10, 2024}}</ref> Moseley made 20 of 21 field goals attempted in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark Moseley 1982 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/moselmar01/gamelog/1982/ |access-date=August 10, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Redskins head coach [[Joe Gibbs]] also won his first [[NFL Coach of the Year]] award in 1982, which was the first of his back-to-back NFL Coach of the Year awards, his second coming in the [[1983 NFL season]].<ref name="x479">{{cite web | last=Pitts | first=Brian | title=40 years ago: It's true, Joe Gibbs is a native of Mocksville | website=Davie County Enterprise Record | date=June 6, 2023 | url=https://www.ourdavie.com/2023/06/06/40-years-ago-its-true-joe-gibbs-is-a-native-of-mocksville/ | access-date=August 10, 2024}}</ref>

Cornerback [[Darrell Green]] and defensive end [[Charles Mann (American football)|Charles Mann]] were selected in the [[1983 NFL draft]] and became key contributors for the team; Green would play his entire 20-year career with the Redskins. On October 1, 1983, the Redskins lost to the [[1983 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] 48–47 in the highest-scoring [[History of Monday Night Football|Monday night football game in history]], in which both teams combine for more than {{convert|1000|yd}} of total offense.<ref name="eighties" /> Then during the regular-season finale on December 17, 1983, Moseley set an NFL scoring record with 161 points while Riggins' total of 144 points was second. This marked the first time since 1951 that the top two scorers in a season played on the same team.<ref name="eighties" /> They dominated the NFL with a 14-win season which included scoring a then NFL record 541 points,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1983 Washington Redskins |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/was/1983.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410203729/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/was/1983.htm |archive-date=April 10, 2008 |access-date=April 5, 2008 |work=Pro Football Reference}}</ref> many of which came from Riggins, who scored 24 touchdowns. Redskins quarterback [[Joe Theismann]] would also be named the 1983 NFL's Most Valuable Player finishing the season with a career-high in both yards passing 3,714 yds., and touchdown passes thrown, 29 Td's while throwing only 11 interceptions. In the postseason, the Redskins beat the [[1983 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]] 51–7.<ref name="playoffs" /> The next week, Washington beat the [[1983 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] 24–21 in the [[NFC Championship Game]].<ref name="playoffs" /> It was their final win of the season because two weeks later, the [[1983 Los Angeles Raiders season|Raiders]] beat the Redskins 38–9 in [[Super Bowl XVIII]].<ref name="playoffs" />

The Redskins finished the [[1984 Washington Redskins season|1984 season]] with an {{Win-loss record|w=11|l=5}} record,<ref name="seasonresults" /> and won the NFC East for the third consecutive season.<ref name="eighties" /> However, they lost in the first round of the [[1984–85 NFL playoffs|playoffs]] to the [[Chicago Bears]], 23–19.<ref name="playoffs" /> On November 18, 1985, while playing against the [[1985 New York Giants season|Giants]], Theismann broke his leg during a sack by [[Lawrence Taylor]]. The [[Bone fracture|compound fracture]] forced him to retire after a 12-year career, during which he became the Redskins' all-time leader in pass attempts and completions.<ref name="eighties" /> The Redskins finished 3rd in the NFC East behind the [[1985 Dallas Cowboys season|Cowboys]] and missed the wild card to the Giants by virtue of [[tiebreakers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 Washington Redskins Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/was/1985.htm |access-date=August 10, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1985/index.htm |access-date=August 10, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

The 1986 offseason's major highlight occurred during the [[1986 NFL draft]], when the Redskins picked up future Super Bowl MVP [[Mark Rypien]] in the sixth round, also the Redskins defensive end Dexter Manley set a franchise single-season record when he recorded 18.5 sacks while earning [[All-Pro]] honors. In [[1986 Washington Redskins season|1986 season]], the Redskins making the postseason as a wild-card team despite having a regular-season record of {{Win-loss record|w=12|l=4}}.<ref name="seasonresults" /> They won the Wild Card playoff against the Rams, and then again in the Divisional playoffs against the Bears. This game was Gibbs's 70th career, which made him the winningest head coach in Redskins history.<ref name="eighties" /> The season ended next week, however, when the Redskins lost to the eventual [[Super Bowl XXI]] Champion Giants 17–0 in the NFC Championship game.<ref name="playoffs" /><ref name="eighties" />