Wednesday marks the 36th anniversary of the Washington Redskins' first Super Bowl victory, over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.
For just one day, allow yourself to forget the current state of the team and take a stroll down memory lane.
January 1983 was a wonderful time to be alive, as "Fraggle Rock" and "The A-Team" premiered on TV, while Australian anthem "Down Under" by Men at Work hit No. 1 on the U.K. pop charts. Star Wars, Cabbage Patch Kids and the Internet Protocol were all months away.
More importantly, the Redskins finished an 8-1 strike-shortened 1982 season and demolished the Lions and Vikings in the playoffs. Fans were so elated at RFK Stadium that they chanted "We Want Dallas," visibly shaking the stadium up and down.
In the NFC Championship, the Redskins got Dallas, in a game that original Hog member Rick "Doc" Walker described as bigger than the Super Bowl:
By beating the Cowboys, the Redskins both punched their ticket to the Super Bowl and knocked out a hated rival. The next task: revenge.
Ten years earlier, also in Los Angeles, the Dolphins finished off the only unbeaten season in NFL history with a victory over the Washington Redskins. While no starters remained from the '72 squad, Redskins fans still felt the pain. The Redskins had never won a Super Bowl, and it was 40 years since their last World Championship.
Sunday, January 30, 1983, proved to be a very special day.
John Riggins, at the age of 33, was sensational in the playoffs after lobbying Joe Gibbs for opportunities. He rushed for an average of 148 yards through the first three rounds of play but saved his biggest performance for last. He capped of a Super Bowl MVP performance with 181 all-purpose yards and one of the most iconic touchdowns in Super Bowl history on a 4th-and-1 play:
Diesel's 43-yard run gave the Redskins their first lead of the game at 20-17, which they would not relinquish. After adding another touchdown at the two-minute warning, the Redskins hoisted their first Lombardi Trophy, kicking off a decade-long dynasty.
That's reason enough for Jan. 30th to be a D.C. sports holiday, but here are a few more reasons why the day was special:
- Dan Snyder was not the owner yet. He was just 19 years old and was still enrolled at the University of Maryland;
- Bruce Allen was not the team president yet. He wasn't even in the NFL, as he prepared to serve as the general manager of the USFL's Chicago Blitz;
- No current Redskins players were born yet. Some of them seem like nice guys, but this is before they were all we had.
- No game delays because of instant replay. Limited instant replay wouldn't begin slowing down games and confusing fans until 1986;
- No wardrobe malfunctions. The halftime entertainment was provided by the Los Angeles Unified School District All-City Band;
- No memorable Super Bowl commercials. Apple's "1984" commercial was credited with starting the trend, but did not air until a year later;
- No second screen distractions. Widespread cell phone usage was still years away and Twitter's founder, Jack Dorsey, was just 6 years old;
- Just football. Political, socio-economic and social justice causes could all wait for the final whistle of the Redskins' win.
For fans who remember the game, 36 years ago probably seems like yesterday. And yet young professionals who watched the game are now nearing retirement.
Three dozen years later, the Redskins have never seemed more disconnected from past glory.
In the years since, the team moved out of RFK Stadium for a lifeless, half-empty stadium in the suburbs. The team owner that brought three titles to Washington died and his legacy was all but erased. The decorated head coach retired, then risked his legacy to come back and struggle. Most of the players have scattered to the wind. The once mighty fan base has finally stopped caring.
In total, six Redskins players, coaches and executives who took part in this game were immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Their smiling bronze busts remind us of a happier time when the Redskins ruled the world.
