The drafting of Robert Griffin, and his subsequent stellar rookie season, was supposed to have finally solved Dan Snyder's search for a franchise quarterback. The past two seasons, though, have continued the Redskins quarterback parade out of the clown car in the circus that is The Redskins Franchise. The quarterback situation this season has be written about ad nauseam, so I thought it fitting to look back at the quarterbacks that have had the pleasure of starting for this dumpster fire that has been burning since 1999. There have been 15 different quarterbacks to have started at least one game for the Redskins in that span, and we will look back at all 15 in order over the next 15 days beginning with the quarterback that may have been the best one: Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (99-00) “The First Wife aka Catherine of
Aragon”
27 starts (17-10)
Completion % = 61.5% (544/884)
6510 yrds - 35TD - 28INT - 84.0 - 48sck - 8 game winning drives
That’s right. I’m classing up
this blog by giving all of you a history lesson that involves something other
than sports. Just as Catherine of Aragon
was Henry VIII’s first wife, Brad Johnson was Daniel Snyder’s first quarterback,
and he arguably had the most success out of any quarterback under Dan Snyder’s
tenure. Acquired from the Vikings after
the 1998 season for a first and third round pick in the 1999 draft, and a
second round pick in the 2000 draft, Brad Johnson became the original savior of
the Redskin franchise under Dan Snyder.
Coming from a career that started at Florida State (where he barely started);
to a ninth round selection by the Vikings in the 1992 draft that ultimately led
to Brad starting for the London Monarchs of the World Football League in 1995
(I can’t believe the Rhein Fire passed on him), to coming back to the Vikings
only to be banished from that snowy paradise in favor of Randall Cunningham in
1998; it was safe to say that Brad Johnson had something to prove when he came
to the Redskins via trade in 1999. And
prove himself he did.
Brad set a franchise record for completions in the 1999 season (316)
and he threw for 4,005 yards which ranked second best for the franchise at the
time. He also led the Redskins to their
first NFC East title since they won the Super Bowl in the 1991-1992
season. Hindsight makes that division
title that much sweeter considering it took 15 years to win the next one, but
at the time it was the first NFC East title in eight years and they had Brad
Johnson to thank for it. Johnson would
lead the Redskins to their best record since winning the Super Bowl in 1992,
and he also led them to within a botched field goal snap of the NFC
Championship Game. But Brad wasn’t sexy
enough for Dan Snyder. Just like a
Hollywood mogul who hits it big, Snyder dumped his reliable wife for a
girlfriend who is hotter but more of a headache. That girlfriend was Jeff George. Johnson would end up starting only 11 games
in the 2000 season, and he would be replaced outright by George by the end of
the season.
Johnson would eventually leave the Redskins after the 2000 season, and
we all know what happened from there.
Three years later Johnson hoisted the Lombardi Trophy for the John
Gruden led Tampa Bay Buccaneers against another former Redskins quarterback in
Rich Gannon. Johnson goes down as having
the second most wins of any quarterback under Dan Snyder (17), he was one of
only two Snyder quarterbacks to start all 16 games in a season, and he led the
Redskins to one of the two playoff wins and division titles the franchise has
had while Dan Snyder has owned the team.
Brad Johnson deserved better than what he received in Washington, and
his Super Bowl ring should be a constant reminder to Dan Snyder about his
ability to evaluate football talent.
Coincidental Side Notes: The
Redskins acquired Brad Johnson in 1999 because Trent Green left Washington to
start for St. Louis. Green would suffer
a season ending knee injury that year, which paved the way for Kurt Warner to
lead the “Greatest Show in Turf” to two Super Bowls in three years. Brad
Johnson was also coveted by the Ravens in 1998, but they were unwilling to
give up an extra second round pick for him.
Instead, the Ravens signed former Rams quarterback Tony Banks who was
ousted from St. Louis in favor of Trent Green, and who would eventually start
for the Redskins two years later because Trent Dilfer led the Ravens to a Super
Bowl Championship after replacing Tony Banks 2 games into the Ravens’s
2000-2001 season. Remember that the Redskins passed on Dilfer in the 1994 draft
in favor of Heath Shuler. Dilfer was
drafted two spots later by Tampa Bay, who would win their only Super Bowl with
Brad Johnson after he left the Redskins following the 2000-2001 season. The
Circle of Life.
