The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 1: Brad Johnson

With the imminent departure of Kirk Cousins coming on March 14, I thought it best to celebrate by revisiting all the Redskins Quarterbacks who have started at least one game in the Dan Snyder era.  These are old posts but there will need to be two new additions to the end of this list, culminating in the ultimate release of Kirk Cousins into the open free agent market.  But it is always good to know where we came from, so let's begin with the first quarterback in the Dan Snyder era and work our way through them all in order to gain perspective about what is to come for this franchise under Alex Smith.

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 third most wins of any quarterback under Dan Snyder (17), he was one of only three 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.