Epic Seasons: The 1976 Washington Redskins

Pro Football in the 1970s

Pigskin Past is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In 1975, the Redskins failed to make the NFL playoffs. They finished that year with a record of 8-6, a record that many teams wished that they would have attained. No big deal on missing the playoffs, except that it was the first year since Allen became Washington’s head coach, way back in 1971, that his team failed to take part in the NFL postseason. And if you know anything about Coach Allen’s history, you know how much he valued older veterans over younger players. Well, by 1975, those older veterans were getting older and slower.

In a sport where a team’s overall speed often makes the difference between winning and losing, a lot of pro football observers felt that Allen would not get within sniffing distance of the playoffs in 1976 unless by chance he would abruptly change his method of thinking and begin favoring some younger players over his older rank and file veterans.

In 1976, Allen held strong to his core beliefs, at least for the majority of his roster. He did take a little more of a bite at the potential promise of youth, however.............

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PIGSKIN PAST BACKGROUND

PIgskin Past is a podcast dedicated to teaching fans about the history of the NFL during the 1970s, a time when the host (Joe Zagorski) grew up as a rabid fan of the game. Joe is also an author of multiple NFL books. See Joe's books below.

The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade

The Year the Packers Came Back: The 1972 Resurgence

America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker: The Story of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Lanier