How Redskins historical wins divine NoVA victories
By Josh Weiner
As the Washington Redskins gear up for their first playoff game in three years, fans across the DMV will be cheering for their team to emerge triumphant against the Green Bay Packers this Saturday. For fans of the Northern Virginia region, there may be particular incentive to do so: As it turns out, NoVA has fared quite well in years in which the team has achieved notable victories. Here is a look at how some of the highlights of the Redskins’ timeline have coincided with those of the upper tip of the Old Dominion.
1937: Redskins come to D.C. and win the championship game; Warren Beatty is born.
Originally a Boston franchise, the Redskins left in 1937, set up shop in Griffith Stadium and ultimately defeated the Chicago Bears in the NFL championship game 28-21.
One of the most successful entertainers from Virginia, Warren Beatty grew up in Arlington, where he was a star on the Washington-Lee High School football team, and went on to star in a variety of hits, including Bonnie & Clyde, Heaven Can Wait and Shampoo and collect a total of 14 Oscar nominations.
1942: Redskins win another championship game; the Pentagon is built.
The 1937 championship was no fluke; five years later, the Redskins defended their title with a 14-6 victory over the Chicago Bears to bring the title back to Washington—the last time the team would win a championship for four decades.
Just before Congress thrust the nation into World War II, it made another grand militaristic gesture by authorizing the Pentagon to be built in nearby Arlington, and its first tenants moved into the unfinished building that April.
1966: The Redskins played their highest-scoring game ever; many of Virginia’s national parks open.
The 1960s were marred by inconsistency and administrative turmoil for the Redskins, yet still yielded a handful of gems. Among these is the highest-scoring game in NFL history, a 72-41 trouncing of the New York Giants on Dec. 27, 1966.
Many of Northern Virginia’s most cherished landmarks became nationally recognized in 1966—Old Town Alexandria became designated as a National Historic Landmark, and Great Falls Park was incorporated into the National Park Service. Another Northern Virginian favorite, then known as the Wolf Trap Farm Park, also became the nation’s first and only national park for the performing arts.
1982: The Redskins win their first Super Bowl; USA Today launched.
Fifteen years after the NFL Championship Game became the now-iconic Super Bowl, the Redskins won the first of three franchise Lombardi trophies.
Washington’s victory secured headlines across the nation, including those of USA Today, which is headquartered in Tysons and is now one of the three most-read newspapers in the country.
It seems that the odds are excellent for Northern Virginia to perform exceptionally well in years in which the Washington Redskins return the favor. With what should be a balanced matchup against the Packers this weekend, who knows what remarkable outcome may be in store for this region should the ’Skins emerge triumphant.
