Washington Commanders · Franchise era 4 of 7
The Gibbs dynasty: the Washington Commanders story
Franchise era
1981—1992
The Gibbs dynasty
Washington Commanders
The story in one sentence
Gibbs adapted his offense around different quarterbacks and dominant lines, winning Super Bowls after the 1982, 1987 and 1991 seasons.
Three quarterbacks, three championship teams
John Riggins, Art Monk and Darrell Green gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for instability after gibbs.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1981
What came before
Vince Lombardi's brief season and George Allen's veteran teams immediately restored winning and delivered a Super Bowl trip after the 1972 season.
1983-01-30
Super Bowl: Miami Dolphins vs Washington
1988-01-31
Super Bowl: Denver Broncos vs Washington
1992-01-26
Super Bowl: Buffalo Bills vs Washington
After 1992
What came next
Ownership and coaching turnover prevented a stable successor, even as several veteran teams produced brief postseason runs.
The core