| Team: | Washington Redskins |
| Year: | 1986 |
| Record: | 12–4 |
| Division Place: | 2nd NFC East |
| Coach: | Joe Gibbs |
| General Manager: | Bobby Beathard |
| President: | John Kent Cooke |
| Owner: | Jack Kent Cooke |
| Off Coach: | Joe Bugel |
| Def Coach: | Richie Petitbon |
| Stadium: | RFK Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Rams) 19–7 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Bears) 27–13 Lost NFC Championship (at Giants) 0–17 |
| Shortnavlink: | Redskins seasons |
The Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 55th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 51st in Washington, D.C. The team improved on their 10–6 record from 1985 and returned to the playoffs after missing them the previous year, finishing with a 12–4 record, a second place finish in the NFC East, and qualified for the playoffs as a wild card. They defeated the Los Angeles Rams 19–7 in the NFC Wild Card Game at RFK Stadium, then upset the defending champion Chicago Bears 21–17 in the Divisional Playoffs. The season came to an end in the NFC Championship Game when the Redskins were defeated by their division rivals, the New York Giants 17–0.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Game recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 7 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 41–14 | 1–0 | RFK Stadium | 53,982 | Recap | |
| 2 | September 14 | Los Angeles Raiders | W 10–6 | 2–0 | RFK Stadium | 55,235 | Recap | |
| 3 | September 21 | at San Diego Chargers | W 30–27 | 3–0 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 57,853 | Recap | |
| 4 | September 28 | Seattle Seahawks | W 19–14 | 4–0 | RFK Stadium | 54,157 | Recap | |
| 5 | October 5 | at New Orleans Saints | W 14–6 | 5–0 | Louisiana Superdome | 57,378 | Recap | |
| 6 | October 12 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 6–30 | 5–1 | Texas Stadium | 63,264 | Recap | |
| 7 | October 19 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 28–21 | 6–1 | RFK Stadium | 53,494 | Recap | |
| 8 | October 27 | at New York Giants | L 20–27 | 6–2 | Giants Stadium | 75,923 | Recap | |
| 9 | November 2 | Minnesota Vikings | W 44–38 (OT) | 7–2 | RFK Stadium | 51,928 | Recap | |
| 10 | November 9 | at Green Bay Packers | W 16–7 | 8–2 | Lambeau Field | 47,728 | Recap | |
| 11 | November 17 | San Francisco 49ers | W 14–6 | 9–2 | RFK Stadium | 54,774 | Recap | |
| 12 | November 23 | Dallas Cowboys | W 41–14 | 10–2 | RFK Stadium | 55,642 | Recap | |
| 13 | November 30 | at St. Louis Cardinals | W 20–17 | 11–2 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 35,637 | Recap | |
| 14 | December 7 | New York Giants | L 14–24 | 11–3 | RFK Stadium | 55,642 | Recap | |
| 15 | December 13 | at Denver Broncos | L 30–31 | 11–4 | Mile High Stadium | 75,905 | Recap | |
| 16 | December 21 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 21–14 | 12–4 | Veterans Stadium | 61,816 | Recap |
See also: 1986 Philadelphia Eagles season and Eagles–Redskins rivalry.
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Venue | Attendance | Game recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | December 28 | Los Angeles Rams (5) | W 19–7 | RFK Stadium | 54,180 | Recap | |
| Divisional | January 3, 1987 | at Chicago Bears (2) | W 27–13 | Soldier Field | 65,141 | Recap | |
| NFC Championship | January 11, 1987 | at New York Giants (1) | L 0–17 | Giants Stadium | 76,633 | Recap |
In knocking off the defending Super Bowl champion Bears, the Redskins scored their first road playoff win under Joe Gibbs. It would not be the Gibbs-led Redskins' last road playoff win, though, as they scored wins in 1987 at Chicago, in 1990 at Philadelphia, in 1992 at Minnesota, and in 2005 at Tampa.