| Team: | Washington Redskins |
| Year: | 1996 |
| Record: | 9–7 |
| Division Place: | 3rd NFC East |
| Owner: | Jack Kent Cooke |
| President: | John Kent Cooke |
| Coach: | Norv Turner |
| General Manager: | Charley Casserly |
| Off Coach: | Norv Turner |
| Def Coach: | Ron Lynn |
| Stadium: | RFK Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | QB Gus Frerotte |
| Shortnavlink: | Redskins seasons |
The 1996 season was the Washington Redskins' 65th in the National Football League, and their 61st since the franchise moved to Washington, D.C. It was their last season playing at RFK Stadium, where they had played since 1961. They began the season aiming to improve on their 6–10 record from the year before, but after winning seven of their first eight games, they managed just two victories in the second half of the season and finished with a 9–7 record. By virtue of their inferior intra-conference record (6–6) compared to the Minnesota Vikings (8–4), the Redskins became the first team in NFL history to start the season 7–1 and not make the playoffs (this was later matched by the 2012 Chicago Bears).[1]
Although the Redskins' offense was eighth in the league in scoring, their defense surrendered 2,275 rushing yards, the most in the NFL that year.[2] Statistics site Football Outsiders calculated that the 1996 Redskins had, play-for-play, the worst run defense they had ever tracked.[3] At the end of the season, in a 37–10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, past and present Redskins greats were honored at halftime and were introduced and taken around in golf carts in a final "victory lap" around the stadium to acknowledge the fans one last time.[4]
See main article: 1996 NFL draft. [5]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 14–17 | 0–1 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 53,415 | |
| 2 | September 8 | Chicago Bears | W 10–3 | 1–1 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 52,711 | |
| 3 | September 15 | at New York Giants | W 31–10 | 2–1 | Giants Stadium | 71,693 | |
| 4 | September 22 | at St. Louis Rams | W 17–10 | 3–1 | Trans World Dome | 62,303 | |
| 5 | September 29 | New York Jets | W 31–16 | 4–1 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 52,068 | |
| 6 | Bye | ||||||
| 7 | October 13 | at New England Patriots | W 27–22 | 5–1 | Foxboro Stadium | 59,638 | |
| 8 | October 20 | New York Giants | W 31–21 | 6–1 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 52,684 | |
| 9 | Indianapolis Colts | W 31–16 | 7–1 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 54,254 | ||
| 10 | November 3 | at Buffalo Bills | L 38–13 | 7–2 | Rich Stadium | 78,002 | |
| 11 | November 10 | Arizona Cardinals | L 37–34 | 7–3 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 51,929 | |
| 12 | November 17 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 26–21 | 8–3 | Veterans Stadium | 66,834 | |
| 13 | November 24 | San Francisco 49ers | L 19–16 | 8–4 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 54,235 | |
| 14 | L 21–10 | 8–5 | Texas Stadium | 64,955 | |||
| 15 | December 8 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 24–10 | 8–6 | Houlihan's Stadium | 44,733 | |
| 16 | December 15 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 27–26 | 8–7 | Sun Devil Stadium | 34,260 | |
| 17 | December 22 | Dallas Cowboys | W 37–10 | 9–7 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 56,454 | |