| Team: | Washington Redskins |
| Year: | 2003 |
| Record: | 5–11 |
| Division Place: | 3rd NFC East |
| Coach: | Steve Spurrier |
| Off Coach: | Hue Jackson |
| Def Coach: | George Edwards |
| General Manager: | Vinny Cerrato |
| Owner: | Daniel Snyder |
| Stadium: | FedExField |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | WR Laveranues Coles LB LaVar Arrington CB Champ Bailey |
| Ap All-Pros: | CB Champ Bailey (1st & 2nd team) LB LaVar Arrington (2nd team) |
| Shortnavlink: | Redskins seasons |
The Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 72nd season in the National Football League (NFL). The team failed to improve on their 7–9 record from 2002, dropping to 5–11 and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year.[1] This was their worst season since 1994.[2]
This was the first season since 1982 that the Redskins did not have cornerback Darrell Green, who retired after the 2002 season. Owing to different formulas for intraconference scheduling used by the NFL before 2002, it was the first time since 1994 that the Redskins played the Atlanta Falcons[3] and the first time ever the Redskins had played at the Georgia Dome,[3] which opened in 1992. During the season the Redskins wore a patch on their jerseys with the initials "GSS: Hail to the Redskins" to commemorate Gerald S. Snyder, the father of owner Daniel Snyder who had died during the 2003 offseason.
Following the season, defensive end Bruce Smith retired after 19 seasons in the NFL, Pro Bowl defensive back Champ Bailey would be traded to the Denver Broncos and head coach Steve Spurrier left after spending only two seasons coaching the Redskins.
The Redskins acquired former New York Jets players Randy Thomas, John Hall, Laveranues Coles, and Chad Morton in free agency.
See main article: article and 2003 NFL Draft.
| Position | College | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Clemons | Defensive end | Georgia | |
| Ade Jimoh | Cornerback | Utah State | |
| Sultan McCullough | Running back | USC | |
| Clifton Smith | Linebacker | Syracuse | |
| Kevin Ware | Tight end | Washington |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Record | Network | Kickoff (EST) | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | W 16–13 | 1–0 | 9:00pm | 85,420 | |||||
| 2 | September 14 | W 33–31 | 2–0 | 1:00pm | 70,241 | ||||
| 3 | September 21 | New York Giants | L 21–24 | 2–1 | 4:15pm | 84,856 | |||
| 4 | September 28 | W 20–17 | 3–1 | 1:00pm | 83,632 | ||||
| 5 | October 5 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 25–27 | 3–2 | 4:15pm | 67,792 | |||
| 6 | October 12 | L 13–35 | 3–3 | 1:00pm | 85,490 | ||||
| 7 | October 19 | L 7–24 | 3–4 | 4:15pm | 73,149 | ||||
| 8 | Bye | ||||||||
| 9 | November 2 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 14–21 | 3–5 | 4:15pm | 64,002 | |||
| 10 | November 9 | W 27–20 | 4–5 | 1:00pm | 80,728 | ||||
| 11 | November 16 | L 17–20 | 4–6 | 1:00pm | 73,263 | ||||
| 12 | November 23 | L 23–24 | 4–7 | 8:30pm | 73,578 | ||||
| 13 | November 30 | L 20–24 | 4–8 | 4:05pm | 76,821 | ||||
| 14 | December 7 | at New York Giants | W 20–7 | 5–8 | 1:00pm | 78,217 | |||
| 15 | December 14 | Dallas Cowboys | L 0–27 | 5–9 | 4:15pm | 70,284 | |||
| 16 | December 21 | L 24–27 | 5–10 | 1:00pm | 61,719 | ||||
| 17 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 7–31 | 5–11 | 8:30pm | 76,766 | ||||
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | |||||||||