Editor’s note: As part of NFL’s Greatest Quarterback, fans will decide the best QB in each team’s history.
Sammy Baugh: Baugh was one of the early stars of the NFL. He was the No. 6 overall pick in 1937 and immediately led the Redskins to an NFL Championship. Baugh’s Redskins were one of the first teams to use the forward pass heavily in their offense.
Baugh’s 335 yards in the 1937 NFL Championship was a rookie playoff record until Russell Wilson broke it in 2012. Baugh led the league in passing four times, completion percentage nine times and completions five times during his 16-year career. He was a nine-time All Pro and was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in its 1963 inaugural class.
Sonny Jurgensen: Jurgensen was one of the most prolific passers during his era and led the NFL in passing yards five times during his 18-year career. He led the Redskins to a 52-51-5 record from 1964 to 1974. Jurgensen was a five-time Pro Bowler during his career.
He led to the Redskins to just one playoff appearance in 1974. Washington lost to the Los Angeles Rams 19-10. In that game he completed just six of 12 passes for 78 yards with three interceptions. Jurgensen was 40 years old at the time. In his 18-year career, Jurgensen led the league in touchdowns twice and completion percentage twice. He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
Joe Theismann: Theismann didn’t begin his NFL career as a full-time starting quarterback until 1978 when he was 29 years old. He was drafted in the fourth-round in 1971, but played in the CFL until 1973.
Theismann started his career with the Redskins as their punt returner in 1974 after coming over from Canada. He took back 15 punts for 157 yards. The Notre Dame product won a Super Bowl in 1982 with the Redskins and led them to the playoffs three-straight years from 1982 to 1984. Theismann was a two-time Pro Bowler during his 12-year career. He still holds the Redskins’ record for career passing yards with 25,206.
Mark Rypien: Rypien was the Joe Flacco of the 1990s. He wasn’t known for his accuracy, but his deep ball was among the best in football. Rypien, like Flacco, also won a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP in his first five seasons as a starter..
The Canadian-born signal caller was drafted in the sixth round in 1986. He spent two years on injured reserve before taking over as the full-time starter midway through 1988. His best season came in 1991 when he threw for 3,564 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had a 47-31 record as a pro.
