The 1972 Washington Redskins season was the 41st in the National Football League (NFL) and the 36th in Washington, D.C. The Redskins were trying to build on the success of the previous season, in which they had finished 9âÂÂ4âÂÂ1 and made the postseason for the first time in 26 seasons. They ultimately finished the year 11âÂÂ3, the best record in franchise history and only the second ten-win season in team history after 1942 (the win record would not be surpassed until the 1983 season).
Head coach George Allen, in just his second season with the team, took the Redskins to their first Super Bowl. The team, who had missed the postseason in the entirety of the 1950s and 1960s, won its first postseason game since 1943, and appeared in its first league championship game since 1945.
The NFC champion Redskins would ultimately lose a close Super Bowl VII, 14âÂÂ7, to the undefeated Miami Dolphins.
The 1972 season was the first in which the team wore its longtime logo, which featured a Native American head in profile within a gold circle. The logo would stay with the team for the next 48 seasons until both it and the team nickname were retired after the 2019 season. With the Washington Senators relocating to Texas in 1971, the Baltimore Bullets not relocating until the summer of 1973, and the Washington Capitals having their inaugural season in 1974, the 1972 Redskins were at the time the D.C. area's only team playing in one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.
Running back Larry Brown led the league with 101.3 yard per game (while rushing for 1,216 yards) on his way to be named league MVP, becoming the first Redskin to receive the honor.
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Kicking
Punting
Kick return
Punt return
Sacks
Interceptions
Fumbles
Tackles
Scoring summary
Team
Quarter-by-quarter