Washington Redskins: Power Ranking the Top 5 QBs in Redskins History

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After a trying year for quarterbacks in Washington, we may as well relive the good days of quarterback stability for the Redskins and power rank the top five quarterbacks in Redskin history.

The team has won three Super Bowls, each with a different quarterback (Joe Theismann in 1982, Doug Williams in 1987 and Mark Rypien in 1991).

Despite many quarterbacks having put together nice resumes in Washington, only five can make the list, and as such, let the list begin.

Now, here are the top five quarterbacks in Redskins history.

5. Billy Kilmer

Billy Kilmer was never the flashiest quarterback, nor did he post great numbers, but he knew how to win, and that's what puts him on this list.

Kilmer held down the starting job in Washington for six years and was effective (to say the least) as the signal-caller for the Redskins.

The former Redskin guided the team to the playoffs in five of his six years as the starting quarterback and showed that he was a winner and a leader by keeping his team in the hunt consistently.

Kilmer was no Hall of Famer and only went to one Pro Bowl, but you can't argue with wins, and Kilmer gets the nod as the fifth-best quarterback in Redskins history.

4. Mark Rypien

Mark Rypien is a lot of things, and one of those is a champion.

Rypien brought Washington its last Super Bowl victory before a 20-year drought that continues into the present day.

The Washington State product led the Redskins to a Super Bowl win in 1991 and posted otherwise good numbers throughout his time in Washington.

Rypien is another quarterback who finds himself on this list because he was a winner, guiding the 'Skins to winning seasons in all but one of his years as the starting signal-caller.

The Super Bowl champion is the perfect bridge from every other Redskin quarterback in history to the top three.

3. Sonny Jurgensen

Sonny Jurgensen was a five-time Pro Bowler and is now in the Hall of Fame, but only finds himself third on the list.

Jurgensen led the Redskins to an average 52-51-5 all-time record and led the league in touchdown passes just once as a Redskin.

Jurgensen led the league in passing yards three times for Washington, but doesn't have the "it" factor that the next two players do.

The storied signal-caller has his place in Redskin history, no doubt, but falls to third on this list due to a lack of the one "thing" you can point to historically that makes him garner consideration above the top two players on this list.

2. Joe Theismann

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Joe Theismann was an eight-year starter at the quarterback position for the Washington Redskins, and he certainly made the most of his time.

Unlike Mark Rypien, who also won a Super Bowl for Washington, Theismann truly defined an era of Redskin football, while Rypien was the guy taking snaps from under center for a number of years.

Theismann went 77-47 in his career, playing all of his games for Washington, and the Golden Domer brought the Redskins to three playoff appearances, finishing 6-2 as a playoff quarterback.

Though never put up the crazy numbers that separate the good quarterbacks from the great quarterbacks, Theismann is one of the greatest Redskin signal-callers of all time.

1. Sammy Baugh

I'm not totally sure what to make of Sammy Baugh other than that he's the greatest quarterback in Redskins history.

Baugh truly revolutionized the quarterback position, making the forward pass an integral offensive play during an era in which football was discovering itself.

"Slingin' Sammy" was a Redskin for 16 years after being drafted sixth overall in the 1937 NFL draft and went to the Pro Bowl six times.

The TCU product also garnered first team All-Pro recognition four times in his storied career and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.

Baugh represents not only the Redskins, but the beginnings of what we now know as the modern-day quarterback—despite iffy numbers when not adjusted for his era and an average record as a quarterback, he is the unquestioned best signal-caller in Redskins history.