If you walk into a sports bar anywhere in the DMV (the D.C., Maryland, Virginia area) and ask a fan about the glory days, you’re going to get an earful about the Hogs, the Fun Bunch, and a guy named Joe Gibbs. But if you’re just looking for the hard number—how many Super Bowls have the Redskins won—the answer is three.
They didn't just win them, though. They dominated.
In a span of ten seasons, the franchise now known as the Washington Commanders went to four Super Bowls and brought home three Lombardi Trophies. It was a golden era that hasn't been replicated since. Honestly, it’s one of the weirdest and most impressive dynasties in NFL history because they did it without a "Hall of Fame" quarterback under center for all three wins. Most dynasties have a Brady or a Montana. Washington had a system, a legendary offensive line, and a head coach who could win with anyone.
The Magic Number: How Many Super Bowls Have the Redskins Won?
The official count is three Super Bowl victories.
Specifically, they won Super Bowl XVII, Super Bowl XXII, and Super Bowl XXVI. If you’re counting total league championships, that number actually jumps to five, because they won two NFL Championship games back in 1937 and 1942, long before the Super Bowl was even a thing. But in the modern era, it’s those three rings from the 80s and early 90s that define the legacy.
Super Bowl XVII: Riggo’s Run (1983)
The first one is always the sweetest, right? This happened in January 1983, following the strike-shortened 1982 season. Washington faced off against the Miami Dolphins at the Rose Bowl.
The game is basically immortalized by one single play: "70 Chip." It was 4th-and-1. Washington was trailing 17-13. Joe Gibbs decided to go for it. John Riggins, the legendary "Diesel," took the handoff, shrugged off a defender like he was a pesky fly, and rumbled 43 yards for the touchdown.
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Washington won 27-17. Riggins finished with 166 rushing yards and the MVP trophy. It was old-school, smash-mouth football at its absolute finest.
Super Bowl XXII: The Doug Williams Explosion (1988)
Five years later, Washington returned to the big stage against John Elway and the Denver Broncos. Things looked bleak early on—Denver went up 10-0 in the first quarter.
Then the second quarter happened.
It remains the most explosive single quarter in Super Bowl history. Doug Williams, making history as the first Black quarterback to start a Super Bowl, threw four touchdown passes in just 15 minutes. Washington scored 35 points in that quarter alone.
By halftime, the game was over. The final score was 42-10. Williams threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the MVP and cementing his place in sports history.
Super Bowl XXVI: The 1991 Juggeranut (1992)
Many NFL historians argue that the 1991 Washington team is one of the greatest of all time, right up there with the '85 Bears or the '72 Dolphins. They were a machine.
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They met the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl and basically dismantled them. Mark Rypien was the quarterback this time around, throwing deep bombs to the "Posse"—the nickname for the receiving trio of Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders.
The score was 37-24, but it didn't even feel that close. Rypien was named MVP, making Joe Gibbs the only coach to ever win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks (Theismann, Williams, and Rypien).
Why the Joe Gibbs Era Was Different
Most people don't realize how hard it is to maintain a dynasty when you keep changing the most important position on the field. Joe Gibbs was a tactical genius. He built a culture around "The Hogs"—that massive, dominant offensive line featuring guys like Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, and Jeff Bostic.
They didn't rely on a superstar QB to save them. They relied on a punishing ground game and a defense coordinated by Richie Petitbon that knew how to choke the life out of an opponent.
It’s also worth noting the two they didn’t win.
- Super Bowl VII (1973): They lost to the undefeated Miami Dolphins, 14-7.
- Super Bowl XVIII (1984): They were the favorites against the Los Angeles Raiders but got blown out 38-9.
If those games had gone differently, we’d be talking about five rings instead of three. But even with "just" three, they remain in elite company.
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The Modern Drought and Where Things Stand Now
Since that 1991 victory, things have been... well, rough. The name has changed. The ownership has changed. The stadium is different. But the history remains.
For fans asking how many Super Bowls have the Redskins won, the answer is a reminder of a time when D.C. was the center of the football universe. Since Mark Rypien hoisted that trophy in early 1992, the franchise hasn't even made it back to a conference championship game.
Today, under new ownership led by Josh Harris and with a new franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, there’s a sense of hope that hasn't existed in decades. The goal isn't just to look back at 1982, 1987, and 1991 anymore. It’s to finally add a fourth trophy to the case under the Commanders banner.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you want to truly appreciate this era of football, there are a few things you should do:
- Watch the 1991 Season Highlights: Don't just watch the Super Bowl. Look at the regular season. They started 11-0 and outscored opponents by a ridiculous margin.
- Study the Joe Gibbs "H-Back" System: Gibbs basically invented or popularized the use of the H-Back (a hybrid tight end/fullback), which revolutionized how NFL offenses protected the quarterback and ran the ball.
- Acknowledge the Legacy of the Hogs: Most teams market their quarterbacks. Washington marketed their offensive line. That tells you everything you need to know about why they won.
The history of the Burgundy and Gold is deep. While the name has evolved, those three Super Bowl rings represent a standard of excellence that the current team is still fighting to reclaim.
Every time a fan wears a throwback #44 Riggins jersey or a #17 Williams jersey, they aren't just wearing merchandise. They’re carrying the weight of three world titles that defined a generation of football in the nation's capital.