Where does Shanahan stand in Redskins history and with you if he is successful at rebuilding this team?

[Captain Injury]

I can only speak for my opinion. I'm 25 and was raised on the Redskins. That's an important span of time as far as the epic loserdom that I've experienced since my first memories of glory.

First, Shanahan has already started to build a culture of respectable football. I'm already greatful for that. I know that to some, winning is the only thing that matters. I get that, but to me being respectable as an organization is just as important.

Second, if he turns this club into a perennial playoff team it will be the best thing that's happened for our fan base in a long time.

That can't be overstated. Now, he hasn't done this yet, but the thread is a what-if so... that's my "what" supposing your "if."

[Symbol]

Coach Joe Gibbs would still be #1, because not only was he here for many years, we were rarely out of playoff contention. Now, if MS can bring us back into respectability and we get a Super Bowl or 2 because of him, then I place him directly behind Coach Gibbs. Though it's tough to get past Coach Gibbs with the fact that the only team in the 80's that had a better record was the 49ers.

[WSHRedskins3ATLBraves3]

Ummmm.......the OP's first sentence pretty much asks if Shanny will be put in the same class as Gibbs if he even MAKES the Super Bowl in a seven-year tenure here.

The answer: not even close.

For those who don't remember, Joe went back-to-back SB appearances in years 2-3 of his tenure. And while he had Bobby Beathard here as a great GM and Theismann and Riggo here from previous regimes, he also inherited a team that went 8-8, 10-6, 6-10 the previous three years.

Lets not pretend like Joe inherited the '85 Bears.

What?

I was talking about how he said everybody needs to calm down because Shanny hasn't done anything yet.

[HailGreen28]

if we somehow win the sb in the next 5 years.....

1.gibbs

2.robiskie

3.shanahan

4. everyone else

Robiskie, funny.

My list:

1. Gibbs

2. Allen

3. Lombardi (legend with Packers, good with us)

4. Schottenheimer

5. Turner

6. Pardee

7. Petitbon

8. Robiskie

9. Zorn

10. Spurrier

Don't know about the others Pre-Allen, except Vince. Shanny could be #2 if he wins us a SB.

[CjSuAvE22]

Whatever our record may be i think its irrelavent id rather the team young and be in this position then the team being old like in the past only to yield sub par yearly performances. Thats the biggest improvement imo is the AGE of the team.

[Hitman21ST]

Shanny wins X4 SB's=Shanny becomes Redskins Legend and top dog in DC. Also become a 6X SB winning head coach and Snyder has him coaching here, when he's older than Paterno...lol)

If that happens, the Skins also become the team with the most Super Bowls :point2sky:

[joeknows]

some interesting viewpoints so far. .... as i expected it seems the opinions are predicated by the posters age..... im not sure in my opinion that anyone will ever be more revered than JG. but the idea that Shanny could return us to a perennial contender would definitely put him right up there with JG and BA.

[KCClybun]

If he turns us to a respectable, functional football team that's capable of competing and making runs in the playoffs, isn't he sort of automatically one of the best coaches we've ever had? Stringing together two back-to-back winning seasons would make him one of the best coaches we've had PERIOD, even without making it to the Super Bowl.

[Crazy Levi]

Quite obviously, if Shanny manages to win a Super Bowl with the Redskins, he instantly becomes one of the greatest coaches in NFL history (and second best in Skins history). He will be the FIRST hc to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.

He will also have rescued one of the worst run NFL franchises in modern history.

If he takes us to a Super Bowl and doesn't win, he's obviously below Gibbs by a bit and on par with George Allen.

Anything less than that and he's in Norv Turner land.

[hail2skins]

If he turns us to a respectable, functional football team that's capable of competing and making runs in the playoffs, isn't he sort of automatically one of the best coaches we've ever had? Stringing together two back-to-back winning seasons would make him one of the best coaches we've had PERIOD, even without making it to the Super Bowl.

Crap, Norv had back-to-back winning seasons in '96 and '97....although the ninth win of '96 was kind of cheesy because the Cowboys had zilch to play for (what a way to close out RFK.....NOT!).

But yeah, at this point, I think people would be happy if we just look at Shanahan accomplishing even what he did post-Elway from 2000-2005 in Denver.....with hopefully a bit more playoff success. But talk of multiple Super Bowls, while nice to dream of, is very premature at this point when we're talking about a below .500 team right now.

---------- Post added December-31st-2011 at 02:29 PM ----------

If he takes us to a Super Bowl and doesn't win, he's obviously below Gibbs by a bit and on par with George Allen.

Anything less than that and he's in Norv Turner land.

I think if he can string together a few 10-win seasons in a row and make the Skins relative, even if he doesn't get to an SB, he's quite above Turner.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

If he wins a SB and gives us a 10 year run of success, he's above Allen. If he wins 2-4, he'll be tied with Gibbs, but if you're between 10-30, he'll pass Gibbs because that age cohort wasn't around during the first Gibbs run.

Even a 5 or so year run of contention would make him #3, and probably make him a HOF lock, because of the idea of him "righting the ship" (actually more like RAISING the ship from the BOTTOM OF THE SEA) here will be huge to voters imo.

And if he drafts Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck, he'll do it.

[rick7423]

I have been a fan longer than this young fan has been alive and I would rank him up with the Gibbs era if he "Rights the ship."

I concur. This team was a disaster built on a poorly designed plan (!!???). If he does turn it around, he will be assured a place in the Skins ROF.

[scruffylookin]

If he does build a consistent winner and does it with patience, he does something Gibbs failed to do the second time around. But it's hard to place Shanahan above Gibbs 1.0 without multiple titles and a longer body of work. Short of winning the Super Bowl 3 straight years to finish his 5 year contract, there is no way Shanahan could top what Gibbs did in 12 seasons.

At any rate, Shanahan should worry about getting past Jack Pardee or Norv Turner right now. Gibbs, Flaherty and Allen are way to far above him right now.

[Tsoe]

He passes Gibbs if he is around for a SB win and 2 more appearances at least. Pre-salary cap era was an easier time for teams like the Skins, 49ers, and Cowboys. Just saying.

[hail2skins]

He passes Gibbs if he is around for a SB win and 2 more appearances at least. Pre-salary cap era was an easier time for teams like the Skins, 49ers, and Cowboys. Just saying.

I think what you're saying is generally true, but then you've had teams like the Pats, Steelers, and Colts in the AFC who have enjoy similar levels of success over the past decade that those clubs had in the 80s and early 90s.

[Tsoe]

I think what you're saying is generally true, but then you've had teams like the Pats, Steelers, and Colts in the AFC who have enjoy similar levels of success over the past decade that those clubs had in the 80s and early 90s.

Because you can't put out powerhouses any longer through buying teams. Ill reserve judgement on the Colts for now, but the Pats and Steelers generally don't do things the way they were done pre-cap era.

[Rabsuz]

The only way he replaces Gibbs, is if he saves us from the 20 years of mediocrity and gets at least 2 superbowls, then you can put him up there with Gibbs and possibly rise above him, even though we love Coach Gibbs for all he's done, I'm pretty sure all of us want to see a new Redskins coach take his place and be more successful than he was. I don't know about you, but I hope that every corner we draft becomes better than Green, every coach we sign to supplant Gibbs, every QB we get to be a bigger legend than Sammy Baugh, etc.

I want our all time greats to get replaced, because then we have new all time greats.

Although as much as I love Shanahan here, it's a tall order to replace one of the best coaches in football history, so maybe this is a conversation for the future.

[Darth Tater]

The first team that Gibbs inherited was actually much better than the one Shanny inherited, mostly thanks to George Allen. It was pretty much a team that just needed a good coach and a few pieces which they had the resources to get. Shanny inherited a team that needed a fast roster overhaul of unheard of proportions and few resources to bring in new blood. Of course, Gibbs was also one of the biggest contributors to rebuilding two more Redskins teams (1985/6, 1989/90) that eventually went to the SB. If Shanny retires at the end of 5 with just 1 ring and maybe another year or two as a SB contender, he'd be second among Redskin coaches in my life assuming he doesn't leave a team in shambles.

[Darkstarr]

Would take 3 superbowls to be on Gibbs's lvl at a Skins coach, but if he wins 1 Super Bowl, He becomes 1 of the top 3 Coaches of all time I bet and sure fire 1st Ballot HOF.

[Skins199021]

I am younger but say he wins a SB

Gibbs

Shanny

Allen

Lombardi (only because he really seem to turn things around in that 1 year)

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

Also, I wouldn't rule out him coaching past his current contract. He's 59 right now, and he'll be 62-63 when his contract ends. I could easily see him coach 3 more years, then hand it off to Kyle while he goes to the Front Office or retires.

[Darth Tater]

I think what you're saying is generally true, but then you've had teams like the Pats, Steelers, and Colts in the AFC who have enjoy similar levels of success over the past decade that those clubs had in the 80s and early 90s.

Yep, the only dynasty that surpasses the current Belicheck Pats were the Lombardi Pack. The Steelers and the Colts of this century are the only ones to have a dynasty that crossed multiple coaches.

[Tsoe]

Yep, the only dynasty that surpasses the current Belicheck Pats were the Lombardi Pack. The Steelers and the Colts of this century are the only ones to have a dynasty that crossed multiple coaches.

Coach Peyton Manning still plays for the colts

[Springfield]

I'd have to say that Shanny would surpass Gibbs if he wins a Super Bowl.

To walk into the mess in DC, change the culture of money grubbing and over-rated play into a winning tradition... you're better than Gibbs in my opinion. I love me some Gibbs and I don't think that Shanahan will win a Suber Bowl with the Redskins. If he does win one with this team, I will credit him as the best coach in Redskins history.

[Hitman21ST]

To take the question to the next level, say Mike builds the team but doesn't quite get the Super Bowl championship. His son takes over and wins 2 or 3, if not more. Where does Kyle land in Redskins lore?