3 Redskins One-Hit Wonders We Wish Hadn't Disappeared

The Washington Redskins are a unique franchise. One of the league's oldest and most successful, they have both periods of dominance like the Joe Gibbs era in the 1980s, but they also have been tagged as one of the NFL's most dysfunctional operations in recent years. That dysfunction, headlined by poor drafting and free agent signings, has led to as many one-hit wonders as any team in the league. These three players might have started off life in the nation's capital well enough, but they soon crashed and burned.

3. RB Ladell Betts

Washington Redskins running back Ladell Betts / Larry French/Getty Images

Betts, who played with the Redskins for eight seasons, only has 2,000 career rushing yards to his name and never topped 400 yards in a season if you remove 2006. During that remarkable season, Betts ran for 1,154 yards on 4.7 yards per carry, as he filled in expertly for Clinton Portis. Unfortunately, once Portis returned to full health in 2007, Betts returned to his backup role, and never got another chance to probe he could be a starting running back in the league.

2. QB Mark Rypien

Washington Redskins QB Mary Rypien / Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Gibbs became famous for winning three Super Bowls in the 1980s with three different quarterbacks. While Joe Theismann was one of the better gunslingers in the league in his prime, and Doug Williams was a pioneer, Rypien was the worst of the bunch. Even though he went 14-2 as a starter in 1991, throwing 28 touchdowns against 11 interceptions while leading Washington to a Super Bowl victory, Rypien has a pedestrian 87 touchdowns and 77 interceptions if you remove that season, one of only five in which he was a starting quarterback.

1. RB Timmy Smith

Washington Redskins RB Timmy Smith / Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Smith's story goes to show that even Super Bowl heroes can tarnish their legacy in one fell swoop. After injuries got the better of George Rogers, Smith made his first start in Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos. In that game, he rushed for 204 yards, a record that still stands. Unfortunately, he was dismal (470 yards on 3.0 yards per carry) as the full-time starter in 1988, and he was cut a year and a day after his legendary performance. Out of the league by the 90s, he was later arrested in Colorado for selling cocaine to an undercover police officer and was sentenced to two years in prison.