Redskins Bring Back Doug Williams As Personnel Executive

Today it was announced that former Redskins quarterback Doug Williams will fill the void as Washington’s Executive of Personnel. Williams is a Redskins legend, carrying the Redskins to victory in Super Bowl 22 where he won MVP.

More than that, his legacy in the NFL will always be that he was the first African American to start at quarterback in a Super Bowl. The position had for years been conditioned as a white man’s role, and it wasn’t until Williams took his first snap as a starter that the mold was broken. When Williams was starting in Tampa, he was the lowest paid quarterback in the league by far – $120,000 per game – and the only African American starting among all 32 teams.

Williams was always a fan favorite. He was a very solid field general for many years, and gave Redskins fans a year’s worth of “Kiss the Ring” bragging rights. In a news release, he expressed the intent to return those rights to Washington.

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

“It’s great to be home again,” Williams said. “I have only one mission: to help this team obtain the talent it needs so the fans can experience the Super Bowl they deserve.”

Williams is reunited with GM Bruce Allen for whom Williams was a personnel executive for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2004-2008. He took a hiatus before becoming head coach of his alma mater Grambling State in 2011 where he remained until he was fired this past September.

The Redskins are loaded with young talent, but there are still missing holes to plug. Hopefully Williams’ confidence and knowledge of the game will translate into an eye for talent in free agency, because the Redskins have a ways to climb and not many draft picks to climb with.