Mark Rypien (1988-2004)

By Brendon Rosenau
Love of Sports Correspondent

The late 80s and early 90s featured more top-shelf quarterbacks than Ghost Bar on a Friday night.

From Montana, Marino and Moon, to Kelly, Elway, Simms and Esiason - the list is pretty impressive.

But ask a Washington Redskins fan who the top quarterback of that era is, and the first name to be hailed might be Mark Rypien.

Mark Rypien was the signal caller for the Redskins for six years, beginning in 1988. In 1989, 1991, and 1992, he threw for over 3,200 yards and was a two-time Pro Bowl participant.

However, Rypien began to earn a reputation as someone who couldn‘t win the big game. He had a high number of interceptions that seemed to occur at the most inopportune of times. Fans never turned their back on him, but to say there weren’t any anxious moments would be a lie.

In 1991, Rypien threw for his career high of 28 touchdowns while leading the Skins to an NFL best 14-2 record, but the questions among fans still lingered. Could Washington win a third Super Bowl, this time with Rypien at the helm?

In the playoffs, Rypien was determined to silence his critics. After a sub par showing against Atlanta in the divisional round, Rypien was flawless in the NFC Championship game. He earned a perfect rating, completing 12-of-17 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 41-10 taming of the Lions.

Two weeks later, in Super Bowl XXVI, Rypien etched his name into Redskin lore and became a hero.

The Bills came into the game known for a fierce pass rush and a highly potent offense. Rypien prepared to be pressured and had to protect the ball for the Redskins to come out on top. The Bills blitzed and blitzed, but Rypien stood his ground and took his lumps. Although he saw more of Bruce Smith than he would have liked, he was never sacked. He made throw after throw on the run in the midst of pressure.

The Redskins took a 3-0 lead on a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter. The score was set up by a 41-yard pass from Rypien to Ricky Sanders. After a three-and-out, he got the ball on the Buffalo 49 and led the Redskins to the game’s first touchdown.

Rypien started the drive with a 16-yard toss to Gary Clark. Four plays later, from the 10, he threw a short pass to Earnest Byner for a 10-0 lead. He tossed his second touchdown of the day late in the third, after the Bills scored 10 unanswered points to pull within 24-10.

On third-and-10 from the Bills 30, Rypien stood tall against a wholesale blitz, finding Clark for an easy touchdown. The TD put the game out of reach and helped earn him the MVP.

Rypien passed for 292 yards on 18-for-33 passing and two scores, lifting the Redskins to their third title in 10 years. After the game, he made it clear that he no longer would be considered just another quarterback.

“I’m glad for the trophy, because it said I did some good things,” Rypien said. “No matter what happens, I’ll always have this moment. They can never say I can’t win the big one, because they don’t come any bigger then this.”

Rypien would play for two more years with the Skins before going to Cleveland. After starting only three games for the Browns, he went to St. Louis, where again he started just three games.

The following year, he played for Philadelphia before going back to the Rams. In 2001, at the age of 39 and after four years out of the game, Rypien signed with the Colts, where he appeared in four games off the bench.

Rypien not only is a Washington hero for his accomplishments on the field, but is revered off the field, also.

In 2004, 13 years after he was on top of the football world, Rypien, along with his daughters Amber and Angela, established the “Rypien Foundation,” in honor of his late son Andrew. Andrew had died of cancer in 1998. The focus of this foundation is to provide financial support to community organizations. In turn, these organizations provide direct support to families throughout the Northwest that are dealing with an opponent no one should ever have to play against, children with cancer.

In creating the foundation, Rypien turned a painful journey into a lasting legacy of helping others.

For more information on the foundation and the events, visit his site here..