1968 NFL Championship

Lore & Background

The Colts (13-1) won the Coastal Division and defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24-14 in the Western Conference championship game. The Browns (10-4) won the Century Division and defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-20 in the Eastern Conference championship game. Cleveland had won the regular season meeting 30-20 ten weeks earlier in Baltimore, but the Colts were six-point favorites. This was a rematch of the 1964 title game at the same venue; the Browns won that one 27-0, while the Colts won this time 34-0. This was the fifth and final NFL championship game held at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

In Their Own Story

The sun beat down on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, casting long shadows across the gridiron as the fourth quarter ticked away. The air smelled of popcorn and anticipation. Sonny Jurgensen wiped sweat from his brow, scanning the field with eyes that had seen too many close games. "One more drive," he whispered to himself. The crowd roared as the Redskins lined up, their white jerseys gleaming under the California sun. With a snap that echoed like a gunshot, the play began—a masterpiece of execution that would seal the championship.

Reader's Guide

The Colts held Cleveland to just 173 total yards and avenged their only regular season loss with a dominating shutout. Cleveland crossed midfield only twice, and kicker Don Cockroft missed three field goal attempts. Colts running back Tom Matte rushed for 88 yards and 3 touchdowns, also catching 2 passes for 15 yards. Colts players each received $10,000 and Browns players about $7,000 each.

Did You Know?

• The 1968 NFL Championship Game was the 36th annual championship game.
• The winner represented the NFL in the third AFL–NFL World Championship Game (Super Bowl).
• This was the Colts' fourth championship game appearance since joining the NFL in 1953, with a 2–1 record in the title game.
• This was the Browns' tenth NFL championship game appearance since joining the NFL in 1950, with a 4–5 record.
• This was the final game for Browns wide receiver Tommy McDonald.

Franchise Origins and Early Struggles

The organization traces its roots back to July 1932, when businessman George Preston Marshall established a professional football team in Boston. Initially named the Boston Braves after sharing a stadium with the local baseball club, the franchise quickly rebranded as the Redskins in 1933 while moving operations to Fenway Park. Despite New England's deep historical ties to college athletics, Marshall found the region hostile to professional sports, describing it as forbidding ground for commercial football. After five years of limited interest and a loss in their first championship appearance against Green Bay, the team relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1937. This move proved immediately successful; sharing Griffith Stadium with the Senators, they defeated the New York Giants in their inaugural game and shortly after secured their first NFL title by beating the Chicago Bears.

The Championship Era of the 1940s

During the early 1940s, the franchise experienced a volatile mix of historic triumphs and record-breaking defeats. While they captured their second championship in 1942 with a victory over Chicago, the team also suffered the most lopsided loss in NFL history that decade, falling 73–0 to the Bears in 1940. Quarterback Sammy Baugh emerged as a statistical powerhouse during this span, leading the league in passing, punting, and interceptions simultaneously in 1943. The era concluded with another championship appearance in 1945 under coach Dudley DeGroot, where a controversial safety involving a pass hitting the goal post led to a narrow defeat by Cleveland. Marshall's outrage over this specific play directly influenced a permanent rule change known as the Baugh/Marshall Rule, ensuring such passes would be ruled incomplete rather than safeties.

The Decades of Decline and Television Innovation

Following their last championship appearance in 1945, the team entered a prolonged period of instability marked by frequent coaching changes and poor on-field performance. Between 1946 and 1970, they managed only four winning seasons, with a particularly bleak stretch from 1956 to 1968 where they failed to achieve a single winning record. The franchise hit its absolute nadir in 1961 with a dismal 1–12–1 season. However, Marshall remained focused on profitability rather than just wins during this time. In 1950, the team made history by becoming the first NFL franchise to televise every game of a season, secured through a sponsorship deal with American Oil Company. Despite these business innovations and hiring legendary figures like Curly Lambeau, the roster struggled immensely, setting the stage for a quarter-century playoff drought.

Identity Evolution and Modern Rebranding

For decades, the franchise was known as the Washington Redskins, a name adopted in Boston that accompanied them to D.C. in 1937. This moniker and its associated logo faced increasing criticism over the years regarding racial insensitivity. Amidst a national wave of social unrest and calls for change in 2020, the organization retired the controversial branding, temporarily adopting the neutral name Washington Football Team. After two seasons under this interim identity, the franchise officially rebranded as the Commanders in 2022. Throughout these shifts, the team has maintained its home games at Northwest Stadium in Maryland and its headquarters in Virginia, continuing a legacy that includes four Super Bowl victories and numerous division titles despite long periods of struggle.