The 1988 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 57th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 53rd in Washington, D.C. They failed to improve on their 11–4 record from 1987, when they won Super Bowl XXII, and finished 7-9. The Redskins failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1985. They were the seventh team in NFL history to enter a season as the defending Super Bowl champion and miss the playoffs. The Week 8 meeting against Green Bay at Lambeau Field would be the two teams' final meeting for 13 years. The 7-9 finish would be the only time during Gibbs' first stint with the Redskins that the team finished with a losing record.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

Week 2

Week 14

Standings

1988 Team Starters Offense 17 Doug Williams QB 32 Craig McEwan RB 36 Timmy Smith FB 81 Art Monk WR 84 Gary Clark WR 85 Don Warren TE 66 Joe Jacoby LT 63 Raleigh McKenzie LG 53 Jeff Bostic C 73 Mark May RG 79 Jim Lachey RT Defense 71 Charles Mann LDE 65 Dave Butz LDT 77 Darryl Grant RDT 72 Dexter Manley RDT 51 Monte Coleman LB 52 Neal Olkewicz LB 58 Wilber Marshall LB 45 Barry Wilburn LCB 28 Darrell Green RCB 40 Alvin Walton SS 23 Todd Bowles FS 8 Chip Lohmiller K 15 Greg Coleman P 80 Derrick Shepherd PR 22 Jamie Morris KR

Awards and honors