Marvin Washington—Worth Remembering

 By John Turney

Marvin Washington out of the University of Idaho by way of UTEP (he played basketball for both schools) was the New York Jets sixth round (151st overall) in the 1989 NFL Draft. Washington set the Idaho record for sacks (14½) and was timed at 4.78 in the forty-yard dash. He had long arms, good athleticism but was raw. 

It was quite a draft for the Jets who, clearly, were trying to build a defensive line. Jeff Lageman was the Jets first-round pick, Dennis Byrd was their second-rounder, defensive end Ron Stallworth was taken in the fourth round and Washington rounded out the quarter of pass rushers taken that year.

The year before Paul Frase (scouted by Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated who recommended him to the Jets) was taken in the sixth round. Nose tackle Scott Mersereau was a fifth-round pick by the Rams in 1987 but didn't make the club and was signed by the Jets as a free agent.

In 1988 Scott Mersereau started at nose between 1979 draft picks Mark Gastineau and Marty Lyons, so it was clear the 1989 draft needed to bring new blood to the Jets defensive front.

The next season Lageman was a rookie outside linebacker, Lyons was still a right defensive end in a base 3-4, Frase took over for Gastineau at left end and rookies Dennis Byrd (7 sacks) came in in the nickel defense and rookie Marvin Washington got snaps as a backup and on passing downs.

The 1990 season brought in new coach Bruce Coslet who took over for Joe Walton and Coslett brought in young defensive coordinator Pete Carroll as well as Monte Kiffen and they brought with them the Vikings scheme that had been so successful in Minnesota and vaulted Chris Doleman and Keith Millard into stars. 

It was a 4-3 defense that featured a nose tackle and a 3-technique (played by Millard) and was usually an undershift that put Millard on the weakside guard and allowed him to gut up the field when pass showed (a "high hat" read) and also to pursue run plays from the backside. In 1989 Millard was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year and right end Chris Doleman led the NFL in sacks with 21. 

This defense had been revived by Floyd Peters and Kiffen in 1986 with Minnesota. It has been used by the Giants in the early 1970s and a bit by the 1976 Buccaneers but it was more of a college scheme, in fact, many coaches called it the "college 4-3" and it also was known as the "Miami 4-3" since the Hurricanes used it throughout the 1980s and 90s with great success, featuring one great 3-tech after another.

Carroll thought he had the tools in New York to recreate a reasonable facsimile in the Meadowlands. His 3-tech or "Eagle" tackle was going to be Dennis Byrd. His blind-side end was going to be Lageman. His Henry Thomas was going to be Mersereau and his left end was going to be Marvin Washington, though Stallworth was the starter in the base, and 6-2 Darrell Davis was kind of the "Al Noga-type" a shorter left defensive end who came in on passing downs. Washington was the also rusher in nickel and became the starter at left defensive end a year later.

Dennis Byrd flourished at the Eagle tackle, totaling 13 sacks but Lageman had just four. Davis had five and Washington and Mersereau had 4.5 each and base end Stallworth had one. They weren't the 1989 Vikings just yet, but the 1986 Vikings were not the 1989 Vikings either. Back then teams had time to develop their players and implement and teach their schemes.

So, 1991 was full of promise, and the line gained experience and was pretty good, but still not great. Lageman led the team with ten sacks, and Byrd was second with seven. Washington had six and Scott Mersereau had a pair. 

The following season the wheels came off the "plan". Jeff Lageman got hurt in week two and missed the rest of the season. That caused a shuffling of the defensive line with Washington moving from left end to right end. Dennis Byrd, in the preseason, was moved to left end but of course, this was the season Byrd was tragically paralyzed after colliding with Mersereau. And with that, the promise ended.

Washington had a near-Pro Bowl season with 55 tackles, 17 combined sacks-stuffs, and deflected seven passes, making the most of his opportunity, but felt odd about it having been given the opportunity because of the injuries to his linemates, "I wanted to start this year but I didn't want anyone to get hurt." Speaking of the change defensive line coach Greg Robinson said, "Marvin does not have the same quickness as Jeff (Lageman) but he's a bigger, stronger player. He's more physical."

The next season he was back to left end and 13 combined sacks/stuffs.  An off-year followed but 1995 was a rebound with Washington totaling 14 sacks/stuffs combined.

Though Washington had played plenty of three-technique over the years, on some passing downs, sinking from his end position in the base defense, in 1996 he played it in the base defense a lot, splitting time there and at end.

He was cut by the Jets in August of 1997 with new head coach Bill Parcells telling the media, "I don't think he was in our plans."  he added that it was better and fairer to Washington to release him in early August rather than at the last cut down in early September. Many of the Jets players lamented the loss. Aaron Glenn said, "You cannot replace Marvin Washington. All you can do is get a guy in there who can play defensive end."

After the Jets cun him Washington was quickly picked up by the 49ers as a backup to starters Chis Doleman and Roy Barker though he was able to do so for ten games. An ankle injury ended his season early.

The following season he played the same role for the Broncos, getting himself a ring as a role player. For what turned out to be his final season Washington was back with the 49ers, this time as a starter, but was felled by a quadriceps injury after five games. Shortly after the season, the 49ers released Washington.

Washington had a fine eleven-year career and had six years as a full-time starter. He was a strong, powerful type of end who was very versatile playing both ends and even playing inside. It was a career worth remembering. 

Career stats