Former Washington Redskins General Manager Bobby Beathard has donated several pieces of NFL memorabilia ahead of his August 2018 enshrinement ceremony into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Beathard, who was the general manager of the Redskins from 1978-1989, led the team to two Super Bowl victories during his tenure, drafting key players such as Art Monk and hiring head coach Joe Gibbs, a 1996 inductee into the Hall of Fame. Gibbs will present Beathard at the enshrinement ceremony, as the two built a strong relationship overseeing a successful decade of Redskins football.
Beathard joined the Redskins after winning two Super Bowls as the Director of Player Personnel for the Miami Dolphins in the 1970s, and brought his extensive scouting experience and leadership to the Redskins in 1978.
Among the memorabilia Beathard donated is an official game ball from the Redskins' 42-10 Super Bowl XXII victory in 1988 over the Denver Broncos. Beathard also donated an official game ball from the San Diego Chargers' 1995 AFC Championship victory, as well as a 1978 race tag from the Boston Marathon, one of the four races in which he participated.
After departing from the Redskins, Beathard continued to make his mark as an executive in the NFL, leading the Chargers to the Super Bowl in 1994. During his 33 years in the NFL, Beathard was a highly regarded personnel administrator, working for four NFL teams (Redskins, Chargers, Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs) and leading them to 10 division titles and seven Super Bowl appearances, winning four of them.
Beathard's vision and idea to use first-round draft picks as trade assets soon became a common practice in the NFL. He had a keen eye for identifying talent, which was especially apparent in 1982, when the Redskins' Super Bowl-winning team included 27 free agents that Beathard had signed.
Beathard joins linebacker Robert Brazile, safety Brian Dawkins, guard Jerry Kramer, linebacker Ray Lewis, wide receiver Randy Moss, wide receiver Terrell Owens, and linebacker Brian Urlacher as the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2018.