Local Legends Huddle for Healthy Hearts

Apr. 11, 2013

7:11 p.m.

For Williams, the cause took on special meaning. His other Robert recently had a 90 percent blockage of his arteries but was able to survive with heart surgery. The event was conceived by Dr. John Martin, director of the Vascular Institute at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

The flag football game was followed up by an evening cocktail reception emceed by Navy football play-by-play man Pete Medhurst.

Entrants paid $500 to play in the game with the former Super Bowl MVPs. Two of the participants included former Navy tight end Scott Schutter (Class of 2000) and Staubach's wide receiver at Navy, Skip Orr (Class of 1965), both of whom made memorable catches on this warm April day.

Staubach, however, was self-critical, despite pulling out a 30-18 victory.

“When I was 70, I could throw a lot better,” he said during the game. “Once I hit 71 my arm started going.”

On this day, the “Cowboys” defeated the “Redskins” but ought about some controversy when an extra point was taken away from the Redskins without explanation.

“When I came in this stadium the first thing they told me was that Roger had never lost in this stadium and after today's refereeing I can see why,” Williams said with a laugh.

“It was a great rivalry,” Staubach said when reflecting on his encounter against the Redskins while in Dallas. “We really didn't like each other but we respected each other. I even disliked a team even more than the Redskins and that was the Steelers. The Redskin rivalry was a great one. Looking back on it, I was a nervous wreck before every Redskin game in a very healthy, good way. It was like a playoff game.”

When it comes to the current Redskins and Cowboys quarterbacks, Williams and Staubach had high praise for both.Staubach was asked about Tony Romo's new six-year, $108 million contract. He said he has high hopes for the gunslinger and believes the money provides extra motivation to perform well.

"I'm a Romo fan,” he said. “I think Tony's fought the good fight in Dallas. He's been a heck of a quarterback. He needs some help here and there. I think we have a quarterback that can take us to a Super Bowl. Hopefully this new contract will put a little more pressure on him. He's a great kid and a very good quarterback.”

For Redskins fans, what determines the health of the 2013 season is the health of the knee of 2012 Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III. The collective eath of fans of the burgundy and gold were taken away when Griffin collapsed on the FedEx Field grass late in the Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks in January. Fans very well remember Doug Williams injuring his leg in the first quarter of Super Bowl XXII but making a valiant return to lead the Redskins to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. Did RGIII's injury spark any flashbacks for Williams?

“No. It's two different scenarios,” Williams said. “You're talking about a 22, 23-year-old against a 32-year-old. His chance of coming back is a lot greater than mine.”

Griffin's knee is also one of the biggest topics of conversation among Redskins fans but some may say it gets too much publicity, even during the slowest points of an NFL offseason.

"You can say whatever but at the end of the day it's something RG has created simply because of the career that he's had in college and the career he's had since he's been in the pros," Williams said. "You're talking about a guy that's a complete phenom and came in here blazin'. He came in here Heisman Trophy winner, Rookie of the Year. Naturally he's going to get as much pub as there is out there especially when he got hurt because people want "to see him back. It's not so much overblown, it's the fact that they want to cover RGIII.”

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