The Washington Commanders are going to honor one of the best players to ever wear the burgundy and gold tonight when they officially retire Art Monk's No. 81 jersey. Here are five of his best moments during his time in the DMV.
Monk hauls in a 43-yard touchdown reception against the Cowboys in 1983.
It's always a good day when Washington beats the Cowboys, but it's a particularly good day when that win includes a touchdown from Monk.
Washington jumped out to a 14-0 lead over the Cowboys in Week 15 of the 1983 season but were trying to fight off a rally that included a Doug Cosbie touchdown and a 35-yard field goal.
With Washington facing a first-and-10 at the Cowboys' 43-yard line, Joe Theismann rolled to his left and spotted Monk open down the sideline. Monk stumbled into the end zone after an attempted tackle from a Cowboys defensive back, putting Washington up 21-10 with the longest regular-season touchdown reception of his career.
Monk finished the day with six receptions for 119 yards, helping Washington cruise to a 31-10 victory.
Monk scores two touchdowns against the Bears in the 1986 playoffs
Monk was always reliable for Washington, especially when the games mattered the most. That was certainly the case during the 1986 playoffs, when Washington was locked in a battle with the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round of the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Monk, who had 73 receptions for 1,068 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season, started things off with a 28-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter, but the Bears were quick to respond with 13 points of their own, including a 50-yard pass from Doug Flutie to Willie Gault, to give the Bears a 13-7 lead.
The Bears didn't score another point after that, and Washington found its footing again with 20 consecutive points. Monk was the catalyst for that surge, as quarterback Jay Schroeder connected with the receiver for a 23-yard score while rolling out to his right. It gave Washington the lead, which it didn't relinquish for the rest of the night.
Monk has a standout Super Bowl performance
Monk didn't score a touchdown during Washington's Super Bowl XXVI win over the Buffalo Bills, but he certainly had an impact on the 37-24 victory.
Monk caught four of his first five targets on the day, including a 31-yard reception that set Washington up at the Bills' 2-yard line. His next grab -- an eight-yard reception on second-and-4 -- contributed to a six-play drive that ended with Washington extending its lead to 10-0 on a 10-yard touchdown grab from Ernest Byner.
As Washington continued to run up the score, all the offense needed from Monk was for him to help run down the clock. His last catch of the day -- a 17-yarder on second-and-20 -- moved Washington in range for a 25-yard field goal from Chip Lohmiller that made the score 34-10 in the fourth quarter.
Monk finished the night with 113 yards on seven receptions -- his best performance in a postseason win -- and, more importantly, his third Super Bowl victory.
Check out these photos of Redskins legend Art Monk!
Monk sets an NFL record with 11 in a close win over the Rams
The 1984 season was arguably Monk's best of his 16-year career. He led the league in targets (154) and receptions (106), and while he had several standout games from that Pro Bowl season, from his three-touchdown, 141-yard performance against the Indianapolis Colts to his 200-yard day against the San Francisco 49ers, we're going to focus on his 11-reception game against the St. Louis Rams in the regular season finale.
Why? Because he added another NFL record to his resume.
Monk was typically efficient in the 29-27 win, catching his first two targets and scoring a touchdown in the first quarter. In the second quarter, he connected with Theismann for a 12-yard touchdown that put Washington up 13-0. That was the last time Monk found the end zone, but he did supply the offense with more highlight plays, including 36- and 20-yard receptions in the second half. His final reception of the day was another 20-yard catch that converted a third-and-19 that helped get Mark Moseley in range for the eventual game-winning 37-yard field goal.
That last grab put him at 11 receptions for the day, giving him 106 for the season and breaking an NFL record for the most in a single season.
Take a closer look at the Washington Commanders' "Super Bowl Era" uniforms, which will make their debut against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football.
Art Monk makes history with his 820th career catch
On the eve of the Redskins' Monday Night Football matchup with the Broncos at RFK Stadium in 1992, Monk knew he had the opportunity to break the NFL receptions record that night in front of nearly 53,000 fans, only needing a few catches to reach the record of 820 career receptions.
Monk wanted to get it out of the way, and so did Washington. The team, fresh off its Super Bowl run from the previous year, was 2-2 heading into the matchup and had a tough slate ahead, including two division games and a road game against a talented Minnesota Vikings squad.
For a moment, it looked as though the record would have to wait, but Gibbs called three pass plays in a row for the eventual Hall of Famer during a final fourth quarter drive. The final play -- the record-setter -- was a 10-yard reception near the Broncos' sideline. The players in the huddle knew the significance of the moment with one of them saying, "This is it."
That created some pressure, Monk said, but he did what Hall of Famers normally do: he made the catch, pushing him past Steve Largent, and had a grin on his face as his teammates rushed the field to lift him off his feet.
"It was a play designed for me to catch," Monk said after the game. "I'm glad it's over. I was nervous before the game -- that's something I'm not used to. I was glad to be able to do it here."
