The Washington Redskins found themselves in a brutal environment in what was supposed to be a happy home sendoff for the 2018 season.
With the team’s late collapse and more off-field issues surrounding owner Dan Snyder and team president Bruce Allen, FedEx Field was far from full for Washington’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, with many open seats outside of the lower level.
Live crowd shot. pic.twitter.com/AHiWwYMETr
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) December 30, 2018
One moee pic.twitter.com/0m0RgWhd8k
— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) December 30, 2018
To make matters worse, a good amount of the fans in the partially-filled stadium were rooting for the Eagles, according to various reports on the ground. Washington’s players were audibly booed at various points, and Eagles fans could be heard chanting for the Chicago Bears, who need to win in Minnesota to give Philadelphia a shot at making it into the playoffs.
So many #Eagles fans that the #Resskins were boo’d louder than they were cheered for when they came out of the tunnel. pic.twitter.com/Zbm2G7Zsdy
— Erin Hawksworth (@ABC7Erin) December 30, 2018
The Redskins did not do individual player introductions today. Possibly because there are so many Eagles fans in the stands. As it is, the team was loudly booed when it came onto the field.
— Les Carpenter (@Lescarpenter) December 30, 2018
Eagles fans doing Bears chants here.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) December 30, 2018
The week saw fan frustration boil over, particularly at Allen, who has had little success as team president but has a reputation for finding a scapegoat and escaping blame, and Snyder, who allows the circus to continue. It also saw a player released over repeated criticism of the coaching staff. It seems many fans either didn’t show up or offered up their tickets on the secondary market, and they were snapped up by eager Philadelphia fans hoping to see their team play their way into the playoffs, thus ensuring a toxic environment in Washington when combined with the apathetic Redskins fans in attendance.
