August 1987

His playing career over, Theismann talked about his first date with TV star Cathy Lee Crosby, his fractious relationship with coach Joe Gibbs, and the injury that ended his career.

“When I asked Joe Gibbs later why he never came by [the hospital after the broken leg], he said he had been busy that week getting ready for the next game.

“I said, ‘Okay, but what about the night it happened.’

“He said, ‘I was tired.’ Yeah. Right. I was a little tired myself that night.

“ ‘You could have stopped by sometime,’ I said. ‘You talk about how much I meant to this football team and you give me all your bullshit about caring about people, but when it comes down to brass tacks, you don’t even stop by.’

Joe said, ‘I’m really sorry. . . .’

“This game has so much beauty and so much pain. There are moments you wish you could preserve forever. Not many people ever experience such great highs. But then it’s over. It just ends. All is quiet, and all is dark.”

National editor Harry Jaffe writes the monthly Post Watch column. In September 2006, he profiled Redskins owner Dan Snyder.