The 1970 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 7–5–2 record from 1969. Second-year head coach Vince Lombardi was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late June and died on September 3; offensive line coach Bill Austin stepped in as interim head coach in mid-July. The Redskins finished at 6–8 in 1970, fourth in the NFC East, but with a five-game losing streak in the second half of the season. The last loss was a 34–0 shutout at rival Dallas on December 6, and Washington fell to a 4–8 record and four games behind the Cowboys.