As the Redskins prepare to head off to London this weekend, they aren't going in without previous experience. Several players have traveled to play internationally in previous seasons with former teams, so the experience won't be a new one for everyone involved.
One game in particular that many Redskins players participated in was the matchup between the 49ers and Jaguars in 2013. Both Josh Evans and Will Blackmon played for Jacksonville in 2013, while Donte Whitner Sr., Vernon Davis and Colt McCoy played for the 49ers. Evans and Blackmon also went to London in 2014 with the Jaguars and Evans returned again with the team in 2015.
The game itself was never close -- the 49ers beat the Jaguars, 42-10 -- with Davis catching three passes for 52 yards and a touchdown to help San Francisco's dominance. Despite the mixed results, players from both teams had a great time across the ocean.
That same year, center John Sullivan played in a London matchup with the Vikings facing off against the Steelers. Minnesota won, 34-27, and this was also the trip where Sullivan proposed to his now-wife in London's Hyde Park, according to a story on ESPN.com from John Keim.
With a win and an engagement, Sullivan's time in London couldn't have gone much better.
Current Redskins players were also on the losing end of that game. Both Ziggy Hood and Terence Garvin represented the Steelers in London, each finishing with two total tackles in a tough defeat that left the team 0-4. Hood also made an apperance in England as a Jaguar with Blackmon and Evans the following year in a 31-17 loss to the Cowboys.
Other Redskins players that have experienced playing internationally include Ricky Jean Francois with the 49ers, a trip that Vernon Davis also attended in 2010, with the team defeating the Broncos, 24-16. Mason Foster has also played in London as a member of the Buccaneers in 2011, but lost to the Bears 24-18.
Having the experience in dealing with the transition, both in what to expect and adjusting to the time difference, should be a big help for the Redskins in making sure they have a great trip out of the country.
