The Washington Redskins franchise was established in 1932. Since then, the organization has enjoyed a lot of success.

That includes numerous Hall of Fame players and coaches calling Washington their team. It also includes legendary seasons and memorable games. Of course, there are a lot of wins, as well. And with those wins, comes Super Bowls — Washington has won three of those.

However, the Redskins have also had quite a bit of heartbreak. This is especially true lately. For over two decades ,great moments seem to be tough to come by. Meanwhile, those heartbreaking moments just seem to continue piling up.

What are the most heartbreaking moments in franchise history? Let's take a look back in Redskins' history and list the top five.

5. Super Bowl XVIII Loss

The Redskins have won three Super Bowls in franchise history. But they've also lost two. So while there have been some high highs for Washington, they've also suffered numerous lows.

Super Bowl XVIII was the team's second Super Bowl defeat. The Redskins won Super Bowl XVII the year prior, and they were poised to repeat in the following season.

Washington steam-rolled through the regular season, going 14-2. They even had the leagues MVP that year, in quarterback Joe Theismann.

After running through the playoffs, the Redskins then found themselves going up against the Los Angeles Raiders (now Las Vegas Raiders), who went 12-4 on the year.

The reason this ranks fifth and not higher is simple: They got run through in the Super Bowl. Washington lost 38-9. So while it was disappointing, and definitely heartbreaking, it could have been a lot worse if they kept it close.

4. Super Bowl VII Loss

Speaking of keeping it close, let's talk about the Redskins' other Super Bowl loss, the first of their two: Super Bowl VII.

This one is especially heartbreaking for a few reasons.

First of all, it was the first Super Bowl that the Redskins played in franchise history.

Second, they were going up against the Miami Dolphins and their undefeated 1972 team. So a win over this historic team would have been a big deal for Washington.

Third, Washington only lost by seven points, with the final score being 14-7.

Finally, the Redskins scored late in the fourth quarter to make it a seven-point game. Then they had the ball with just over a minute left, giving them a legitimate chance at taking the lead and winning. So, that definitely adds to the pain.

3. Joe Theismann Injury

Moving past the Super Bowl losses, let's turn to someone already mentioned earlier, Theismann.

Theismann is one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history. On November 18, 1985 the quarterback's career ended prematurely. In a game against the New York Giants, Theismann took a hit from Lawrence Taylor.

Taylor is known as one of the most vicious defenders in NFL history. After the hit, Taylor was screaming and trying to get the medical staff to get over there as fast as possible, knowing how severely Theismann had been injured. That's how terrible the injury was.

Theismann's leg was destroyed. A modern-day comparison would be fellow Washington quarterback Alex Smith now. The injuries to both mens' legs were quite identical; Smith has taken a long time to recover and may never play again.

This was 35 years ago, so medical technology has evolved and improved over time. Theismann, however, never played another game. The injury would have been devastating no matter who suffered it, but Theismann's high profile and level of skill makes it even more heartbreaking.

2. Robert Griffin III Injury

We turn our attention to another injured Redskins quarterback. While there's an argument to be made Theismann's injury was more devastating and should be higher on this list.

However, there is a major difference that puts Robert Griffin III ahead of him — age. Theismann was 36 when his injury happened and was approaching the end of his career. When RGIII suffered his major injury, it was during the playoffs of his rookie year.

Griffin had given all types of hope to the fanbase, hope that they had been waiting for for a very long time.

Griffin did return from his severe knee injury. He was never the same, though. It was clear that the injury did a lot of damage lingering damage. He lost most of the mobility that made him a dangerous, dual-threat quarterback and hurt his overall ability to be effective on the field.

It also seemed like the coaching staff lost some of their confidence in the 2012 Rookie of the Year.

Griffin did not play for the Redskins for much longer, serving as the team's third-string quarterback in 2015 before his release in 2016. He was once a beacon of hope who the fanbase was rallying around, and one injury derailed it all.

1. Sean Taylor's Death

There is heartbreak, and then there is tragedy.

Sean Taylor was one of the best players in the NFL. He was a superstar safety, beloved by the fans. Not just fans of the Redskins either, but fans of football in general; he was that much fun to watch.

Taylor was in his fourth season in the NFL in 2007. Through nine games, he already had nine pass deflections and a career-high five interceptions.

Then his house was broken into. In an effort to protect his family, Taylor was shot and killed. It is still one of the most tragic moments in NFL history, as the entire sports world mourned.

A lot of teams have heartbreaking moments. Most center around what happens on the field. Taylor's death is easily one of the worst moments in the history of the entire NFL, and it was clearly much bigger than the game.