Selected fourth overall in the 1968 AFL Draft out of Missouri—where he was a standout lineman and Big Eight Player of the Year—Russ Washington arrived in San Diego, expected to anchor the defensive front. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing nearly 300 pounds, he lined up primarily at defensive tackle during his first two seasons and earned AFL All-Rookie Team honors. However, a position switch in his third year altered the trajectory of both his career and the franchise's offensive line.

Moving to right tackle in 1970, Washington found his true calling as an impenetrable pass blocker. Opponents quickly dubbed him "Mt. Washington" due to his massive frame, low center of gravity, and immovable base. Pass rushers couldn’t drive through him or get around his long reach. His insertion at right tackle gave signal-callers like John Hadl and later Dan Fouts an absolute wall on the edge, creating the deep pockets Sid Gillman and Don Coryell needed to stretch defenses downfield.

Washington’s dominance at tackle earned him national acclaim across multiple coaching eras. He was selected to five Pro Bowls (1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, and 1979) and earned First-Team All-Pro honors from the NEA in 1974, along with multiple Second-Team All-Pro recognitions. When Coryell unleashed the historic "Air Coryell" passing offense in the late 1970s, Washington and left tackle Doug Wilkerson held down the edges, allowing Fouts to drop back and rewrite the NFL passing records.

Beyond his individual accolades, Washington was an absolute pillar of durability. Over 15 seasons in San Diego, he played in 200 regular-season games, starting 196. He anchored the line through 148 consecutive games at one point, serving as an indisputable team leader during San Diego's back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 1980 and 1981.

When Washington retired following the 1982 season, he held the franchise record for most games played in a Chargers uniform (a mark later passed by Junior Seau and Philip Rivers). His fifteen years of selfless, elite service were permanently recognized in 1995 when he was enshrined in the Chargers Hall of Fame.