Joe Gibbs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Joe Gibbs

Gibbs in 2018
Personal information
Born:	(1940-11-25) November 25, 1940 (age 84) Mocksville, North Carolina, U.S.
Career information
High school:	Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs, California)
College:	San Diego State
Career history
As coach:
San Diego State (1964–1966) Offensive line coach Florida State (1967–1968) Offensive line coach USC (1969–1970) Offensive line coach Arkansas (1971–1972) Running backs coach St. Louis Cardinals (1973) Running backs coach Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1978) Offensive coordinator San Diego Chargers (1979) Offensive coordinator Washington Redskins (1981, 2004) Head coach
Career highlights and awards
Football: 3× Super Bowl champion (XVII, XXII, XXVI) 2× NFL Coach of the Year (1982, 1983) NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team Washington Commanders Ring of Fame Washington Commanders 90 Greatest Auto racing: 5× NASCAR Cup Series champion (as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing) 4× NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing) 4× NASCAR Daytona 500 champion (1993, 2016, 2019, 2020) (as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2020)
Career NFL statistics
Coaching record: 154–94 (.621) Postseason record: 17–7 (.708) Career record: 171–101 (.629)
Coaching stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Joseph Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is a famous American sports figure. He has been a successful football coach and now owns a top auto racing team.

Joe Gibbs was the head coach for the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. During his time, his teams went to the playoffs nine times, won five NFC Championships, and won the Super Bowl three times!

He was even named the NFL Coach of the Year twice (in 1982 and 1983). What's super cool is that he's the only coach to win Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks.

After his first coaching period, he started his own NASCAR racing team, Joe Gibbs Racing, with his sons in 1992. This team has won five NASCAR championships!

Joe Gibbs is so special that he's in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He's also part of the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Early Life and College Years

Joe Gibbs was born in Mocksville, North Carolina. He is the older of two sons.

He went to Santa Fe High School and graduated in 1959. There, he played quarterback on the football team.

After high school, Gibbs attended Cerritos College. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964 and a master's degree in 1966 from San Diego State University.

Coaching Career Highlights

Starting His Coaching Journey

Joe Gibbs began his coaching career in 1964. He coached offensive linemen for the San Diego State Aztecs football team under coach Don Coryell.

He then spent two years coaching at Florida State, USC, and Arkansas.

Next, Gibbs moved to the National Football League. He was hired as the offensive backfield coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977. His former coach, Don Coryell, hired him there.

After that, he was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978. Then, he rejoined Coryell with the San Diego Chargers in 1979.

Supporting Black Quarterbacks

While coaching in Tampa, Joe Gibbs became known for supporting black quarterbacks in the NFL. This was a very new and sometimes controversial idea at the time.

He carefully studied several college quarterbacks for the 1978 NFL draft. He believed Doug Williams from Grambling State University was the best choice.

Gibbs told his head coach that Williams would be the best quarterback in the draft, "hands down and without question." Because of Gibbs's strong recommendation, Tampa Bay drafted Williams. He became the first African-American quarterback drafted in the first round.

There was an incident in 1978 where a coach was being too harsh on Williams. Gibbs, who was just a position coach then, quickly stepped in. He told the other coach, "Don't you ever talk to him like that again! Is that clear?" After that, the coach never treated Williams that way again.

Building the "Air Coryell" Offense

As the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, Gibbs helped create the famous "Air Coryell" offense. This was a very advanced passing attack.

With quarterback Dan Fouts, the Chargers set many offensive records. In 1980, the team averaged over 400 yards of offense per game!

After 17 years as an assistant coach, the Washington Redskins offered Gibbs their head coaching job.

Leading the Washington Redskins (1981–1992)

The Redskins' owner, Jack Kent Cooke, hired Joe Gibbs as head coach. Cooke saw Gibbs's potential to be a great leader and teacher.

Gibbs's first season in 1981 started tough, with the team losing their first five games. But they turned it around and finished the season with an 8–8 record.

In 1982, his second season, the Redskins won Super Bowl XVII by defeating the Miami Dolphins 27–17. The season was shorter due to a players' strike.

In 1983, the team had an amazing 14–2 regular-season record. They won the NFC Championship again, beating the San Francisco 49ers 24–21 with a last-second field goal. They went to Super Bowl XVIII but lost to the Los Angeles Raiders 38–9.

The 1984 Redskins won their division with an 11–5 record. They hosted a playoff game but lost to the Chicago Bears 23–19.

Gibbs during Redskins training camp, 2005

In 1985, the Redskins had a 10–6 record but just missed the playoffs. During this season, quarterback Joe Theismann broke his leg, but the team still won the game.

The 1986 team finished 12–4. They won two playoff games on the road, including an upset against the defending champion Chicago Bears. They reached the NFC Championship game but lost to the New York Giants 17–0. This was Gibbs's only NFC Championship game loss.

The 1987 Redskins made the playoffs again. They beat the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings to reach Super Bowl XXII. There, with quarterback Doug Williams, they crushed the Denver Broncos 42–10.

Four years later, in 1991, the Redskins started by winning their first 11 games! They finished the season 14–2. They easily won their playoff games against the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions.

In Super Bowl XXVI, the Redskins led the Buffalo Bills 24–0 early in the third quarter. They won the game 37–24, giving Gibbs and the team their third Super Bowl title.

Gibbs coached one more season in 1992. The Redskins finished 9–7 and made the playoffs as a Wild Card team. They beat the Minnesota Vikings but then lost to the San Francisco 49ers 20–13.

On March 5, 1993, Joe Gibbs surprised many by retiring from coaching. He was known for working very hard and had started to have health problems. He wanted to spend more time with his family.

From 1994 to 1997, Gibbs worked as a TV commentator for NBC Sports' NFL pregame show.

In 1996, Joe Gibbs was honored by being put into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was one of the most successful coaches in the NFL. He is the only NFL coach to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks and three different starting running backs.

Second Time with the Redskins (2004–2007)

Even after retiring, many NFL team owners tried to get Gibbs to come back to coaching. Some even offered to move his entire NASCAR racing team to their city!

He almost came back for the Carolina Panthers in 1995 but felt he couldn't manage both coaching and his racing team. In 1999, he tried to buy the Redskins with a group of investors but didn't succeed.

In January 2004, Gibbs accepted an offer from Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to return as head coach. He said he missed coaching in the NFL.

Gibbs left his racing team in the care of his oldest son, J. D. Many coaches from his first time with the Redskins also returned.

In 2004, Gibbs had his toughest season with a 6–10 record. However, the team ended the season strong with a win over Minnesota. The defense was also very good, ranking third in yards allowed.

In 2005, the Redskins made the playoffs. They beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17–10 in the Wild Card game. But they lost to the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks 20–10 in the next round.

Gibbs in 2006, as head coach of the Redskins

The Redskins finished 5–11 in 2006, which was his worst record. In 2007, the team faced a tragedy when player Sean Taylor died. Despite this, the Redskins still made the playoffs with a 9–7 record. They lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the first round.

Gibbs retired again in January 2008, saying he needed to focus on family. During his four-year return, the team made the playoffs twice. He was replaced by Jim Zorn.

Joe Gibbs's Coaching Style

Even though Gibbs helped create a strong passing offense in San Diego, his Redskins teams were known for a powerful running game. They used plays like the famous "counter trey".

He built a very strong offensive line, known as "The Hogs". This allowed running backs like John Riggins, George Rogers, and Earnest Byner to run the ball effectively.

Gibbs also added a deep passing game to go with the running game. He used fast receivers like Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders. His teams also had aggressive defenses.

His system was so good that it worked even without a Hall-of-Fame quarterback. The Redskins won Super Bowls with different quarterbacks: Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, and Mark Rypien.

Gibbs is also known for inventing the H-back position. This uses a smaller tight end in the backfield. He also helped create the Trips formation, which stacks three wide receivers on one side. His offenses were famous for using many different formations and movements.

Joe Gibbs Racing (1992–Present)

Gibbs during a racing event

Joe Gibbs started his NASCAR team, Joe Gibbs Racing, in 1992. This was a year before he first retired from the NFL.

The first driver for his team was Dale Jarrett (1992–1994). His son, J. D. Gibbs, was the president of Joe Gibbs Racing and managed the daily operations. J. D. Gibbs passed away on January 11, 2019. Driver Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500 shortly after and dedicated the win to J. D.

The team currently has four full-time cars in the NASCAR Cup Series and three full-time cars in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

NASCAR Championships Won

Joe Gibbs Racing has won many championships:

• 2000 – Bobby Labonte, Winston Cup Series
• 2002 – Tony Stewart, Winston Cup Series
• 2005 – Tony Stewart, Nextel Cup Series
• 2007 – Joey Logano, Busch East Series
• 2009 – Kyle Busch, Nationwide Series
• 2015 – Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup Series
• 2016 – Daniel Suárez, Xfinity Series
• 2019 – Kyle Busch, Monster Energy Cup Series
• 2021 – Ty Gibbs, ARCA Menards Series
• 2021 – Sammy Smith, ARCA Menards Series East
• 2021 – Daniel Hemric, Xfinity Series
• 2022 – Sammy Smith, ARCA Menards Series East
• 2022 – Ty Gibbs, Xfinity Series

Drag Racing (NHRA)

From 1995 to 2000, Gibbs also had a team in the NHRA (drag racing). His team had cars in Funny Car, Top Fuel, and Pro Stock categories.

Jim Yates won two NHRA Winston Pro Stock Championships in 1996 and 1997 for Gibbs's team.

Gibbs decided to focus only on his NASCAR teams after the 2000 season, ending his time in NHRA.

Motocross Racing

In 2008, Gibbs expanded into motorcycle racing. He formed the JGRMX team, which competes in motocross and supercross championships.

His son, Coy Gibbs, managed the team until his passing in November 2022.

Personal Life and Beliefs

Joe Gibbs became a Baptist Christian when he was nine years old. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife, Patricia.

They had two sons, J. D. Gibbs and Coy Gibbs, and eight grandchildren. His son J. D. passed away in 2019 after a long illness. His other son, Coy, passed away in 2022.

His grandsons Jackson and Ty both work for his racing team. Jackson is a pit crew member for Christopher Bell. Ty drives the No. 54 car in the NASCAR Cup Series for Joe Gibbs Racing. Ty won the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship and the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

Joe Gibbs also started an organization called Game Plan for Life in 2009. This group shares Christian messages. In 2017, his organization helped create a seminary campus inside a prison in North Carolina.

Former United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige, Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, and Gibbs in 2002

Awards and Honors

Football Achievements

• Three-time Super Bowl champion (1982, 1987, 1991)
• Two-time NFL Coach of the Year (1982, 1983)
• NFL 100 All-Time Team

NASCAR Achievements

• Five-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing)
• Four-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (as owner of Joe Gibbs Racing)

Halls of Fame

• Pro Football Hall of Fame (1996)
• Washington Ring of Fame
• NASCAR Hall of Fame (2020)

Other Honors

• Coach Gibbs Drive, a street leading to Washington's practice facility in Ashburn, Virginia, is named after him.

Books Written by Joe Gibbs

Joe Gibbs has written several books:

• In 1992, he co-wrote Joe Gibbs: Fourth and One.
• In 2003, he co-wrote Racing to Win.
• In 2009, Gibbs wrote Game Plan for Life.

These books share his experiences and lessons learned in sports and life. They offer tips and advice, often connecting to his Christian faith.

Head Coaching Record

See Also

In Spanish: Joe Gibbs para niños

• List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins
• List of members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame
• Joe Gibbs Racing