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 4× NASCAR Xfinity Series champion 4× Daytona 500 champion (1993, 2016, 2019, 2020) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2020)
Career NFL statistics
Coaching record: 154–94 (.621) Postseason record: 17–7 (.708) Career record: 171–101 (.629)
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Joseph Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940), known as Joe Gibbs, is a famous American auto racing team owner and a former football coach. He was the head coach for the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. During his time, from 1981 to 1992 and again from 2004 to 2007, he led the team to nine playoff appearances and three Super Bowl victories.

Gibbs was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1983. He is the only head coach to win Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks. After his first coaching period, he and his sons started the NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992. This team has won five NASCAR championships. Joe Gibbs is also special because he is in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Early Life and College Years

Joe Gibbs was born in Mocksville, North Carolina. He was the older of two sons. He finished high school at Santa Fe High School in 1959, where he played quarterback.

After high school, Gibbs went to Cerritos College. He then earned his first college degree in 1964 and a master's degree in 1966 from San Diego State University.

Coaching Career in Football

Starting as a Coach

Joe Gibbs began his coaching journey 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.

Later, Gibbs moved to the National Football League. He was hired as the offensive backfield coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977. After that, he was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978. He then rejoined Don 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 debated idea at the time. After looking at many players, Gibbs believed that Doug Williams from Grambling State University was the best quarterback for the 1978 NFL draft.

He told his head coach that Williams would be "hands down and without question" the best choice. Because of Gibbs' strong recommendation, Tampa Bay chose Williams. This made Williams the first African-American quarterback ever picked in the first round of the NFL draft.

Former coach Tony Dungy said that Joe Gibbs "changed the face of the NFL" by having the courage to pick Doug Williams. This decision was a big step forward for diversity in the league.

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 strong passing attack. The Chargers and their quarterback Dan Fouts broke many offensive records during Gibbs' two seasons there. In 1980, the Chargers gained over 400 yards of offense per game. After 17 years as an assistant coach, the Washington Redskins offered Gibbs the job of head coach.

Leading the Washington Redskins (1981–1992)

The owner of the Redskins, Jack Kent Cooke, hired Joe Gibbs in 1981. Gibbs' first season started tough, with the team losing their first five games. But the team improved and finished the season with an 8–8 record.

In his second season, which was shorter due to a player strike, the Redskins finished 8–1. They went on to win Super Bowl XVII by defeating the Miami Dolphins 27–17.

In 1983, Gibbs' success continued with a 14–2 regular-season record. The Redskins won the NFC Championship again, beating the San Francisco 49ers. They went to Super Bowl XVIII but lost to the Los Angeles Raiders.

The Redskins continued to be a strong team under Gibbs. In 1987, they made the playoffs again. They won the NFC Championship Game and then went on to win Super Bowl XXII. They beat the Denver Broncos 42–10 with Doug Williams as their quarterback.

Gibbs during Redskins training camp, 2005

Four years later, in 1991, the Redskins had an amazing season, winning their first 11 games and finishing 14–2. They easily won their playoff games. In Super Bowl XXVI, the Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills 37–24. This victory gave Gibbs and the team their third Super Bowl title.

Gibbs coached one more season in 1992. The Redskins made the playoffs but lost in the divisional round. On March 5, 1993, Gibbs decided to retire from coaching. He wanted to spend more time with his family.

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 owners tried to get Gibbs to come back to coaching. 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.

Gibbs as head coach of the Redskins, 2006

In 2004, Gibbs had a tough season with a 6–10 record. However, the team's defense was very strong. In 2005, the Redskins made the playoffs. They won their first playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but then lost to the Seattle Seahawks.

The 2006 season was difficult, with the team finishing 5–11. In November 2007, the team faced a tragedy when free safety Sean Taylor passed away. Despite this, the Redskins still made the playoffs that season with a 9–7 record. They lost in the first round to the Seattle Seahawks.

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

Coaching Style

Even though Gibbs helped create a passing offense in San Diego, his Redskins teams were known for their strong running game. They had a powerful offensive line, called "The Hogs". This allowed running backs like John Riggins and Earnest Byner to gain many yards. Gibbs also used a deep passing attack with fast receivers like Art Monk.

Gibbs' coaching system was so good that his teams could win Super Bowls without having a Hall-of-Fame quarterback. His Super Bowl wins came with quarterbacks Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, and Mark Rypien. Gibbs is also known for creating the H-back position in football.

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. His son, J. D. Gibbs, was the president of Joe Gibbs Racing and managed the team's daily work. J. D. Gibbs passed away on January 11, 2019, after a long illness. His other son, Coy, also passed away in November 2022.

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

Joe Gibbs Racing has won many championships, including:

• 2000 – Bobby Labonte, Winston Cup Series
• 2002 – Tony Stewart, Winston Cup Series
• 2005 – Tony Stewart, Nextel Cup 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 – Daniel Hemric, Xfinity Series
• 2022 – Ty Gibbs, Xfinity Series

NHRA Racing

From 1995 to 2000, Gibbs also had a team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), which is for drag racing. His team had cars in the Funny Car, Top Fuel, and Pro Stock categories. His Pro Stock driver, Jim Yates, won two championships in 1996 and 1997. Gibbs decided to focus only on his NASCAR teams after the 2000 season.

Motocross Racing

In 2008, Gibbs also started a motorcycle racing team called JGRMX. This team competes in motocross and supercross championships. The team was managed by his son Coy Gibbs until his passing.

Game Plan for Life

In 2009, Joe Gibbs started an organization called Game Plan for Life. This group shares Christian beliefs. In 2017, the organization helped create a campus for a seminary (a school for religious studies) inside a prison in North Carolina.

Personal Life

Joe Gibbs became a Baptist 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. Both of his sons have passed away. He has eight grandchildren, including Ty Gibbs, who is a racing driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. His grandsons Jackson and Ty also work for his racing team.

Public Speaking

On September 5, 2008, Joe Gibbs spoke at the 2008 Republican National Convention. He shared his support for a political candidate and his hope for a "spiritual awakening" in the United States. Gibbs has always been open about his Christian faith. He is known for being a very popular person in Washington, D.C.

Head Coaching Record

Awards and Honors

NFL

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

NASCAR

• 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

• Coach Gibbs Drive, a street leading to Washington's practice facility in Ashburn, Virginia

Writing Career

Joe Gibbs has also written books. In 1992, he co-wrote Joe Gibbs: Fourth and One. In 2003, he co-wrote Racing to Win. These books share his experiences and lessons learned from his career. In 2009, Gibbs wrote Game Plan for Life, which talks about his life in football and how his religious faith has helped him.

See also

In Spanish: Joe Gibbs para niños

• List of NFL head coach wins leaders
• List of members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame