USAT: Washington Wire audio clip

USAT: Washington Wire

Jan 27, 2022

Bill Belichick has six Super Bowl championships. Don Shula has 328 wins and Bill Walsh is a three-time Super Bowl champion and father of the West Coast offense. - While Belichick, Shula, Walsh, Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry have a right to be called the greatest coach in NFL history, here’s another name: Joe Gibbs. - Why Gibbs? It’s easy. Gibbs’ coaching numbers are impressive. In two stints as Washington’s head coach in two completely different eras, Gibbs finished his career with a regular-season record of 154-94 and a playoff record of 17-7. The most impressive stat of Gibbs’ career is he won three Super Bowls in nine years with three different starting quarterbacks. - Not impressed? Consider all six of Belichick’s Super Bowls came with the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady, under center. Since losing Brady, things haven’t gone as smoothly for Belichick. - What about Walsh? Joe Montana was his quarterback for all three Super Bowl titles. - That’s not to diminish Belichick or Walsh, as they are legends. But when it comes to discussing the best NFL coach ever, Gibbs never gets a mention — and that’s unfair. - We realize how vital a franchise quarterback is to an NFL team’s success. The Trent Dilfer’s winning Super Bowl titles are rare. And, we all know it was Baltimore’s defense that won that championship. - With Gibbs long since retired from the NFL and seeing how impressive Brady’s run was, it should make everyone stop and appreciate the legend of Joe Gibbs. You will never again see a coach win three Super Bowls in less than 10 years with different quarterbacks. One, because teams don’t let good quarterbacks leave, and most coaches don’t see 10 years with one team. - Let’s discuss Gibbs’ second run with Washington from 2004-07. He took Washington to the playoffs twice in four years. Although Gibbs was already enshrined in Canton, that alone is worthy of a Hall-of-Fame nod. - In those two playoff seasons, three quarterbacks led Washington to the playoffs. Mark Brunell in 2005 and the duo of Jason Campbell and Todd Collins in 2007. Collins relieved Campbell late in the season, and Washington went on a run after the tragic death of Sean Taylor. - Speaking of Taylor’s death, the leadership shown by Gibbs during that season was as impressive as any Super Bowl win. - After the 2007 season, Gibbs retired again, returning to NASCAR. Speaking of NASCAR, Gibbs is a five-time NASCAR Cup Series champion as a team owner. His teams have also won the Daytona 500 on four occasions. - Gibbs entered the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020. - Calling anyone the G.O.A.T. is subjective. We naturally tend to call the person with the most recent success the greatest. But to do that ignores history. Go back and watch Washington during the period from 1981-92 — Gibbs’ first stint as head coach. He combined innovative offense, a powerful running game and two 1,000-yard receivers in a single season — which was rare in the 1980s and 90s. - While he was a great strategist on the field, his leadership is even more impressive. - Wednesday, Jan. 26, was a special day for Washington fans. It’s the day the team celebrated the most outstanding season in franchise history — and Washington’s last championship. That 1991 team is one of the best in NFL history. - In celebrating that team, it gives us another chance to celebrate the legend of Joe Gibbs — the greatest coach in NFL history. - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Washington Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Washington Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

F i l t e r   &   S o r t