Football Coach Joe Gibbs Calls it Quits After 4 Years with Redskins

On January 8, the Washington Redskins football coach Joe Gibbs announced his retirement from football; only days after his team lost their first round playoff game to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 35-14. Gibbs was 67 years old and had been the oldest football coach currently still in the game. Gibbs leaves behind a lasting legacy and a place for himself in the Hall of Fame.

Gibbs coached the past four years for the Washington Redskins as current owner Daniel Snyder lured him out of retirement and out from his NASCAR involvement. Gibbs had previously coached the Redskins for 11 years, winning 3 Super Bowls during that time period. However, during the past four years, he struggled to adapt to the modern game of football, having a 31-36 record during those four years. His Redskins only won one post season game in the first round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Gibbs believed that age was not a factor in the game of football, despite being 63 at the time of his contract signing. Four years later he admitted in his press conference that football "is a young man's game," indicating how many hours and the amount of energy needed to coach in pro football. The second and third oldest coaches still in the NFL today are Wade Phillips and Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants.

Perhaps Gibbs will be best known during the past four years for this 2007-2008 season in which the team experienced the death of safety Sean Taylor who was fatally shot during a robbery in his own home. Behind the emotional support of Gibbs, the team rallied around their coach, wearing Taylor's jersey number 21 in memory of their teammate. After starting the season slowly, the Redskins finished strong with a 9-7 record and earned the final spot in the NFC playoffs after beating the Dallas Cowboys in the last week of the regular season. During his 11 year previous run in which he won 3 Super Bowls, Gibbs was famous for his 3 back running style approach which worked well for him. While Redskins running back Clinton Portis did have some success, it did not nearly equal Gibbs' previous success in the ground game.

Gibbs' legacy will be known for his fatherly figure and great coaching of the game of football. His connection with his players and love for the game will make his revered and respected forever.