How long did Joe Gibbs coach the Washington Redskins in the NFL? All you need to know

NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs, who founded the championship winning team in 1992, got his start in the professional sporting world in the different arena of football before transitioning to stock car racing. The 84-year-old began his career with assistant coaching in college and pro football for 15 seasons, before securing the head coaching job for the Washington Redskins in 1981 where he remained for the next 12 years, and re-joining for another four years after taking some time off from the sport, during which time he and his team entered into the Cup Series.

The Washington Redskins, who are now known as the Washington Commanders, were coached by Gibbs from 1981 to 1992, and after a hiatus from the sport, he re-joined the team for the 2004 to 2007 seasons. The Redskins won the NFC title in Gibbs' second year with the team, and secured NFC East Division championships in four seasons, 1983, 1984, 1987 and 1991. The team also won all three of their Super Bowl Championships under Joe Gibbs' coaching, in 1982, 1987, and 1991. Gibbs also holds the honour of being the only coach who has achieved this multi-championship wins with three different quarterbacks, Joe Theismann at Super Bowl XVII, Doug Williams in the XXII edition, and Mark Rypien at Super Bowl XXVI.

Thanks to his efforts in the NFL, Joe Gibbs was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Twenty-four years later, Gibbs was one of the inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, making him the only person to be inducted into both Hall of Fames.

Joe Gibbs credits NASCAR success to finding right people

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs (54) rounds turn one during NASCAR EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas - Source: Imagn

Joe Gibbs has not only coached a three-time Super Bowl championship winning team, but Joe Gibbs Racing has also secured five championship titles, 213 race wins, 933 Top 5s, and 1540 Top 10s since it's introduction into the Cup Series.

The team has also secured five Xfinity Series championships, and have had landmark wins, three Daytona 500 victories and five Brickyard 400 championships. The team has been home to drivers like Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Ricky Craven and Joey Logano.

After it was announced that he would be inducted into the NASCAR HOF, Gibbs has said that his success has had to do with having the right team (via Washington Times):

“You are looking for gifted people when you are a coach or the owner of a race team and there are very few guys that can fit that bill,”

JGR has also achieved success this past 2024 season, with drivers Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, and Gibbs' grandson Ty, all made it into the playoffs. The team finished the season in 5th place in the standings awith 2412 points.

JGR goes into the 2025 with a new addition to their driver line-up in the form of Chase Briscoe who will be replacing the retiring Martin truex Jr. when the season begins with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray in February.