©
By JOSEPH WHITE
ASHBURN, Va. - After the toughest season of his Hall of Fame career, Joe Gibbs knew he needed to walk away from the Washington Redskins and devote more time to his wife, children and grandchildren.
He resigned as coach and team president of the Redskins on Tuesday, three days after a playoff loss ended an inspirational late-season run that followed the death of safety Sean Taylor.
The 67-year-old Gibbs said Redskins owner Dan Snyder tried to persuade him to stay on during a conversation that lasted until about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"My family situation being what it is right now, I told him I couldn't make the kind of commitment I needed to make," Gibbs said during a news conference, standing a few feet from the three silver Super Bowl trophies he won during his first tenure with the Redskins. "I felt like they needed me."
One of his grandsons, Taylor, was diagnosed with leukemia a year ago at age 2. Gibbs frequently talks lovingly about his "grandbabies," and he made an overnight trip to North Carolina on Sunday to be with his family, interrupting the postseason routine of meetings that usually follow the final game of the season.
"I had real good visits with everybody, and at that point when I started back to D.C. and got on the plane that afternoon, I kind of had a real strong feeling in my heart of what I felt like I should do," Gibbs said.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Coach Gibbs
Coach Gibbs is a gentleman, a man with integrity, a man who is honest, he is moral, he is the same on the field and off the field and he is a great leader. He is a man of faith who walks the walk as well as talk the talk. But most importantly he has his priorities in place; his family comes first. The Redskin organization and Coach Joe Gibbs have given the fans a great run. God Bless you and yours Coach.
Beverly
New coach ... and staff needed.
Whoever the new coach will be, I'm hoping it will be a fresh face and not anyone from the present cast of "geniuses" assembled by Joe Gibbs. They really didn't do a very stellar job this season.
Bill Cowher should be Redskins new coach.
Sad to hear Coach Gibbs is resigning. 3 time Super Bowl winner & Hall of Famer Coach Gibbs brought Redskins together after Sean Taylor's murder.Next Coach should be no lesser caliber, best available option is
longtime Steelers Coach Bill Cowher. Althought Coach Cowher has announced that he will not coach until 2009, Dan Snyder has enough money to open his checkbook to get Coach Cowher to rethink his decision.I'm sure Redskins would be more aggressive team if/ when Coach Cowher chooses to be Redskins new coach. Thank you Coach Joe Gibbs& God Bless.
Redskins
Maybe The Redskins will offer the job to Al Groh and he would leave UVA.
What a great 2008 that would make!
Coach Gibbs and the Redskins
Coach Gibbs and the Redskins will always go together, just like ham and eggs, bees and honey, etc. It will always be hard to think of one without the other.
Joe Gibbs has not only been a terrific coach, he is a fine example of what a gentleman and an honest, upstanding christian should be, honest, moral and a true leader, always giving the glory to God.
God go with you, Coach Gibbs. Remember that there are many of us who love you and will be praying for your continued success and for the members of your family as well.
Thank you for the many years of service you have given to those of us who have enjoyed watching our Redskins play football under your leadership. We don't fault you one bit for feeling the need to step down and spend more time with your family.
God bless you !
Patricia
True Class Act & Gentleman
Joe Gibbs represents the qualities of what every coach on this planet should strive for. No other person could have led the Skins through the type of season that this team has had to endure. I for one will miss seeing Coach Gibbs on the sidelines. Thank you Coach Gibbs!