Most of us can succeed in one area of life. For some of us, it is in ministry while others are great at carpentry. There are other things that we can do, but there are very few people who can reach the highest level in one area of life, much less two different areas. It takes talent and knowledge in order to climb to the pinnacle of the sports world, along with a great deal of perseverance. Joe Gibbs has reached the highest level of two sports, yet all the while, remained focused on God and gives praise to God in all areas of his life.

His Life

Gibbs was born in North Carolina in 1940, but moved to California. He attended San Diego State University and after graduation, began his coaching career at his alma mater. He would serve in various roles at San Diego State, Florida State University, USC, and Arkansas, before moving on to the NFL, where his coaching career would be the envy of others for decades to come. His first stint came as a backfield coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and then he moved on to be the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccanneers. After serving as offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, he accepted the head coaching position for the Washington Redskins.

Gibbs took the Redskins to the pinnacle of the football world and truly created a dynasty in the 80’s and early 90’s with the Skins. He would lead the Skins to three Super Bowl victories and another Super Bowl appearance. In 1982, the Redskins defeated the Miami Dolphins to win the Super Bowl. In 1987, the Redskins dismantled the Denver Broncos behind the record-setting performances of Doug Williams and Timmy Smith. Finally, in 1991, Gibbs’ Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills to get their third Super Bowl ring in less than ten years.

Gibbs would walk away from football and dive headlong into his NASCAR team that he had started a couple years beforehand. Within a few years, Gibbs Racing rose to the top of the NASCAR world. His teams have won three points championships since 2000 and each year, they are competitive from top to bottom. He had won at the top level of both sports, but even though NASCAR success was appealing, football still called his name. In 2004, Gibbs would return to coach the Redskins and would lead them back to the playoffs.

Gibbs has always been outspoken about his faith. He has given many interviews discussing his faith and his understanding is that God is the one in control of his life and the best he can do is follow God’s lead. In an interview with the Washington Post, he said, “We are going to fail, that’s a fact of life for me. What drives me is I’m so nervous. I’m so cautious, and from that standpoint, I want to make sure that I’m constantly seeking God’s direction in my life because I’ve made so many mistakes.�* He understands that without God’s direction, we are all going to fall away and go astray.

His players have made comments during and after their time with Gibbs, commenting on the way that he conducted his business on and off of the field. Each one said that he held himself with integrity and you could see his faith at work in his life. It wasn’t a faith that was simply reduced to words without the actions to accompany it, it was a lifestyle that became infectious to all those around him.

Gibbs has been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and stands today as one of the most successful coaches in the history of the game. As he prepares for the upcoming season, Gibbs will lead his team in a manner that is pleasing to God and will hopefully, during the course of another season, lead others to the Father. At the end of the day, he is more concerned with the lost than he is with wins and losses.

What We Can Learn:

One of the great things that we can learn from Joe Gibbs is to be loyal. Though Gibbs had been offered various coaching positions after his departure from the Redskins in the early 90’s, he said that he really only felt like he could coach the Redskins. He was loyal to the team that gave him his start and the team that he had become synonymous with over time. He stayed loyal, even when the dollar signs were flashing, trying to tempt him to go elsewhere.

In the world of Christianity today, we have lost the idea of loyalty. We are not loyal to our brothers and sisters in Christ anymore and as we all look at the life of Joe Gibbs, we can see that there is a benefit for being a loyal person. We live in a day and a time where loyalty gets in the way of seeking our own gain, but what is that gain worth if no one trusts us or respects us when we get it? Christ was loyal to us in every aspect of his life and if we are going to be called by His name, we must desire to be loyal people. The unbelieving world that lies right outside the walls of our churches is waiting to see if we are loyal or if we are the same as they are.

Joe Gibbs glorifies God in all areas of his life and seeks to advance His name when given the chance. He stands firm on his beliefs, so that others can see in him what He has found in Jesus. A life like that is a life of a champion because our whole lives speak of the greatest champion of all-time, Jesus Christ.

* - quote taken from Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A1381-2004Apr10?language=printer “Redskins’ Gibbs keeps the Faith. By: David Cho

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