“Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve,” said Joe Gibbs, one of the few figures in American sports who successfully bridged two entirely different arenas together. The now NASCAR team owner made his debut in the sport in 1992 by founding Joe Gibbs Racing, marking a bold pivot from his famed football career into the fast-paced world of auto racing.
Starting modestly with a single-car operation led by Dale Jarett, the team quickly gained traction by clinching the 1993 Daytona 500, an extraordinary feat in just their second season. From its beginnings in Huntersville, North Carolina, JGR steadily expanded to multiple entries, adding drivers like Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, and later Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., eventually evolving into a four-car powerhouse competing at the sport’s highest level.
What distinguishes Gibbs’ leadership isn’t just trophies, though 5 Cup Series championships and over 200 wins speak volumes, but his knack for building championship teams through strategic hiring and resource management. Long before becoming a titan in NASCAR, Gibbs made his mark on the gridiron after honing his coaching skills across the college and pro football ranks.
Gibbs was named the head coach of the Washington Redskins in 1981 and his impact was immediate just in his second season. He guided Washington to its first Super Bowl victory in franchise history, with yet another added string to a dynasty that eventually included three Lombardi trophies in 12 seasons. In 1991, as his football legacy soared, Gibbs embarked on a bold new era with NASCAR. But he had to go through several checkpoints before etching his name into motorsport’s legacy.
Joe Gibbs’ shift from NFL greatness to NASCAR glory
In an interview with Kevin Harvick on his ‘Happy Hour’ podcast, Joe Gibbs recalled the changes that came along with his shift from what Harvick called a “coach on the sidelines to coach in the office.” While this may look like a huge transition to many, it was just slightly frustrating for the JGR owner. “Okay, the biggest difference was that really frustrates me now at times,” said Gibbs. “In football, I could kind of make it happen. I was designing and working on the offense, calling the plays. So, I was a technical guy. I grew up in it. Okay, so I could kind of, ‘hey, something’s off.’ I could make it happen.”
Joe Gibbs had established himself as a technical mastermind early in his NFL career, particularly through his innovative offensive schemes. As the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers under Don Coryell, he helped implement the “Air Coryell” passing aerial attack that averaged over 400 yards per game in 1980. Later, arriving in Washington in 1981, Gibbs built around “The Hogs,” a dominant offensive line that protected the quarterback while enabling a power-running game combined with deep threats, with more than 16 touchdown plays of 25+ yards. But with his shift to NASCAR, the gameplay reversed and responsibilities doubled.
“When I moved over to racing, it was totally different because I didn’t grow up in racing,” Gibbs reminisced. “I wasn’t a technical person. I can’t set a car up. And so here, I really said, I got to be smart here. I can’t do the technical stuff. So, I need to work on picking the people, working with the people, getting our sponsors, and I say the biggest thrill I have is the first of every month trying to pay the bills.” This self-awareness led him to build Joe Gibbs Racing around strong leadership hires, like crew chiefs who understand car dynamics, engineers to dial in setups, and marketing partners to sustain the team.
While he couldn’t tweak suspension or aerodynamics as the team owner, his strength lay in recognizing and empowering others who could, which in turn made JGR one of NASCAR’s most formidable organizations. “So that’s where I kind of keep trying to keep everything paid for and going in the right direction,” Gibbs continued. Instead of direct participation, Gibbs tries to help indirectly by communicating with the crew chiefs about underperforming setups and changes to be made in the car.
“But if it’s two different worlds, you ask me, what’s the challenge?” said Gibbs. “I get frustrated a little bit when things in racing. If it doesn’t go, I tell Chris Capehart, our crew chief, I get frustrated because I want to make this happen and I can’t. And so, I think that’s the biggest difference,” marking a clear shift from his hands-on days on the football sideline. He must rely on others’ technical expertise while managing the business, despite sometimes knowing way more than the others. But despite this shortcoming, Gibbs knows how to bridge the gap between the two sports that he now thinks are quite similar.
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“In football, you’re not going anywhere, you have what? A quarterback,” said Gibbs, finding the similarities between his former love and current responsibility. “Over here, you’re not going anywhere, you have a driver. Okay, so that’s the same thing. In football, you want to have a coach that really knows what’s going on, hopefully. Over here is the crew chief, same thing. And then it’s the people. The only difference over here is the car. Many times that thing doesn’t behave. But it is, the two sports are really, really a lot alike.” Gibbs knows that success in both arenas depends on assembling a strong, cohesive team, and the chemistry and leadership are what can bring about this success that are universal across sports.
While Gibbs no longer adjusts strategies and draws up plays in real time, his enduring legacy lies in his ability to identify talent, foster a winning culture, and navigate complex industries with humility and trust in his team. By translating principles of accountability, preparation, and personnel management into the high-octane world of motorsports, Gibbs has proven that great leadership isn’t confined to a single sport.
Gibbs’ NFL character that prepared him for NASCAR’s wildest drivers
Known for managing strong-willed drivers like Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch in NASCAR, Gibbs believed that those experiences were made easier thanks to his early NFL days and his rocky introduction to John Riggins. Riggins, a star running back for the Washington Redskins, had sat out of 1980 season due to contract dispute and showed no signs of backing down. Gibbs, stepping in as head coach for the 1981 season, knew that getting Riggins back was a top priority, see he went straight to Kansas to make his pitch. “He had sat out the year before I got there in a contract dispute. I just got on a plane when I got the job and flew to Lawrence, Kansas,” said Gibbs. “Knocked on the door, and right away, I knew I had a chance to get him to come back.”
Despite Gibbs’ best efforts, Riggins sat stoically across the breakfast table, unmoved by the sales pitch. “So I went out the next day and started the sales pitch. I still remember it. He was giving me nothing. He sat at breakfast across from me, and I’m pitching hard: ‘Young coach, John. New offense. Put you in the backfield. I’ll give you the ball on every down. I’ll never ask you to block.’ Yeah, I’m a salesman, you expect me to tell him the truth, do you?” Gibbs joked.
Despite the stonewalling, something finally clicked, just not the way Gibbs expected. “But about halfway through that conversation, he leaned across the table and goes, ‘You need to get me back there. I’ll make you famous.’ And I went, ‘Oh my gosh. He’s an egomaniac. He’s a nutcase,” Gibbs reminisced. Even Riggins knew the game they were playing. He agreed to return, but only with a no-trade clause, ensuring his terms were met. Gibbs took the gamble, and it paid off as Riggins returned to power the Redskins to their first Super Bowl win under Gibbs in 1982.
The encounter not only shaped Gibbs’s tenure in the NFL but also taught him how to deal with headstrong personalities, which came in handy when handling NASCAR drivers with big egos and even bigger expectations. To this day, Gibbs frequently recounts the tale of that visit to Kansas as a defining moment in his legendary coaching journey.
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