In today's Rewarding Moments In Redskins History presented by Maryland Lottery My Lottery Rewards, we look back at when legendary coach Joe Gibbs was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
It was July 28, 1996, and the greatest coach in Washington Redskins history was being recognized as such.
The man who brought three Super Bowl championships to the nation's capital now stood on the front steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He was one of four inductees that day and the 16th NFL head coach to earn the distinction.
After a legendary career, he was a hall of famer.
"I'm one of those average people that God reached down and touched,"Â Gibbs said during his acceptance speech.
Gibbs' first coaching stint with the Redskins was from 1981-92, when he led them to a .683 winning percentage (124-60). During those years, he only had one losing season and won four NFC East divisional titles. Also during that time, Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. Winning with Mark Rypien, Joe Theismann and Doug Williams, he's the first coach in NFL history to accomplish this feat.
In his second stint as head coach from 2004-07, Gibbs led to the Redskins to two playoff appearances, including a trip to the divisional round in 2005. Gibbs boasts a 16-5 career record in the postseason.
Gibbs is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Redskins Ring of Fame and even the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Since creating Joe Gibbs Racing before he first retired in 1992, his team has five Cup Series championships, two NASCAR Xfinity Series titles and three Daytona 500 winners. He was a part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class, making him the only person inducted into both the NASCAR and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
In December, Gibbs added yet another line to an already illustrious resume. He was one of 10 coaches named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
"It means so much to me," Gibbs said on NFL Network shortly after the announcement. "Just to be mentioned in that group of all the great coaches who went down through history, it's a thrill for me."
