Gibbs to coach in D.C. again

ASHBURN, Va. -- After a decade of high-profile Washington Redskins failures, only one name could restore credibility in an instant: Joe Gibbs.\nAnd they got him.\nThe Hall of Fame coach is coming back after an 11-year absence, a stunning development and a much-needed lift for a franchise that has been to the playoffs only once since he left after the 1992 season.\n"Who better to set our strategy and lead the Redskins back to championship glory?" said owner Dan Snyder, who again proved he's the master of the big splash offseason move.\nGibbs agreed to a five-year deal worth approximately $25 million, said a source within the NFL, speaking on condition of anonymity. That would make Gibbs' contract comparable to the NFL-record deal given to his predecessor, Steve Spurrier.\n"The desire to coach has always been with me, even after being away from the game for 11 years," said Gibbs, who won three Super Bowls in 12 seasons with the Redskins.\nGibbs also was given the title of Redskins team president, but the protocol for roster decisions will essentially remain the same. Vinny Cerrato continues as director of player personnel, and Snyder will have the final word to settle any disputes, according to the source. Gibbs' track record and work ethic, however, make him certain to have more influence than Spurrier had.\nGibbs was to be introduced at a news conference Thursday, but he already has at least two assistants in place, according to the source. Former Buffalo Bills coach Gregg Williams will be the team's sixth defensive coordinator in six years, a hiring first reported by SportsLine.com.\nJoe Bugel returns to coach the offensive line, the same job he held when he oversaw the famed "Hogs" under Gibbs from 1981-89, the source said.\nGibbs, 63, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1996, based in part on his adamant denials of any intention to coach again. He joins the late Paul Brown as the only coaches to return after being elected to the Hall.\nHe will find today's NFL different, largely because free agency has made it difficult for teams to keep a group of talented players together for more than a couple of years. Roster stability, particularly along the offensive line, was a hallmark of the Gibbs years.\nBut the adjustment has been made before. Dick Vermeil left Philadelphia in 1982 and returned with St. Louis in 1997, winning a Super Bowl in his third season with the Rams.\n"I appreciated very much where he was when he left and understood completely why he left," said Vermeil, now coaching Kansas City. "And I can understand completely why he's back."\nAfter leaving the Redskins, Gibbs rose to the top in a second sports career as a NASCAR team owner. His racing teams have won two Winston Cup championships in the past four seasons. Gibbs' oldest son, J.D., will remain president of Joe Gibbs Racing.\nBut Gibbs hasn't strayed far from the NFL. He was involved with a group that attempted to purchase the Redskins after owner Jack Kent Cooke's death in the late 1990s, and he and two partners bought a combined 5 percent of the Atlanta Falcons for $27 million in 2002.\nGibbs had to sell his Falcons stake to coach the Redskins, but he apparently came close to coaching that team. In a statement, the Falcons said Gibbs approached them several weeks ago about their coaching vacancy.\n"When the opportunity at the Redskins came up, Joe told us he couldn't turn his back on the history, fans, loyalties and relationships built over time in Washington," the Falcons' statement said. "While we understand his feelings, we are disappointed that he didn't continue his talks with us."\nThe Redskins began serious talks with Gibbs on New Year's Eve, the day after Spurrier quit with three years left on his contract. His teams went 7-9 and 5-11.\nIn contrast, the Redskins made the playoffs during eight of Gibbs' 12 seasons, and his .683 winning percentage ranks third in NFL history. His record was 124-60 in the regular season and 16-5 in the playoffs, including Super Bowl victories after the 1982, '87 and '91 seasons -- each with a different quarterback.\nSince Gibbs' retirement after the 1992 season, the Redskins are 74-101-1, with just one playoff appearance under five different coaches.\nGibbs retired from football because he was burned out from long days of game-planning that would end with him sleeping on a cot at Redskins Park. His NASCAR team, by contrast, heavily involved both his sons, giving him the family life he missed in the NFL.\nMost of Gibbs' new players know little about him, other than the fact that he won three Vince Lombardi trophies.\n"It's a privilege to play for somebody of that caliber," linebacker Jessie Armstead said. "He is a legend"