Joe Gibbs
Graham spends two days in North Carolina with legendary NFL coach turned NASCAR team owner, Joe Gibbs. He discusses the personal cost of his dedication to the Redskins and speaks at length about the recent death of his son, J.D. and the legacy he left. Plus, the Pro Football Hall of Famer gives us a look at his transformative prison ministry in action.
Joe Gibbs
EPISODES
Joe Gibbs: Lifeguard tipping and runaway pigs
Joe Gibbs laughs about high school/college hijinks, including his penchant for parking tickets, “street bumper cars,” lifeguard stand tipping and the infamous “Farm” – a San Diego State haven which made local news after a freeway chase involving a pair of escaped, contraband pigs.
Joe Gibbs: Almost fired as winless coach
Joe Gibbs looks back on the 0-5 start to his NFL head coaching career, the pressure that came with it and the signature response of Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke which empowered Gibbs to turn things around.
Joe Gibbs on his alcoholic sheriff dad
Joe Gibbs speaks candidly about his father – an ex-deputy sheriff who struggled with drinking – and a few notable experiences: his forcing Joe to finish a neighborhood fight, brawling with an opposing baseball coach, and choking Joe after he ended up in juvenile detention.
Joe Gibbs: Regrets choosing football over family
Joe Gibbs details the hard-to-believe hours he put in while coaching the Redskins, questions if he could have been as successful working fewer hours and says he regrets letting two major parts of his life fall by the wayside: his family and his health.
Joe Gibbs on NASCAR: Next 2 years are critical
Joe Gibbs addresses NASCAR’s recent viewership decline, arguing it’s a struggle shared by pro sports across the board as audiences have more and more content to choose from. He also highlights positive changes in everything from format and schedule to stadiums and technology, and says long-term sponsor investments offer an optimistic look at the future of the sport.
Joe Gibbs: Tour of my headquarters
Joe Gibbs allows unique access inside his NASCAR team headquarters and talks about the many benefits of Joe Gibbs Racing’s close relationship with its primary sponsor, Toyota.
Joe Gibbs: Jumping from NFL to NASCAR
Joe Gibbs discusses his risky career switch from a Hall of Fame-caliber NFL coach to a NASCAR owner, including Joe Gibbs Racing’s winless first season, realizing he was $250,000 in the hole and winning the Daytona 500 with only three fully-tightened tires.
Joe Gibbs: My wife’s paralyzing tumor
Joe Gibbs speaks to the immense and underappreciated sacrifice of his longtime wife, Pat throughout his career and remembers the traumatic tumor diagnosis and complications from surgery which left her partially paralyzed.
Joe Gibbs: Tragic death of my son
Joe Gibbs reflects on the life and lasting legacy of his son and race team president, J.D., who died Jan. 11, 2019, after years spent fighting a degenerative brain disease. Gibbs is candid about the gradual changes in J.D.’s personality, relives JGR driver Denny Hamlin’s amazing win at the following month’s Daytona 500 and expresses his ultimate hope in spite of J.D.’s death.
Joe Gibbs: Serving at-risk youth
Joe Gibbs explains how an interaction with a teen going through the court system inspired him to start Youth For Tomorrow, a charity which provides housing, counseling, schooling and other services for at-risk youth including pregnant teens and victims of sex trafficking.
Joe Gibbs: Leading team after murder
Joe Gibbs talks about his legendary knack for leadership – including picking the right people and getting the most out of them – and two relational NFL moments: leading the Redskins to the playoffs following the 2007 murder of safety Sean Taylor and joking with QB Joe Theismann in the thick of a traumatic injury.
Joe Gibbs: Risking reputation with NFL return
Joe Gibbs discusses why he came out of retirement to once again coach in the NFL, the support of Redskins owner Dan Snyder and the one thing he found hadn’t changed about the league.
Dave Alpern on losing J.D. Gibbs, accepting his job
Joe Gibbs Racing president Dave Alpern opens up about the death of his best friend, J.D. Gibbs from a degenerative brain disease in 2019. He admits to misunderstanding J.D.’s symptoms and struggling with taking over his role, and shares memories of shared vacations and JGR’s incredible Daytona 500 victory just a month after J.D.’s passing.
Joe Gibbs’ son: Dad doesn’t know my age or birthday
Members of Joe Gibbs Racing talk about their legendary boss: ex-Redskin Renaldo Wynn on his prickly first encounter as an NFL player rep, and how Gibbs won him over to NASCAR; team president Dave Alpern on working with the strong-willed leader he’s known since middle school; and son Coy Gibbs on his dad’s all-consuming work ethic and the lack of birthday celebrations in the Gibbs household.
Joe Gibbs: Converting prisoners convicted of murder
Joe Gibbs invites Graham Bensinger to Nash Correctional Institution to see his North Carolina Field Minister Program in action. Several inmates – some serving life sentences for murder – open up about the life-changing effect of working toward a pastoral degree and how they hope to change the prison system for the better. Gibbs also shares the origins of the transformative ministry.
