On Monday, one of the NFL’s most influential assistant coaches, Alex Gibbs, passed away at the age of 80. The former Falcons offensive line coach had an incredibly successful run with a handful of teams, most notably during his time with the Denver Broncos.
Gibbs, who helped Atlanta lead the league in rushing from 2004-2006, was a key factor in helping Broncos quarterback John Elway win back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. For two years, nobody could slow the team’s zone-blocking scheme.
Both the Falcons and Broncos paid tribute to Gibbs, and many around the NFL were quick to credit the offensive line guru with perfecting the zone run.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of Alex Gibbs, who was a transformational offensive line coach.
Gibbs built a foundation here that helped us lead the NFL in rushing from 2004-2006. https://t.co/lIvclzkZT0
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) July 12, 2021
If you really want to know about the kind of coach Gibbs was, check out this deep dive into his career and philosophy by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar. Here’s an excerpt breaking down Gibbs’ impressive coaching background:
“Gibbs learned a lot of things from a lot of different people, and married them together to create his own unusual but eminently successful approach. From his time at Ohio State from 1975 through 1978, he learned the basics of successful teaching from Woody Hayes — not the crazed coach everyone now remembers, but the freshman English teacher. Hayes was just as expert at language arts as he was with the game. Gibbs learned about dealing with players and maximizing their potential from Bobby Bowden during their time together at West Virginia in 1973 and 1974. Georgia Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley taught him the value of organization during his time there in 1982 and 1983. By the time Gibbs became the Broncos’ offensive line coach in 1984, he didn’t just have his blocking system together; he also had a concrete way of making people understand and execute what he wanted.”
Earlier this offseason, the Falcons hired a coach that would make Gibbs proud in former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The former tight ends coach and offensive line assistant will look to bring Tennessee’s hyper-efficient zone-based running scheme to Atlanta.
The Falcons may not have Derrick Henry or Terrell Davis at running back, but Gibbs’ time in the NFL taught us that a well-executed scheme can trump talent.
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