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One of the NFL’s classiest steps down

Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, a Christian, retires to spend more time with family.
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Despite his inability to find the old coaching magic that led the Washington Redskins to three Super Bowl crowns from 1982-91, Joe Gibbs will always be remembered as one of the classiest guys to ever grace an NFL sideline.

Gibbs, a devout Christian, announced his retirement Tuesday as the Redskins head coach and president, just three days after Washington lost its first-round playoff game at Seattle. His decision, with one year left on a five-year contract, stunned the team.

In a press conference at Redskins complex, Gibbs said that family commitments - including a 3-year-old grandson being treated for leukemia - led to his decision.

"My family situation has dramatically changed [in recent years]," Gibbs said. "The only way to do this job [as an NFL coach] is to go after it night and day; it takes every minute. Having weighed that . . . I felt like with my family, the most important thing I'll leave on this earth are my kids, grandkids, and the influence I have on others. I felt like my ...

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