Ex-NFL coach, ‘Hogs’ boss Bugel dies at 80
Former Washington assistant coach Joe Bugel, regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in NFL history, has died. He was 80.
Bugel died Sunday, according to the team, which did not disclose a cause of death.
Bugel was the architect of “The Hogs,” the dominant offensive lines that helped lead the team to three Super Bowls under Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs. Bugel was the team’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1981-82 and became the assistant head coach in 1983, a role he had until 1989 before becoming the head coach of the Phoenix Cardinals. He returned for a second stint with the team as assistant head coach-offense from 2004-09.
“Joe had an incredible passion for the game of football. He came to work every day with such great excitement and his players had tremendous respect for him,” Gibbs said in a statement. “Bugel was such a big part of that and his impact was felt not only by those Redskins teams, but truly across the entire league. I will miss his friendship and I will always cherish our latenight arguments putting together the game plan each week. Pat and I will be praying for his wife Brenda, his girls and their entire family.“
With players such as Jeff Bostic, Joe Jacoby and Hall of Famer Russ Grimm on the offensive line, Washington won the Super Bowl after the 1982, 1987 and 1991 seasons with three different quarterbacks.
Joe Theismann, the QB for the team’s first Super Bowl title, tweeted: “Joe Bugel was a friend as much as a coach. For those of us who had the privilege to know him we were blessed. He’ll have the best Oline in heaven. RIP Joe.”
Bugel was promoted to assistant head coach in 1983, the year Washington scored a then-NFL record 541 points. That team reached the Super Bowl, where it lost to the Los Angeles Raiders.
Bugel began his pro coaching career as offensive line coach at Detroit (1975-76), then the Houston Oilers (1977-80) before joining Washington.
Krueger, first Bucs
GM, dies: Phil Krueger, who helped build a dominant defense as an assistant for 1967 national champion Southern California and later became part of the first coaching staff in Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ history, has died.
Krueger coached offense, defense and special teams during more than three decades in the NFL and college. He was the head coach at Fresno State and Utah State, going 31-22, and an assistant at Illinois. He moved from the field to Tampa Bay’s front office and spent 10 years as an executive, known for his skill in negotiating contracts. He was hired as the Buccaneers’ first general manager in 1991 — prior to that, the team’s coaches made player decisions.
Krueger worked under famed head coach John McKay at USC and Tampa Bay. Krueger’s fellow assistant at both places was future three-time Super Bowl champion Joe Gibbs.