Former Redskins assistant, ‘Hogs’ creator Bugel dies at 80

Former Washington Redskins assistant coach Joe Bugel, regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in NFL history, has died. He was 80.

Bugel died on Sunday, according to a statement from 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. The strength of our coaching staff on both sides of the ball was a key reason we had so much success,” 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 late-night 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 the Redskins scored a then-NFL record 541 points. That team reached the Super Bowl, where it lost to the Los Angeles Raiders.