The Washington Redskins announced the passing of legendary offensive line coach Joe Bugel, who was responsible for creating “The Hogs.”
Washington owner Dan Snyder issued the following statement upon the passing of Bugel:
“I am absolutely devastated by the news of Joe’s passing. Joe was a larger than life figure and a true legend of his profession. He exemplified what it meant to be a Redskin with his character and ability to connect with his players along with a work ethic that was unmatched. We shared a special bond and he was a great friend. He was a man who not only gave me a better understanding of the game of football, but who also gave me perspective on what is truly important in life. I absolutely adored him and will miss him terribly. Tanya and I would like to extend our deepest condolences to Brenda and the entire Bugel family during this time.”
Former Washington head coach Joe Gibbs, who coached with Bugel, also shared a statement on the team’s website:
“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. 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.”
Bugel was 80 years old when he passed.
Joe Bugel created ‘The Hogs’ and was called ‘Boss Hog’
The hallmark of Gibbs’ championship teams was a punishing run game led by a group of offensive linemen called “The Hogs.” That group was created by Bugel, who was called “Boss Hog” by many.
Bugel last coached during the 2009 NFL season. He began his coaching career in 1964 at Western Kentucky as a graduate assistant and became one of the NFL’s most legendary position coaches in history.
In addition to his work as a famed offensive line coach, Bugel was a head coach for the then Phoenix Cardinals (1990-93) and Oakland Raiders (1997), earning a record of 24-56.