'There is hope.' Game Plan for Life focuses on faith, family, football

CANTON − Coach Joe Gibbs has had a lifetime of success. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee and former head coach of the former Washington Redskins is the only coach to have won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks.

After football, Gibbs pivoted to NASCAR, where his racing teams have won five national championships. He’s also a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

This week, Bryant "B.Y." Young, a former defensive tackle with the San Francisco 49ers, will be enshrined in the class of 2022.

"For me to be here in Canton, Ohio, and about to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is surreal to me," Young said. "It feels like a dream. I was molded by a lot of people. I am a product of all those people. I’m grateful."

Gibbs and Young recently shared stories of deeply personal loss and how their Christian faith has sustained them, before a crowd of about 1,000 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Nash Family Event and Conference Center.

Gibbs is the founding spokesman for Game Plan for Life, a nationwide Christian ministry. This marks the seventh year for the event in Canton.

'We love football, but this get-together may mean more than anything else.'

"We love football, but this get-together may mean more than anything else," Gibbs said.

He talked about how the death of his oldest son at just 49, prompted questions for God.

Young shared how his faith has enabled him to endure his own tragedy: The death of his 15-year-old son who died from pediatric brain cancer in 2016.

Both men discussed how their deep faith and the lessons learned from football have enabled them to move forward.

In 1998, Young suffered a devastating broken leg, which he described as a "Joe Theismann injury." He recovered to play nine more seasons.

"When you're going through a tough time, you discover a lot about yourself," he said. "My faith grew in those moments. I learned to ask for help. It tested my love for the game."

Gibbs recalled losing the first five games during his debut in Washington, noting that it propelled that roster eventually to win two Super Bowls.

"Going through it the right way, you learn from it and get tougher," he said.

Young agreed.

"The games are easy," he said. "Practice is where chemistry, trust and accountability are developed. It's important that we embrace that in life."

'Why didn't God show up? He did show up.'

Gibbs described his son J.D. as "a spiritual giant."

In 2014, J.D., a married father of four sons and the founder of Gibbs Racing, was diagnosed with an incurable degenerative brain disease.

"It was a five-year journey," his father said. "My deal was, I tried to fix it. But J.D. never once complained. That whole time, I was trying to find a way to fix him. "

Gibbs said that after his son died, he had questions for God, such as: "Why didn't God show up? Why does God let us suffer? Why do some people suffer more?"

The questions, he said, sent him on a spiritual journey.

"Why didn't God show up? He did show up," Gibbs said. "J.D. is forever with the Lord. I didn't used to think much about heaven because I was having too much fun down here. But I'm going to see J.D. forever."

'We were assured he'd be in heaven one day. He was looking forward to that.'

Young said his son fell ill in 2014 while preparing for a school trip. What was thought to be a migraine turned out to be a cancerous mass on his brain. He died in 2016.

"I struggled," Young admitted. "As a father, I'm supposed to be the protector. But my son was a Christian. We were assured he'd be in heaven one day. He was looking forward to that."

Young said that while football teaches one about adversity, his son's death put the game and life into sharp perspective.

"We don't allow his name to be a 'hush' word," Young said. "He would have been super-excited to be here. We continue to remember him and cherish him, and I look forward to being with him one day. You never forget. The hole isn't quite filled. ... I'm grateful for having a God who gives us grace. There is hope. Death is real, but where we choose to live in eternity is a real choice to make."

Sharing the stage with Gibbs was Renaldo Wynne, a 1997 first round draft pick who played for the Jaguars, Saints and Redskins.

Wynne who works for Game Plan for Life and Gibbs Racing, called his former coach "one of the greatest mentors of all time."

Gibbs, a former quarterback, joked that he was "a terrible athlete."

"The only award I ever won was 'Most Improved,'" he said to laughter. "How'd I wind up in the Hall of Fame? It’s a thrill for me. I don’t know how I got here, but I’m not giving it back."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Game Plan for Life ministry showcased at Pro Football Hall of Fame