Jan. 30, 2026, 4:04 a.m. ET

Brian Mitchell reminded his listeners that every NFL coach has a first time.

There is understandably great concern in the local media and the Washington Commanders fan base that Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has hired two coordinators who have not yet been NFL coordinators.

David Blough, 30, and the new offensive coordinator, is highly regarded for his football intellect; however, he has yet to be the one making the in-game decisions, including play-calling and time management. New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ path is very different, having held many coaching positions and not getting his first coordinator role until now, at age 47.

The former Redskins running back and returner, Mitchell, said the following to his listeners on his 106.7 The Fan show, “BMitch and Finlay” on Thursday:

“They thought Joe Gibbs wasn’t ready back in the day either.” He is correct. I recall a criticism of the choice of Gibbs was that he had not yet been a head coach at any level of football. Yet, the Redskins hired the Chargers’ offensive coordinator as their head coach in 1981.

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“What do we think about Joe Gibbs, today?,” asked Mitchell. “People have to start from somewhere. You are not going to get ready-made people every time you go out there and get a coach. And if nobody ever gives anyone a —- chance, you know what? We will never know the stories of a Joe Gibbs.”

Gibbs started his first-ever season as a head coach going 0-5. But Gibbs was a smart, adapting man, who learned to dump his Air Coryell bombs away offense, and go to a more run-oriented attack first, because he had John Riggins. The Redskins recovered finishing 8-8 in 1981. They then won the NFC East three consecutive seasons, won Super Bowl XVII, and won the NFC, losing in Super Bowl XVIII.

In his 1981-1992 Redskins era, Gibbs only had one losing season and that was only 7-9 in 1988. He would coach in two more Super Bowls, winning both, as the 1987 and 1991 Redskins won the Vince Lombardi trophy. Mitchell was drafted by the Redskins in 1990 and played for the 1991 Super Bowl championship team for Gibbs.

Mitchell continued, “This is what I’ve noticed in DC. You got to have a top-notch coach every time, number one of everything and you gotta always get first-round draft picks, or you think you can’t play football. But it has been proven in this city, you can win without all of that.”

Mitchell is correct. The Redskins were Gibbs first head coach job, they often traded away their first-round draft picks, and Gibbs is the only NFL coach to win three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks and starting running backs.