After Halas resigned, Gibron continued as an assistant under new head coach Jim Dooley in 1968. He switched to coaching the defensive line the following year when assistant coach Joe Fortunato resigned and Jim Ringo was hired to coach the offensive line. Dooley, however, was dismissed in late 1971 after three consecutive losing seasons, including a 1–13 record in 1969. Gibron was elevated to head coach the following January and said the team had the talent to make a run at the NFL championship.