Tony Dungy
Posted: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 by Travis Cody inEdit: I just fixed a bonehead mistake. Apologies to all Colts and Ravens fans for the stoopid error. I haven't done that in ages.
Tony Dungy, 53, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts for the last 7 seasons, retired from coaching football yesterday.
What more can I say than thank you Sir.
Thank you for your dignity.
Thank you for your integrity.
Thank you for your ethics.
Thank you for knowing that it's only football and behaving so.
Thank you for sharing the very private pain brought by the death of your son, in such a way that the public's insatiable need to know did not overwhelm you and your family.
Thank you for being a true man.
As to football achievement, he has it. Since taking over Indianapolis in 2002, the Colts finished first or second in the AFC Central every year. Dungy won the division 5 times in his 7 seasons. He was 85-28 with the Colts, and he is the only head coach to have 6 straight 12 win seasons and 10 straight playoff appearances. He provided the stability that players like Peyton Manning required to flourish.
He won Super Bowl XLI as coach of the Colts, and he won Super Bowl XIII as a defensive back with Pittsburgh.
About his philosophy, Tony Dungy says (from Wikipedia)...
I really wanted to show people you can win all kinds of ways. I always coached the way I've wanted to be coached. I know Lovie (Smith, Chicago Bears head coach) has done the same thing. For guys to have success where it maybe goes against the grain, against the culture ... I know I probably didn't get a couple of jobs in my career because people could not see my personality or the way I was going to do it ... For your faith to be more important than your job, for your family to be more important than that job ... We all know that's the way it should be, but we're afraid to say that sometimes. Lovie's not afraid to say it and I'm not afraid to say it.
Tony Dungy is a man with clear priorities. And I respect that.
I love Tony Dungy! I remember when he first came to Tampa. I forget how many crappy season's we'd already "endured". Tony was a serious breath of fresh air... at last! He's been great for football. I personally love what he stands for, and how tall he stands for it!
Congratulations, Coach Dungy. You did it, and you did it your way!