Tony Dungy

Tony Dungy is a successful coach in the National Football League and one of the most respected individuals in all of professional sports. Born on October 6, 1955 in Jackson, Michigan, Tony was one of four children of educators. While his parents stressed academics, Tony was also an outstanding athlete. In high school, Tony was the quarterback of the football team and was a guard on the basketball team. He signed with the Minnesota Gophers, starting at quarterback from 1973 to 1976. He also played basketball but only during his freshman year.

Tony played professional football from 1977-1980, winning a Super Bowl ring in 1978 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After retiring from playing, he was invited to be an assistant coach with Minnesota. After one year, he returned to the NFL as an assistant coach with his former team the Steelers in 1981. He became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996 amassing a 56-42 record. In 2002, Tony became the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, winning the Super Bowl in 2006, becoming the first black coach in the NFL to do so. His approach to coaching is to teach without screaming or demeaning players. He has stated that his goal is to help his players achieve their potential. He incorporates his personal Christian value system in his coaching.

Tony Dungy put his faith into action before the world when his son James, at age 18, committed suicide. It was a tragedy to be sure, but Tony exemplified what it is to be a Christian and showed through his actions that his belief that all things work together for good is real. Understanding that life has its ups and downs, he always sees the big picture and that good can come out of every situation. Tony Dungy is a man to be admired, not only for his success as a man of football, but as a man.