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Tony DungyFormer American football player and coach
Date of Birth: 06.10.1955
Country:  USA |
Content:
Early Life
Tony Dungy was born and raised in Jackson, Michigan, to Wilbur Dungy (1926-2004), a science professor at Jackson College, and Cleoma Dungy (1920-2002), who taught Shakespeare at Jackson High School. Wilbur served as an Army Air Force pilot during World War II as part of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. After graduating from Parkside High School in 1973, Dungy played football at the University of Minnesota and was the Gophers' Most Valuable Player as a defensive back in 1975 and 1976. In 1977, he was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor, recognizing one student-athlete from each graduating class in the Big Ten Conference, for demonstrating combined athletic and academic excellence throughout his college career.
NFL Career
After going undrafted, Dungy signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent and converted to safety, spending three seasons in the NFL. His best season came in 1978 when he intercepted six passes and earned a Super Bowl XIII championship ring with the Steelers. Dungy is the last NFL player to have recorded both an interception and a fumble recovery in a single game. Dungy started at safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 1977 game against the Houston Oilers, filling in for injured starters Terry Bradshaw and Mike Kruczek on October 9.
Coaching Career
Assistant Coaching PositionsAfter being cut by the New York Giants in training camp before the 1980 season, Dungy returned to Minnesota as the defensive backs coach. He took on the same position with the Steelers in 1982 and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1984. Following a 5-11 season in 1988, Steelers owner Dan Rooney forced head coach Chuck Noll to make changes to his staff, including demoting Dungy back to defensive backs coach.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dungy became an NFL head coach when Rich McKay hired him to overhaul the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then known for their ineptitude, on January 22, 1996. Dungy installed his version of the Cover 2 defense with defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, with several new wrinkles. The result was the now-famous "Tampa 2," though Dungy has openly credited it to concepts he learned during his time in Pittsburgh.
The Buccaneers went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII to cap off the 2002 season, their first championship appearance. Dungy had been fired after the previous season and replaced by Jon Gruden, having fallen short of leading the team there. Nonetheless, many credit him with building the core of the team that won the Super Bowl.
Indianapolis Colts
Dungy left Tampa Bay to join the Indianapolis Colts as their head coach in 2002. He inherited a lackluster team, but quickly turned them into a powerhouse. In seven seasons leading the Colts, Dungy reached the playoffs every year and is often credited as a key factor in making the Colts a consistent playoff contender in the 2000s. His greatest success came in the Colts' Super Bowl-winning season in 2006, their first in over three decades and first since relocating to Indianapolis. He stepped down from coaching after the 2008 season.
Personal Life
Dungy is an evangelical Christian, and at one point during his coaching career, he considered leaving football for prison ministry. He has been involved with community organizations throughout his career.
Dungy is married to Lauren Dungy. The couple have 11 children: three biological and eight adopted. Their oldest son committed suicide at the age of 18 near Tampa in 2005.
Dungy's tenure in Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers' head coach brought increased attention to his personal accomplishments outside of football. He was heavily involved with many community organizations in the cities where he coached. While in Tampa Bay, Dungy served as a speaker for the Christian Athletes and Coaches Fellowship and Athletes in Action.
He began a mentoring program for young people called "Mentors for Life" and provided Buccaneers tickets for participants. He also supported other charitable programs in the area, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Boys and Girls Club, Prison Crusade Ministry, foster care organizations, and Family First. He continued to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club in Indianapolis. He also supports the National Black Coaches Association Convention and the Indiana Black Expo.
After Michael Sam, an openly gay man, was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL Draft, Dungy stated that he would not have drafted Sam, saying, "Not because I don't believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn't want to deal with all that." The comment drew criticism from some who perceived it as homophobic. Following the backlash, Dungy clarified his remarks, stating that he had given "an honest answer" to the question and that he would have been concerned about the media attention surrounding Sam if he were the player's coach. Dungy has also expressed disapproval of same-sex marriage.
Dungy is anti-abortion, and he spoke as a featured guest at the 2023 March for Life.
On September 6, 2007, The Indianapolis Star reported that the Davie-Brown Index (DBI), an independent celebrity-ratings service for advertisers, ranked Dungy among the top 15 of the 900 actors, musicians, television personalities, and sports celebrities it evaluates for overall appeal, placing him alongside actors like Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman. Among sports figures, he is second only to Hank Aaron.
On February 27, 2008, Indiana Wesleyan University honored Dungy with an installation ceremony into IWU's Society of World Changers. Dungy also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the university.
Post-retirement, Dungy became an informal mentor to former NFL quarterback Michael Vick, counseling him during his incarceration, advocating for him in his bids for reinstatement (Vick was eventually signed by the Philadelphia Eagles).
