Over the past couple months Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy has made the headlines as his Colts rolled to a 13-0 record and challenged for a perfect season before the San Diego Chargers defeated them in late December. Since graduating from the University of Minnesota, Mr. Dungy has continually made a name for himself in football, first as a valuable safety for the Steelers during the Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” dynasty and then as the arguably most successful black coach in the National Football League. Yet despite the accolades and recognition he has received as a professional football coach, Tony Dungy has shown an understanding that much goes on in life besides the game of football.

San Diego Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal, who used to play for Dungy, described him as “a solid, solid, coach and a God-fearing man who always puts family first.” Throughout his NFL career, Coach Dungy has established himself as an individual who puts God and his family ahead of the game of football and lives his life according to those principles.

“I never thought being [a good person] and a [great coach] had to be mutually exclusive,” said Dungy. “I’ve heard those things, but I was taught by my mom and dad a long time ago that you treat people the way you want to be treated, whether you’re at a work or anywhere. That has always been my philosophy. I think you can be very effective in any line of work by being a good person.”

Even before he accepted the job of coaching the Indianapolis Colts, Dungy, a devout Christian, pondered retiring from football and exploring a career in the prison ministry. He eventually, as we well know, accepted the Colts job and returned to football, but Dungy fully understands the importance and opportunity which his position gives him. “This job is a neat platform to reach people,” he said. Nowadays, Tony Dungy works as a public speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action, but also remains active in numerous community outreach organizations. Coach Dungy understands the opportunity which he has to reach out to affect lives in ways much more meaningful than the final score of a Sunday football game.
 

As a spokesman for AllProDad.com, an organization featuring NFL players and coaches in an effort to offer practical father assistance, Tony reiterates that coaching the Indianapolis Colts does not stand as his primary job. Instead, he says “that being a father is his most important job.”*

Tony Dungy stands as a commendable figure and role model in the sports; a person devoted to God and his family. After writing this article, I found out that Tony Dungy’s 18 year-old son had tragically died of apparent suicide. Even as our prayers go to him during this time, we sadly know with more meaning than ever that Coach Tony Dungy understands as well as anybody else that God and family take priority over the game.

* - http://www.allprodad.com/dungy.asp