This week’s Faith, Family, & Football feature is: Tony Dungy, Former Player & Head Coach.
Tony Dungy is a familiar name throughout many households in America. Whether you’re an NFL fan, avid book reader, All Pro Dad supporter, or simply a follower of influential leaders, Coach Dungy has probably popped on your radar or been a topic of conversation at some point in your life.
Tony Dungy is a 31-year NFL veteran playing three NFL Seasons (1977- 1980) and coaching for 28 (1981-2009). His playing days were spent with the Pittsburg Steelers where he won Super Bowl XIII and the San Francisco 49ers & New York Giants. After retiring from the game in 1980, Dungy entered the coaching ranks and eventually worked his way from collegiate Assistant Coach to professional Head Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (96 – 01) and the Indianapolis Colts (02 – 09). In 2007, Dungy would lead the Colts to a 12 – 4 regular season record and go on to win Super Bowl XLI, making him the first African-American Head Coach in NFL History to win a Super Bowl.
Throughout his career Dungy has been an advocate for living a faith driven life, fatherhood, and serving others. Through his leadership and hard work Dungy has been able to impact the lives of countless young men as a player, coach and through his outreach efforts. There is a quote by world renowned author, John C. Maxwell that says, ““Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” Coach Dungy is a prime example of this type of leadership and it’s evident in everything he touches. He influences others through his demeanor, wisdom, work ethic, passion, and most importantly his love for others.
Through all of his accolades and success as an athlete, coach, and analyst he has remained one of the most humble and kind human beings you’ll ever meet. His character, influence, and incredible leadership are all invaluable traits that he’s brought not only to the game but also to our lives.
NFLPE is proud to present Coach Dungy’s perspective and would like to thank him for sharing his Faith, Family, & Football.
PE: Why is faith important to you?
Dungy: My Christian faith is the most important thing to me because it impacts everything I do and every decision I make. Everything else, including football, is temporary. Even family relationships will one day come to an end, but faith impacts eternity. So my life has to be defined by that faith, rather than by my career or my relationships. In a life that will definitely have ups and downs the steadying influence for me is my belief that God has an ultimate plan.
PE: Tell us about your family and the impact they’ve had on your life?
Dungy: My parents had the biggest influence of anyone in my life. They had a strong faith and they passed that on to all of us. My mom was the encourager. She always told us that we could do things. My dad taught us to think for ourselves and not worry about following the crowd.
Later, when I married my wife Lauren, she became my biggest supporter and the person I relied on for guidance and encouragement. We have tried to pass on the same messages to our kids that our parents gave us--work hard and expect to be successful, but ultimately rely on God to guide your path.
PE: What does being a father mean to you?
Dungy: I reflect on all the lessons I learned from my dad and it makes me realize the importance of fatherhood. I want to provide for my children, but I also want to help them grow and encourage them to be the best they can be. I want to be a role model for my boys and show my girls the things they should look for in a husband. Again, I look at my dad as a guide. He found a way to spend time with us no matter how much time his job required of him. I think that commitment to my children and having them know they are special to me is the key to being a great dad.
PE: How has your faith and family helped you develop off the field?
Dungy: As much effort as it took for me to develop as a player and a coach, it has taken more effort to develop as a man off the field. My faith has played a big part in that. I've tried to model my life after Jesus Christ and tried to make good decisions off the field. I have always tried to think of the future and taking care of my family whenever I've had to make lifestyle decisions. And my wife and children have always been there to support me. So it's been a two-way street. Most of my post-playing life has been spent in coaching, but I always wanted to create time to spend with our children. And I have grown as a man because of the responsibility I feel to be there for them.
PE: How do you balance faith, family, and football?
Dungy: Time management is definitely the key to balancing faith, family and football. Football, especially on the NFL level, is demanding and time consuming. The key is prioritizing. If your faith and family are really important, then you have to give them the same amount of work and energy that you give football. I tried to take advantage of the outlets our teams had to strengthen my faith. The chapels and team bible studies were great, especially the couples or family bible studies. They were really critical for me during the season when I couldn't get to church regularly.
Making time for family is a must as well. We tried to keep Fridays as family days during the season. That was our night to do things the kids would enjoy. During the off season I had to be conscious of not taking on too many other projects to make sure I could spend more time at home. But it has to be intentional; otherwise you will find you end up short changing your family.
PE: What advice would you give to student athletes and current professional athletes in regards to their faith, family, and football?
Dungy: I always tell young athletes who want to make a career out of football that it takes a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication. And not just on the field. You need to train and study as well. But your football career will never be as long, or as important, as your family life. So you have to work just as hard and be just as dedicated in the area of family. For me, having my faith grounded in the bible and following the example of Jesus allowed me to give everything I had--on and off the field--and to keep life in perspective.
Check out Coach Dungy online:
Dungy’s Diary
AllProDad
CoachDungy.com
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