In 2006, Tony Dungy became the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl. Ten years later, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tony Dungy Pro Football Hall of Fame speech: ‘I cherish every single relationship that I was able to make over those 31 years’
Dungy, the first ever African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl, was inducted into the Hall of Fame Saturday.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dungy, who had a brief career as a player, joked about his induction.
“I’m now the 10th Steeler from the Super Bowl X team to be enshrined, but you could have won a lot of money in ‘78 if you would have bet that I would have been one of those 10,” Dungy said.
Dungy acknowledged his family, expressing regret that his parents (Wilbur and Cleo May Dungy) weren’t here to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame. He thanked his sisters (Sherrilyn and Lauren) and the rest of his extended family for their support and guidance over the years.
He mentioned his high school football coach, Dave Driscoll, who helped Dungy become a leader and taught him how to think the game. He also thanked his college coaches from Minnesota, who went on to play big roles in his development as a player, and later as a coach.
Dungy didn't get drafted in the 1977 NFL Draft despite the draft being 12 rounds at that time. It was a disappointment, but it led to him signing with the Steelers and converting from quarterback to safety.
“I have to say that $2,000 signing bonus I got didn’t last long, but I ended up gaining a lot more than money,” Dungy said.
His head coach in Pittsburgh, Chuck Noll, taught players about life being about more than football. It was a value Dungy would carry with him and apply to his life as a coach. His Steelers teammate, Donnie Shell, took Dungy under his wing and taught him so much as he converted from to the safety position, but Shell also helped Dungy learn about being a Christian and a husband.
He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, and leaving Pittsburgh was a disappointment, but Dungy said it turned into a blessing. Dungy commended former 49ers owner and fellow Class of 2016 inductee Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who did everything in "a first class and family way."
His playing career ended and he came back to Pittsburgh in a different role, as an assistant coach. The move back to Pittsburgh also marked another important beginning for Dungy.
“Coming back to Pittsburgh was the beginning of my coaching journey, but there was another blessing in store for me -- meeting my beautiful wife, Lauren,” Dungy said. “There’s no way I’d be here tonight without her.”
Serving as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings under the late Dennis Green was a formative experience for Dungy. Green prepared Dungy for the challenges of being a head coach.
“Denny went out of his way to teach me the responsibilities of being a head coach,” Dungy said. “He taught me about things on and off the field. He did it because he wanted to see me become a head coach, and he wanted me to be prepared and be ready when that opportunity came, and I love him for that.”
But Green didn’t just prepare Dungy on the field. Green emphasized work-life balance, and made sure his assistants had time to be fathers and husbands as well as coaches. He showed Dungy that he could maintain that balance and still win football games.
“I really wish I could thank him one more time tonight for everything he did,” Dungy said.
His first head coaching job came in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the following season, the team broke a long playoff drought.
“We made the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, and the Bucs fans went crazy over their team,” Dungy said. “And those fans remain special to me to this day.”
Next up for Dungy was Indianapolis, where his team would face off against Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI and win.
“We had a lot of fun over those next seven years, highlighted by that Super Bowl XLI victory,” Dungy said.
Dungy thanked Colts owner Jim Irsay and general manager Bill Polian for their warm welcome and making Indianapolis feel like home for him and his family.
“I’d like to thank you big time, Jim and Bill and the Colts’ fans,” Dungy said. “You made us feel like native Hoosiers, and our family loves you.”
Of course, Dungy has coached a number of talented players, including fellow 2016 Hall of Fame inductee Marvin Harrison. Many of his former players were on hand to support him, and Dungy asked them to stand and be recognized.
“There’s no doubt these guys are responsible for me being up here today,” Dungy said. “I thank you, guys. I love you, every one of you.”
Dungy offered thanks to 10 special men -- each one of the African-American assistant coaches in the NFL in 1977.
“Those men were like my dad,” Dungy said. “They didn’t complain about the lack of opportunities. They found ways to make the situation better. They were role models and mentors for me and my generation of young African-American players.
“So tonight as I join Fritz Pollard as the second African-American coach in the Hall of Fame, I feel like I’m representing those 10 men and all the African-American coaches who came before me and paved the way, and I thank them very, very much.”
For Dungy, the most important thing about his career was the relationships he built over the years.
“I cherish every single relationship that I was able to make over those 31 years, and I’ll always be grateful to the National Football League for giving me my life’s work,” Dungy said.
After a brief NFL career, Dungy entered the coaching ranks in 1980 as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota. One year later, then-Steelers head coach Chuck Noll hired Dungy, and he stayed on the staff until 1989.
Dungy's first coaching break came when he was named Vikings defensive coordinator in 1992. Minnesota had one of the best defenses in the league under Dungy, which prodded the Buccaneers to hire him as their head coach in 1996. Dungy popularized the "Tampa 2" defense while with the Buccaneers and won 96 games in six seasons, turning around the previously moribund franchise.
But Dungy is best known for his work as head coach of the Colts from 2002-08. With Peyton Manning leading a prolific offense, the Colts were Super Bowl contenders for the entirety of Dungy's tenure. His career climax came in February 2007 when Indianapolis defeated the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
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