In many ways, it was like hundreds of pep talks and locker room speeches he’d given in nearly three decades as an NFL coach. Tony Dungy’s message was one of responsibility, of motivation, of not letting down others ”” or yourself. As always, he was pointed and analytical yet smooth and laid-back.
This time, however, Dungy’s audience wasn’t a highly paid collection of elite athletes.
On this day, Dungy ”” a little more than two years removed from becoming the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl and less than three months after retiring as the leader of the Indianapolis Colts ”” was in a prison yard, a Bible tucked under his left arm.
This is Tony Dungy’s new world, the one he has embraced since walking away from cheering crowds, a salary that exceeded $5 million a year and a team that was equipped for another Super Bowl run.
Lots of folks can “talk the talk,” but Tony Dungy is “walking the walk.” Nice read.
Coach Dungy was, and is, a hero here in Indiana. His faith was a visible part of his complete self, he coached with that faith as a foundation, he dealt with his players with that faith underpinning his interaction, and he did all the ‘extra-curricular’ stuff that he did because of that faith – – and because of his Savior, Who was the One Who asked Tony to do all that, in the first place.
Go, Tony!!