Tony Dungy Announces Retirement

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy announced his retirement from the National Football League today. I was saddened — but not shocked — to hear the news earlier this afternoon that the Colts had scheduled a 5 p.m. presser. I anticipated what was coming. I didn’t feel it would do coach Dungy justice to pull quotes from a transcript, so here’s the whole thing.

Coach Dungy has always been one of my favorite NFL coaches and he’s been an inspiration to me in my own life. I greatly respect who he is as a person and as a football coach. When you look at what he did on the football field, it’s really incredible. He’s the only NFL head coach to have six straight seasons of 12 or more wins. That’s almost unfathomable. And he’s the only NFL head coach to have 10 consecutive playoff appearances. That means he’s been in the playoffs every year since 1999. Wrap your head around that stat. And of course, he was the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl. I could go on and on. He’s a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer and I’m counting the days to his induction. But it’s who he is and what he’s done off the field that’s even more impressive. Coach Dungy’s focus has always been and will always be on treating people right and caring for others. I can honestly say, he’s as good a role model as you will find. And a class act.

Look for coach Dungy’s new book, Uncommon, in stores next month.