Yesterday, Tony Dungy announcing his retirement from the NFL after seven years leading the Indianapolis Colts.
“We just felt this was the right time,” Dungy said. “Don’t shed any tears for me. I got to live a dream most people don’t get to live.”
The move triggered a succession plan Indianapolis put in place a year ago, making Jim Caldwell, the associate head coach, Dungy’s replacement.
Dungy had a 31-year NFL career, which started with Dungy winning a Super Bowl ring as a player in Pittsburgh and ended two years after he became the first black coach to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.He told owner Jim Irsay of his decision Sunday.
The 53-year-old Dungy informed his staff of the decision Monday morning, then met with some players after the traditional one-week waiting period ended. Dungy and his wife, Lauren, spent the last five years discussing whether he should continue coaching.
Receivers coach Clyde Christensen, who served as Dungy’s assistant the last 13 years, said he was 95 percent certain Dungy would return as recently as Friday. Others, like safety Melvin Bullitt, were still hopeful Monday afternoon that Dungy would change his mind.
In an era when there were few black head coaches, Dungy helped open the door to rising stars and a growing number of minority candidates. Among those from his Tampa Bay staff who have had head coaching jobs are Herm Edwards, now with Kansas City, Chicago’s Lovie Smith, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and former Detroit coach Rod Marinelli.
Dungy also set league records for most consecutive playoff seasons (10) and consecutive 12-win seasons (six), and leaves with the highest average of regular-season victories of any coach in league history (10.7).
The decision came a little more than a week after the Colts lost their first playoff game for the second straight season, and it ends a coaching career in which Dungy reached one NFC Championship Game and two AFC Championship Games.
In addition, Dungy finished his six-year tenure in Tampa and his seven-year stint in Indy as the career leader in victories for both franchises, finishing with an overall record of 148-79.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.
