Tony Dungy
The head coach who built the foundation for the Buccaneers' first Super Bowl championship.
via Wikipedia: Tony Dungy · see source
Tony Dungy is the head coach who turned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from one of the league's worst franchises into a perennial contender. Hired on January 22, 1996, by Rich McKay, Dungy took over a team well known for its lack of success. Through the implementation of his version of the Cover 2 defense—which became known as the Tampa 2—he brought new success to the Buccaneers, leading them to four playoff appearances in six seasons. Though he was fired after the 2001 playoffs due to frequent postseason struggles, he is credited with constructing the team that won Super Bowl XXXVII the following year. His 56 victories were the most in Buccaneers history until 2008.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Safety
- Born
- 6 October 1955
- Birthplace
- Jackson, Michigan, U.S.
- High school
- Parkside (Jackson)
- College
- Minnesota (1973–1976)
- Former teams
- Pittsburgh Steelers (1977–1978)
- San Francisco 49ers (1979)
- New York Giants (1980)
Lore & Background
Dungy's coaching philosophy was shaped by his time under Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh. He learned from Noll that it takes all 53 players on the team to win, so a coach should train the 53rd player on the roster as he would the third player. This became the spine of Dungy's own coaching philosophy: the Next Man Up theory of calm coaching. Dungy stressed that a team should have a thought process, a philosophy, and the conviction to stick with it, even if personnel change during games because of injuries. He also stressed that coaches are essentially teachers. His protege, Lovie Smith, observed, "We talked about how to do it, being a teacher instead of screaming and yelling, all that stuff... I think what Tony Dungy showed me is you don't have to act that way."
Reader's Guide
Tony Dungy's tenure with the Buccaneers lasted from 1996 through the 2001 season. He led the team to four playoff appearances in six seasons, missing the playoffs only twice. His 56 victories were the most in Buccaneers history until Jon Gruden surpassed him with his 57th win in 2008. Dungy was fired after the 2001 playoffs because he could not get the team to the Super Bowl, but he is now credited with developing the team's championship-caliber foundation. The following season, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, their first appearance in the championship game. On offense, Dungy's strategy involved a conservative, ball-control offense based primarily around running the ball and short, high-percentage passes.
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