Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy, 53, has announced his retirement from pro football. Dungy led the Colts to a Super Bowl win in 2006 and his teams have had a record six consecutive seasons with 12 or more wins. Being the first black coach to win a Super Bowl and having only one losing season as a head coach with the Colts and Tampa Bay, Dungy looks like a lock to be in the Hall of Fame. He will be replaced by Colts quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell.
But for gay NFL fans, Dungy will be more remembered for his decision in 2007 to raise money for the virulently antigay Indiana Family Institute. Dungy spoke at the group’s dinner that year and raised $150,000, a record amount of money.
The IFI is opposed to gay marriage and Dungy said he supported that decision. “We’re not trying to downgrade anyone else. But we’re trying to promote the family — family values the Lord’s way,” Dungy said.
Dungy’s decision to endorse the political agenda of the IFI drew criticism in the gay community and media, but got little attention in the mainstream media. I suspect that was due to Dungy’s reputation as being one of the “good guys” in the NFL. In late 2007, HBO’s Bob Costas did finally pin down Dungy on his stance.
Costas: What if you had a player who was openly gay? Would that be alright with you?
Dungy: I’m sure I would talk to him about my views on it, what I think the Bible says about it. I would hope that I would give him the same respect as every other player, treat him exactly the same way I treat the other 52 guys, and show him the kind of love that I think the Bible says we are to show everyone.
Costas: And if he’s a good football player, he’s on the Colts.
Dungy: He would be, yes.
As I wrote then, Dungy has always struck me as a decent man, but he has a blind spot on the gay issue and I can’t respect him for that; too many people have used their religious beliefs to discriminate against gays and don’t tell me I have to accept it. I don’t see him as being a hater, but as we saw in the Prop. 8 debate in California, even the “nicest” religious people see no problem with voting against gay rights.
When I attended the Colts-Chargers game in San Diego last week as a guest of the team, Dave Kopay and I were part of the police escort to the stadium, my Toyota Avalon trailing two team buses. As he exited the team’s hotel en route to the bus, Dungy made eye contact with me sitting in my car waiting for the caravan to roll. He smiled and gave a hearty hello, and I wished the Colts well. I was curious what he would have thought had he seen the rainbow sticker on the back of my car and knew it contained two gay men and two Colts fans ready to cheer their lungs out for his team. I would hope it would have made no difference, but I am not sure.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 11:02 AM
You know, not for nothing, but that line in Costas Now is such blatant horseshit. Do you think that if Tony Dungy found out that, say for example, one of his players was involved with a girl that he would sit that person down and tell him that the bible condemns pre-marital sex?
When what you do off the field does not affect your performance on the field, having to talk about your personal life with the coach is not in ‘equal treatment’.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Speak for yourself regarding what gay NFL fans will remember Tony Dungy for more. For me, he will be most remembered as a pioneer in the league who is tied second with John Madden for the highest win % with a team (only behind George Seifert of the 49ers), holds an NFL record for 10 straight seasons making the playoffs, holds another NFL record for 6 straight seasons with at least 12 wins for a team, and is the first African American coach to have won the Super Bowl. I disagree with his stance on gays and lesbians but I don’t recall him making any slurs, and at least I know where he stands when it comes to the issue unlike many of the players we probably slobber over every week but some of whom probably say the most horrible things about us behind closed doors. I still respect the man and am sad to see him go.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Dungy is a good man and a good coach. His political and social beliefs are his, you dont have to agree with him.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 4:30 PM
I don’t agree with his social beliefs on gays since I find them bigoted and prejudiced.
As for his political views, I know he supported Obama, so I would agree with him on that.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 5:01 PM
I definitely side with Jim and Kelvin when it comes to my feelings about Tony Dungy.
Eating shellfish, touching dead pigs and associating with women during their time of the month – all are abominations in the sight of the Lord. But Tony Dungy and his kind ignore these and many other scriptures, as they fight against gay rights. They also ignore that Abraham, and many others in the Bible, were polygamists as they preach their ‘one man-one woman’ sanctity of marriage.
Mr. Dungy is a superb football coach and a quality man. But as a gay sports fan, it’s tough not to also remember his bigotry when it comes to gay rights.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Dungy said this yesterday: “”I think I’ve got a responsibility to be home a little bit more, be available to my family a little bit more and do some things to help make our country better.</i?”
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Nice typo there near the end. Way to go, me!
on Jan 15th, 2009 at 11:15 AM
So much for tolerance. Guess its better to bash someone with religious beliefs as a bigot or small minded because they dont walk lockstep with the gay community. You dont change minds or opinions by demonizing someone who disagrees with you. You just entrench the negative opinion further, ending any constructive dialogue.