Message To Tony Dungy: It’s Alright To Walk Away

Going out a winner regardless

There was widespread speculation last week that Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy was stepping down at the end of this season. With the Colts shocking Divisional Round loss yesterday to the San Diego Chargers, Dungy remains non-committal to his future in Indy.

The Colts front office is aware of Dungy’s son Eric leaving a local Indianapolis high school and enrolling in a Tampa Bay high school where the Dungy’s have a home.

Tony and his wife Lauren have 6 children, their son James died last December of an apparent suicide. Dungy would go on to lead the Colts to a Super Bowl victory, becoming the first African-American head coach to do so.

My message to Coach Dungy is this; It’s ok to walk away now. You’ve secured your place in the history of this great game and there is nothing left for you to prove.

You’ve faced the darkest hours of your life with a dignity, courage and faith that many of us could not have endured.

Joe Gibbs said last week that his one regret as a coach was that his wife had to be mother and father to their children and that he missed out on events in their lives that he can never get back. Gibbs’ 3 year-old grandson has been diagnosed with Leukemia, the realization that his family needs him now more than ever is something that Gibbs’ can no longer take for granted.

Andy and Tara Reid have lived the nightmare of raising drug-addicted children for years now and seem immune to the situation. Reid says that he will not step down because of this crisis. I concur to a point, I think about my own and what would I do. Without a second thought I have to be there for my son – because at the end of the day, it’s his blood on my hands. Sure one day our children become accountable for themselves, but as loving parents we still feel a sense of that accountability also.

These are just two of many cases that go on in the coaching ranks – professional, collegiate and scholastic.

Coach – You have given us more than we could ever ask. You have proven to be a leader of men on and off the field. When your players speak of you only the highest superlatives are used, in their words you can feel their reverence and love for you.

In your book Quiet Strength you speak about how the book came out not long after winning the Super Bowl and how you didn’t want it that way but somehow you said that “The Lord’s timing was right.”

Coach if you’re having thoughts of walking away from football. That may just be the Lord telling you that the time is right.