Former Tampa Bay head coach Tony Dungy will be inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor at halftime during the Monday night match up against Pittsburgh. I'd say it's about time! Dungy was previously inducted into the Indianapolis Colts' Ring of Honor (2010) and don't forget about the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2016).
Dungy was at the helm as head coach for the Buccaneers for six seasons in which they made four playoff appearances, tied for third-most during that time span in the NFL. He ended his career with record of 54-42 during the regular season and a franchise-best .563 win percentage.
Tony Dungy is just an all-around great guy in my book. He has continued to be the epitome of a role model both on and off the field. His continued contributions and involvement in the Tampa Bay community have touched countless lives. According to the official Tampa Bay Buccaneers website, Bucs Owner & Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer made the following statement regarding Dungy.
Tony Dungy’s impact on the Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay community is not measured in terms of wins and losses,” Glazer said. “Tony transformed our entire organization and established a winning culture that set the foundation for the most successful era in our franchise’s history. Through his exceptional leadership, Tony set a new benchmark for excellence on and off the field that we still strive to achieve to this day.
The year following his departure from the Tampa Bay the Buccaneers went on to win the Super Bowl under new head coach Jon Gruden. While Gruden may have walked away with the Super Bowl ring, it was certainly Dungy that built the team. Nothing against Gruden, he is a great coach, but he couldn't hold a candle to Dungy in my opinion.
Tony Dungy will be the 12th member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor and he'll be in good company joining the likes of Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp and Leroy Selmon. I honestly can't believe it took Tampa this long to make it happen, this honor should have been his years ago.
The Bucs released the following statement form Dungy about his long overdue induction into the Bucs Ring of Honor.
I will always be grateful to the Glazer family for giving me my first opportunity to coach a team,” Dungy said. “It was an awesome time for me and my family as we encountered so many special players, staff members, and fans. This induction into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor puts a bow on all those great memories.
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