On January 14, 2002, Tony Dungy was thrusted into transition. A type of transition coaches in the National Football League know all too well. A league known for shuffling coaches more rapid than card decks in a Las Vegas casino. The NFL is the league of “what have you done for me lately?” Riddled with pressure and high expectations.

After arriving in Tampa Bay as the head coach of the Buccaneers in 1996, Dungy went to work rebuilding a fractured franchise. After a 6-10 record in his first season at the helm things began to turn. In 1997 he led them to the playoffs. After a 5-0 start to the season, the Bucs held on to make the playoffs and earn the franchise's first postseason win in their history. Dungy built a bedrock foundation in the organization. He preached character. He developed men, and he entrusted his coaches to lead and coach their position groups. In the playoffs they were knocked out by the eventual champion but it was a tremendous step in the right direction. 

After narrowly missing the playoffs the next season, they rebounded for a division title in 1999. They would ultimately fall in the NFC championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. For the next two seasons, Dungy would lead the team to the playoffs on their 3rd and 4th consecutive trips after never making the playoffs before. Each year brought its own unique level of high expectations. In both 2000 and 2001 they fell in the first round, frustrating the fans of the franchise who became accustomed to playoff berths. The franchise was looking to make the next step and frustration began to grow towards Dungy’s leadership both in and out of the franchise. 

Despite taking the team to new heights and making playoff berths the norm, the buzzards were beginning to circle around Tony Dungy in the 2001 season. After being eliminated in the playoffs again, the ownership group had decided to make a change at the top.

Tony Dungy would no longer be the head coach. 

On January 14, 2002 he entered the team's practice facility to clear out his office. An office he had come to spend as much time in as he did his own home. He packed his belongings in cardboard boxes. His children’s toys, his pictures of his family, his own playbooks and whistles, all while being uncomfortably monitored by a facility security guard. He was unwelcome in his own home. As he packed his office, he sorted his belongings physically, while sorting his thoughts and emotions mentally and spiritually. Being fired can do a number to even the most secure psyques. Deep down he knew. He knew this marriage would end in divorce. NFL coaches don’t stay long in their role. Despite building the Bucs into a consistent contender, his efforts simply were not enough to get the team over the hump.

As he loaded his belongings into his SUV driven by his wife, it began to pour in Tampa. Light rain turned into steady rain as the clock approached midnight. The gloomy storms were fitting for the confusing, and frustrating ending as the leader of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What started as his first head coaching gig, ended with him wondering if he would ever coach again.

Over the coming days Coach Dungy would wonder if God was moving him out of coaching entirely. He was active in multiple faith based organizations in Tampa Bay. Together, he and his wife wondered if this was a transition orchestrated by God to move their family into a new season. The confusion and wandering abounded for days. Would he transition into a ministry role with Fellowship of Christian Athletes? Would he pour his efforts into a prison ministry a friend led in the Tampa area? Was it time to give his whole heart to the ministry of their home church in Tampa.

Quite frankly, Coach Dungy didn’t know what was in store. He only knew God was leading him, and he wanted more than anything to receive guidance and direction from God. Coach Dungy was fully prepared to transition into a new life outside of coaching, should that be what was in store. While managing all the uncertainty, Dungy was also managing his emotions from the transition. It hurts to be let go. It is frustrating, and embarrassing to be forced into moving on. It was difficult to pour five years of brutally hard work into a franchise only to be let go when the finish line was near. Beyond wondering if he would ever coach again, Dungy began to wrap his mind around the idea that he would never be a Super Bowl Champion coach. 

Dungy didn’t have to wait long in the unemployment line fortunately. Eight days after being let go by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers another NFL franchise came calling. After returning home, Dungy received a voice message on the answering machine from the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay. After recently letting their head coach go, the Colts were in need of a new leader. Irsay had a specific vision for where he wanted the organization to go, and he had a specific man in mind for who could take the organization there. He invited Dungy and his wife to Indianapolis to discuss further. Upon arriving, Irsay did not pull punches. 

“I want an organization that emphasizes character, values, and family. You’re the only person I want for the job.”

It was Dungy’s job to turn down. Despite being let go from one franchise, another franchise viewed him as the “only person for the job.” A few other teams emerged as potential landing spots for the Dungy’s. In a week’s time Dungy went from wondering if he would ever coach again, to choosing what destination best suited him.

He chose the opportunity with character, values, and family as the pillars. The Dungy’s were heading to Indianapolis to coach a group of emerging players led by a young quarterback named Peyton Manning.

Dungy quickly went to work, implementing the only system he knew. He led the organization in the same manner as he did in Tampa. He coached for character, and trusted his assistant coaches to get their position groups in order. The Colts began to rise in the league. He led the Colts to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons in Indianapolis. In each of his first four seasons leading the Colts they were knocking on the door, unable to make the jump to the Super Bowl. 

In 2006, they were primed and ready for a deep run. In the first round the Colts defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. In the next round, they upset the favorite in the Baltimore Ravens. In the AFC championship game, they took down the New England Patriots to become the AFC champions. With the win, they were heading to the Super Bowl. They would take on the Chicago Bears. On February 4, 2007, the Indianapolis Colts, built on character, values, and family, defeated the Bears 29-17 to become Super Bowl Champions. Five years after packing his things on a rainy night in Tampa Bay, Tony Dungy was a super bowl champion head coach.

Character Wins

There are few qualities that can better prepare a leader for transition quite like character. Not many attributes are able to bolster change management like our character. Being rooted in character has a way of helping a leader embrace change because generally things have a way of working out for people of high character. And even if things do not work out, a leader of high character can rest knowing they are living upright. Having high character does not mean you won’t be let go from a job, or passed up for other opportunities. It guarantees little beyond the security in knowing you are the same person from room to room. In the end, the real win is the character we possess in private. When the skill is even, a career built on character will frequently lead to an answering machine with a message about an opportunity.  

The Only Person For The Job

What a powerful concept to dream of. The idea that there may be a job or position or vocation out there where you are uniquely positioned to be “the only person wanted for the job.” In reality, I believe we’re all searching for that position. We spend days in jobs that aren’t fulfilling dreaming of the job in which it is tailor made for us. Perhaps that job does exist. The dream takes on a little weight when we study Tony Dungy. The job he was best suited for, he held for seven years. He retired on his own terms after the 2008 season. Certainly he was qualified to hold the position as long as he wanted. Tony Dungy remains one of the greatest coaches in the history of the league. It is intriguing to think, the job he was best suited for, the job he was the only target for - only held his attention for seven years. Building a life of loving the lord, growing in character and discipline, leading with your own personal strengths and giftings will open a lot of doors. But those doors will never be the prize.

Character, values, and family will always be where the satisfaction lies.

Stay The Course,

JB