Dungy Retires

The NFL lost a great one today in the Colts' Tony Dungy. Not only was he a great coach, but he was also a mentor to both his players and fellow coaches around the league.

His playing career was nothing special, playing only three seasons. But he was hired as an assistant at the ripe young age of 25 and never looked back.

His teams made the playoffs in eleven of thirteen years with him at the helm, including the last ten years.

When he was first hired by the tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team had never had a winning season in their thirteen years of existance before Dungy arrived. He went on to compose a 54-42 regular season record with the Bucs and become the winningest coach in francise history and an NFC title game appearance in 1999.

Moving to Indy, Dungy's Colts made the playoffs all seven of his seasons, as he was paired with a quarterback named Payton manning, who was starting his fourth season when Dungy came into the organization.

The Colts and Dungy have won at least twelve games in each of the last six seasons, an NFL record. Dungy is the only coach in NFL history with six straight 12-win seasons and ten consecutive playoff appearances.

His seven seasons in Indy included five division titles and two AFC Championship games. Not only did Dungy's teams make the playoffs, they won.

But Dungy's career wasn't without pain.

In 2005, his oldest son, James, committed suicide, and Dungy spent a week away from the Colts. When he returned the next week, he was presented with the game ball from his players.

Dungy and the Colts went on to make it to the Super Bowl the next season, where their victory over the Bears allowed Dungy to become the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Take a look at this list:

Highest Winning % for Coaches with one team (min. 50 games)

1. George Seifert - 49ers - .766

t-2. John Madden - Raiders - .759

t-2. Tony Dungy - Colts - .759

4. Don Shula - Colts - .755

5. Vince Lombardi - Packers - .754

Dungy is still in what many would call his prime at the age of 53. But for Dungy, his priorities were always family, faith, and then football.

The ability for Dungy to walk out on his own terms is something that is not seen often, but the right move for a man who believes he has a higher calling.

For some, there is always debate over becoming a Hall of Famer.

For Tony Dungy, there is no debate. He should be a sure-fire Hall of Famer.

Although he will be missed on the football field, he will not fade away. He is just entering the second stage of his life.

(photo - nfl.com)