September Father Dungy Night Appears Imminent
April 20th, 2018
Tampa Bay still has plenty of worthy names to induct into their Buccaneers Ring of Honor, and this year’s schedule appears to make the choice a slam dunk.
For those unaware, Hall of Fame coach Father Dungy didn’t just patrol the sidelines for the Bucs and Colts. He also won a ring as a defensive back for the Steelers, even tackling Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett late in Super Bowl XIII.
Now an analyst on Sunday Night Football, Joe believes Dungy, who still lives in Tampa, is primed to be inducted into the Ring of Honor when the Bucs host the Steelers on Monday Night Football on Sept. 24.
It’s really a no-brainer, unless Dungy declines an offer for some reason.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:12 am
He deserves to go in. Not my first choice but he has earned it.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:14 am
As he deserves, how can you not induct the man that turned around the horrible Bucs team at the time and helped build and coach one of the most dominant defenses that Tampa was known for. Great Man, Great Coach, and Great Person. Congrats Coach Dungy!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 9:16 am
I will always remember Tony’s first press when he stated he was going to build a winner. He was actually serious. Tony exceed expectations. His only mistake was cutting the offence too much slack.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:16 am
Let’s change the name of the ring of honor to the ring of very good.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:28 am
If you don’t think Dungy deserves the ring of honor you aren’t a real buc fan. I’m sorry.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:31 am
One could argue that Tony’s ability to craft a defensive staff was akin to Walsh’s acumen in staffing up SF’s offensive unit. Both spawned a pretty substantial coaching tree (with varying degrees of success). Those early years, even 1996, were special. You could feel it coming together under his quiet confidence/leadership. He was the right coach at the right time. Go back and watch the season recaps: 1997 and 1999 stick out. He was also the must frustrating coach we’ve ever had- slow starts, pedestrian offenses, and the mantra of “simplify and execute.” Tony’s D here was good enough to win multiple Super Bowls. So was his O in Indy. That being said, he did the one thing no one thought he could do…make this team relevant!
What’s old is new…we haven’t been relevant in a decade. We can use a little Tony right now. Actually, we could use a lot of him.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:36 am
Agreed derrickbrooksforgm
April 20th, 2018 at 9:38 am
Fine….but WHAT ABOUT JAMES WILDER ????????????????????????????????
April 20th, 2018 at 9:39 am
Without a doubt, the best coach Tampa has had.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:48 am
What about Lars Tate
April 20th, 2018 at 9:50 am
Meh
April 20th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Unlike the HOF, I firmly believe he deserves to be in the Ring.
April 20th, 2018 at 9:59 am
Break the curse. Put him in.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:09 am
While I do agree Tony Dungy should be in the Ring of Honor, there is somewhat of an argument to keep him out. His Playoff record with the Bucs isn’t special (2 wins in 4 playoff appreances), an Offense that was below average, and was nothing that opposing defenses feared. Like it or not, most Bucs games with Tony Dungy’s offense was like watching paint dry. There were a few exceptions, but watching an offense that seemed to at max score 17 points a game was like watching a High School Offense. Again, I believe Tony Dungy should be in the Ring of Honor. After all, he changed the Culture from a Losing mindset to a Championship mindset. While I don’t give him 100% credit for the Super Bowl Victory, I say he gets a large amount of it. Without the Defense that he and Monte Kiffin’s Staff constructed, the Eagles would have won Super Bowl 37, and the Bucs probably would’ve never made the Playoffs at all through 1997-2002.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:37 am
@Frank Pillow
Well stated Frank.
@U of Seffner
Agree. Tony Dungy was the first coach who took the Bucs from being an annual joke in this league into contenders. He turned it around and for that accomplishment alone he deserves to be in.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:38 am
John McKay.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:46 am
A lot of you were in Diapers Or Holdin moms hand. But Dungy was the 1st Buc coach who took the team to respectability. We were the laughing stock of the NFL back then. Teams had a plethera of bad and funny nicknames for us as did NFL fans all across this great nation. yoU WILL ALWAYS GET A FEW>>Jackals who wll say Dungy is not deserving. But for those of us who endured those many terrible seasons, he’s a great choice and even perhaps our top choice.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:55 am
MJ…John McKay did it before free agency….
April 20th, 2018 at 11:00 am
the man won a SB as a player and coach and folks think he’s only very good…….SMH….what else does the man have to do…..not only that but one of the best QB’s in NFL history couldn’t sniff a SB until tony arrived….same with DF one of the best DE’s in NFL history…..tony made players better….he made coaches better…..
tony is very deserving for any and every accolades he receives……he’s a HOFer and should be in the ROH…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:04 am
I have NO problem with TD getting into the ROH…actually I am happy to hear it will be happening……BUT what about JAMES WILDER ?????????
April 20th, 2018 at 11:06 am
There is an article on nfl.com that specifically states the bucs asked for that Monday night game to induct him. So it’s not an if joe and it’s kind of a lame article.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:08 am
was tony an offensive guru or defensive guru?…….
was his defenses good if not great?…….
sure the offensive could’ve been better but to say he doesn’t deserve anything because of the offense is just stupid…….
look at who’s at the helm now…..he’s an offensive guru who’s offense and defense is underachieving……but folks have no problem with that…..SMDH…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:11 am
AlteredEgo..you are correcto Mundo there Sir. Mckay did it too! And he was much more comical than Dungy ever was!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:12 am
What about JAMES WILDER….. ?
April 20th, 2018 at 11:13 am
THE FATHER DUNGY !!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:22 am
Tony1, please back up that claim with a link as I can’t find anything related to that.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:23 am
Not 1st coach to do it – but the Bucs had lost for 13 straight years. Not just lost but lost BAD for 13 straight years – mostly all double digit loss seasons.
That was a painful time to be a Bucs fan (83>95).
Newer Buccaneer fans who did not endure those years have no idea what futility actually feels like as a sports fan. Those who think the last nine years of Dom/Raheem/Schiano/Licht/Lovie/Koetter have totally sucked have no idea what SUCK actually means.
Tony Dungy (with a little drafting help from Rich McKay and Sam Wyche) guided this franchise out of that deep dark hole into real respectability.
Tony quickly turned this team into a winning franchise and perennial playoff participant.
He fielded one of the most dominating defenses in league history and spawned a pretty damn respectable coaching tree that still to this day carries relevance (Tomlin, Marinelli, Caldwell, Frazier, Joe Barry, Mike Shula).
In summation – any suggestion that Tony Dungy does not belong in the Buccaneers Ring of Honor is pure nonsense.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:26 am
I agree that dungy should be in the ring of honor!!!!! I don’t believe he is a hall of famer though!!!!!!! I can see during the induction speech, dungy’s mic will cut out and Coach Gruden will come out and finish the JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:43 am
Totally deserves it.. I might make the trip from NC just to be there.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:45 am
WELL DESERVED!!! Dungy is unsurpassed in the class category!!! Always admire, and always respect the man!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Joe Says:
April 20th, 2018 at 10:38 am
Tony Dungy was the first coach who took the Bucs from being an annual joke in this league into contenders.
John McKay.
For that alone he deserves it. The longer you go without the platoffs the harder it is because of the constant turn over. I Give Rich Mcay some credit too.
April 20th, 2018 at 12:09 pm
My vote is for Sabby Piscatelli. Baaaaahhhh
April 20th, 2018 at 12:30 pm
How can the leading rusher and receptions leader not be in the ROH. James Wilder
April 20th, 2018 at 12:35 pm
I guess Tony deserves to be in the ring, he built a devastating defense, but I can’t forget his refusal to build an offense. When he dumped OC Les Steckel who’s Off been the teams best ever gets fired bc of personal differences, ie… Les cursed like a military DI & that wasn’t “Tony’s way”. Funny how when he was hired in Indy, the owner tells him, he’s got no control of the offense, defense only. Payton had more say so then Tony. Remember the 4th down play vs NE were Tony sends in the punt team only to have Manning wave them off. He’d never been fired had he put a little more effort in offense. Those teams should had more then 1 SB game. That Def was Steelers like in 70’s except we had no Terry, Lynn, HOF OL etc.. on offense.
April 20th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Dbrooksforgm
Agree buddy. Not only are you not a buc fan but you’re not a football fan. Not very smart either. An old enough real buc fan who lived through every season knows how important and good of a coach he was. Put him in
April 20th, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Dungy is definitely worthy but what about Hardy Nickerson?
April 20th, 2018 at 2:08 pm
I always thought Dungy was over rated myself. He built a dominant D but had Wyche’s help. Never could win big games. Constant 1st round eliminations because of his ineptness on offense. Fortunately for him, our history is dismal so he was a shoe in for this. But only after Gruden, the real greatest HC in our teams history.
April 20th, 2018 at 2:08 pm
And stop calling ppl bad fans because they dont agree with your opinion. Sheesh, the stupidity is astounding.
April 20th, 2018 at 2:35 pm
darin Says:
April 20th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Dbrooksforgm
Agree buddy. Not only are you not a buc fan but you’re not a football fan. Not very smart either. An old enough real buc fan who lived through every season knows how important and good of a coach he was. Put him in
^^^I don’t think you understood what I wrote. Go read it again ya DUMB FAK LOL
April 20th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Is Errict Rhett up for consideration?
April 20th, 2018 at 4:50 pm
There really are not many more options…Ronde…Wilder maybe…kinda
Meh on Dungy …we will have a drought until softie93 is put up. And just because I don’t think Dungy is Vince Lombardi does not make me not a real fan…season tix since 1979….I have seen much more Bucs FB than most of you ever will.
April 20th, 2018 at 5:18 pm
Dungy could not win the big prize but… he sure as heck turned this franchise around ! Complete U turn ! Was it 14 consecutive double digit losing seasons ? Total misery as a loyal Buc fan back in those days . Yes McKay had a couple good years but Dungy way out preformed McKay ! This team was a total travesty when he arrived . Only the poor souls that survived it can really appreciate what Dungy accomplished !
April 21st, 2018 at 4:48 pm
Still can’t believe how ruthless the glazers were when they fired him
Also i Never understood why the players didn’t play harder for him
Prob should have been the first person inducted