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Detroit Lions’ fans have long craved Tony Dungy to either coach or run their franchise given his status as an accomplished leader, Super Bowl champion and Michigan native.
But Dungy took to Twitter on Sunday to let the masses know he doesn’t have interest in any of those things at this point. The Football Night in America studio analyst has been the subject of plenty of pleas from Lions fans online (as he is in any Detroit coaching search) and managed to finally respond to calls that he take over as the team’s general manager.
As Dungy said, he’s rooting for the Lions to get the right person to fill the job this offseason, but he doesn’t think that person is him.
That news will be a blow to scores of Lions fans who have long called for Dungy to take over in the Motor City. Even such, it never seemed plausible that Dungy would be a serious general manager candidate considering he has not had experience in that type of role. Dungy also seems very content not coaching anymore and remaining on the media side at this point in his life, meaning he’s not likely to be hopping to the Detroit sideline any time soon.
Tony Dungy’s Career Biography
Dungy, 65, was one of the more successful NFL coaches of the 1990s and 2000s considering his work in Tampa Bay and Indianapolis. Before that, Dungy was also a great player in the league, rising from the ranks of a prep star in Michigan to a Minnesota Golden Gophers star in college.
Dungy spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants as a defensive back. He captured all nine of his career interceptions and Super Bowl XIII in Pittsburgh, but would later make his biggest mark as a coach. After leading the Minnesota Vikings’ defense from 1992-1995, Dungy became the Buccaneers head coach in 1996, where he stuck until 2001. From 2002 to 2008, he led the Colts and captured Super Bowl XLI before his eventual retirement. Dungy finished with a 139-69 record as a coach in the league.
Since leaving the NFL, Dungy has worked for NBC Sports and looks happy at this point in his career, meaning it was never likely he’d leave the Lions, especially to take on an administrative role.
Where Lions’ General Manager Search Stands
While Dungy might not be in the mix for the gig, several other names will figure to arise in the coming weeks. Detroit has committed to change on a deep level for the future since firing Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia a few weeks ago. The franchise is now looking for a new voice in the front office to help set the tone from the top down.
An experienced name could be what the Lions need most considering the problems they’ve had on the field and with roster construction over the last handful of seasons.
Early on, former NFL general managers John Dorsey and Jerry Reese have been two candidates with the most traction and it’s no surprise that both of them are experienced. Look for those interviews to happen in the coming weeks after the conclusion of the 2020 regular season. Detroit has already completed interviews with three in-house candidates.
Sadly for Lions fans, Dungy isn’t going to place himself in the mix, even if he hopes the team from his home state makes the right hire.
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