One more season for Dungy and Colts
Tony Dungy is staying put — for now.
Indianapolis, IN - Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy announced in a press conference Monday that he will return to the team as head coach in 2008, ending over a week’s worth of speculation that his six- year tenure with the team might be ending.
“The process was not that much different than the last three years,” Dungy said. “My decision was, ‘Can I give my family and the franchise the energy and attention that they both deserve?’ My decision was that I could.”
Colts owner Jim Irsay and general manager Bill Polian also addressed the topic of Dungy’s successor, formally announcing that Jim Caldwell would become associate head coach, but not conceding that 2008 would be Dungy’s final season.
“We and Jim (Caldwell) are mutually contractually committed that he will be the head coach if and when Tony decides to step down as head coach,” Polian said. “The only change is that Jim is being named associate head coach and that will give him the opportunity to be more intimately involved in the decision-making process.”
There had been speculation that Dungy would step down from his position just one year after winning the Super Bowl, but he maintained throughout the past week that he would make his decision public by Monday. The Colts were eliminated from this year’s playoffs last Sunday in a 28-24 loss to the San Diego Chargers.
“It was a mutual decision on the part of my wife and I that we want to go forward, and we’re excited about it,” Dungy said, then adding, “I wouldn’t come back if I didn’t think we had a chance to win.”
Dungy has spent the past six seasons with the Colts, reaching the playoffs each year with at least 10 victories. He has a regular-season record of 73-23, including 13-3 this past season, with Indianapolis — winning five straight AFC South titles.
Before taking over the Colts prior to the 2002 season, Dungy spent six years as the head coach of Tampa Bay. He had a regular-season mark of 54-42 with the Buccaneers, guiding them to four playoff appearances.
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