Tony Dungy understands that a championship like the one his Indianapolis Colts seized on Sunday night is a collaborative accomplishment. But he also understands the social ramifications of becoming the first African-American to serve as head coach of a Super Bowl winner … and he knows that, too, is a collaborative accomplishment, one that happened because of the men who came before him and didn’t have the chance that he gained in 1996 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tapped him to reverse over a decade of dreary results.
And included in that lineage is one of the Broncos’ first stars, wide receiver Lionel Taylor, whose coaching career flourished in the 1970s, but ended up one step shy of his goal of manning an NFL sideline.
“This is for all the guys who came before me,” Dungy said. “When I came into this league in 1981, Jimmy Raye and Sherman Lewis and Lionel Taylor, those guys were in the league already and great coaches that I know could have done this if they would have been given the chance. The Lord gave me and (Chicago head coach) Lovie (Smith) the chance, but we’re certainly not the best, and certainly not the most qualified. I know there’s some other guys that could have done it if they’d been given the chance.”
Taylor was on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ staff in the mid-1970s as a part of two Super Bowl winners By the late ’70s, Taylor was offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, while Chuck Noll’s Steelers had procured a former college quarterback was trying to make the conversion to pro safety. That young player’s name? Tony Dungy.
Taylor was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in Super Bowl XIV, but two years later, he was dismissed, having never had the chance to interview for an NFL head-coaching position.
Eventually, Taylor would become a pro head coach … but had to do so across the Atlantic Ocean, for the England Monarchs of NFL Europe. Nevertheless, his sideline legacy became clear late Sunday night … and it’s one at least as noteworthy as the on-field kudos he earned with the Broncos in becoming the franchise’s leading receiver and establishing standards that wouldn’t be surpassed for three decades.
You can read more about Taylor and the esteem in which he is held in this story from the Palm Beach Post.
Tags: Lionel Taylor, Ring of Fame
I was born in ’78, but wasn’t Lionel Taylor a GREAT player? Why isn’t he in the Hall? What is the deal with the NFL and the Denver Broncos? It seems we get snubbed by the league when it comes to recognition in the Hall of Fame. Wasn’t there a WR who was the first to have 100 catches in a season? What about the Orange Crush defense? Were all those guys subpar players who just got lucky to have been able to shut down other teams? It makes no sense to us younger generation Broncomaniacs(me since I was 6), but when will Pat Bowlen inquire about this injustice? We deserve to be recognized as an organization as well…one player in the Hall of Fame just isn’t right for an organization who has been to more Super Bowls than 30 other teams. Cowboys 8, Broncos 6, Steelers 6….
Not to mention the ’98 Broncos not even in the top 10 in that stupid America’s Game rankings. A team goes 13-0, closer to perfection than any other since the ’72 Dolphins, and dominates the entire league, yet isn’t considered one of the top 10 single season teams of all time. Go Figure.
Blah…I needed the rant today…getting over some nasty stomach flu.
I am offended by the repeated references to Tony Dungy being the “First Black Coach…” or the “Best Black Coach”! I wouldn’t care if he were green, he is where he is from his own hard work and knowledge. He is the World Champion Coach. To say anything about his race infers that there is a better coach for the team but he isn’t black and that is not the truth. I congratulate Tony… Nice Job! Well Done! You did it right!