Athlete Testimonies:

Tony Dungy

Tony Dungy's gimmick is not having a gimmick. After a decade that made anti-heroes cliche (the 1990s), Dungy's single most rebellious act may be the fact that he flies under the radar and lives quietly.

Tony Dungy spends a good deal of practice alone, and when he finds me afterward he walks toward me by himself, not surrounded by the usual heel-nipping entourage that most Public Figures carry with them.

"God has expectations of you in this business. You're a lamp and how you carry yourself is very important in the midst of the spiritual challenges." What challenges? "Remaining humble when you do well, and keeping a decent attitude when you're losing. You get the sense in this league that not everyone can end up the big winner. At the end of a season you have to evaluate the spiritual side of what you accomplish."

The Colts, both Christians and otherwise, keep a low profile, choosing instead to simply "bang somebody up" and take care of their business on the field. In a league of chest bumps and fingers pointed toward the sky where even faith is a commodity, less is more on this team. As far as coach Tony Dungy is concerned, that's just fine.

Uncommon Challenge