THIS IS EPISODE 74 OF THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST
Clyde Christensen has been a part of the NFL coaching fraternity for more than 20 years. He began his coaching career in college in the late 1970s and moved to the NFL in 1996 with Tony Dungy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Coach Christensen later followed Dungy to the Indianapolis Colts, where in 2006, they were a part of winning Super Bowl XLI, beating the Bears 29-17.
Clyde was the wide receivers coach, quarterback coach and offensive coordinator during his time with the Colts from 2002 to 2015.
In 2016, Clyde moved to Miami and became the offensive coordinator for the Dolphins. He held that position until January of 2018 when he was re-assigned in a new role as senior offensive assistant coach.
On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Clyde about coaching Peyton Manning, what makes him so special, preparing for a Super Bowl, how he navigates being a man of faith with being an NFL coach, and what he learned watching Tony Dungy live out his Christian walk during his coaching career, and now as a broadcaster.
TIMELINE:
3:20 – What makes Tom Brady and the Patriots so great.
5:30 – How to beat New England in the Super Bowl.
8:10 – The Patriots dynasty.
9:40 – Preparing for the Super Bowl and what the week looks like.
11:30 – Memories of the Super Bowl and going for a walk with Tony Dungy.
14:30 – His relationship with Peyton Manning.
16:00- Seeing Peyton Manning’s kids get dedicated to the Lord.
18:15 – Starting his coaching career, moving around and trying balance being a husband and dad.
24:05 – What Tony Dungy means to him and what coaching “the right way” means.
33:15 – Sharing Christ with a player and seeing him come to know the Lord.
36:35 – Being a husband and a dad.
41:05 – His new role with the Dolphins.
43:05 – Why he’s never been a head coach in the NFL.
46:55 – What the Lord is teaching him right now.
QUOTES:
“Nick Foles is a neat Christian man, a guy I’ve gotten to know. I coached him in the Pro Bowl. I’m excited for him and we have the same goal to see New England go down.”
“Nick Foles, I’m a gigantic fan. I’m on his bandwagon. I’d probably be on anyone’s bandwagon against New England, but Nick Foles, doubly so.”
“I see it as a calling. It’s not just a job, it’s a calling. I see it as what God has called me to do.”
“This job is never on auto-pilot and I’m always dependent on the Lord.”
“Treating people right and not compromising your family. Get the work done and get home. [Tony Dungy] kept a perspective that it was still about family.”
“He treated people right. Whether it was the janitor or Peyton Manning, he treated everyone the same. And he looked at his job as a platform to share Christ.”
“It’s still about God. It’s about Him and I and our relationship.”
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RELATED STORIES:
– Around the Net – Ben Utecht reflects on Peyton Manning
– Tony Dungy Quotable
– Football Sunday 2018: Seek, Surrender, Serve
– Download the Football Sunday edition of Sports Spectrum Magazine
