Tony Dungy May Want To Coach Lions Says It's A ‘Perfect Situation’ (1 Viewer)

[False Start]

Could he be throwing his hat into the ring or is he just taken out of context?

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/01/03/tony-dungy-to-return-to-coach-the-lions/#.UsgGYK8aWWV.facebook

Lions
Tony Dungy To Return To Coach The Lions? Calls Team, Owner A ‘Perfect Situation’January 3, 2014 10:23 AM
It seems like anytime a serious NFL head coach search ensues, one of the hottest names belongs to Tony Dungy — who led the Indianapolis Colts to a victory in Super Bowl XLI.

And it looked on Friday like he — kind of — threw his hat in the ring for the Detroit Lions job during an interview.

“If you were coming back and I had all these openings…. That’s the job I would want, I think they are the closest to the Super Bowl,” he said. “You look for things, you look for a franchise quarterback in this day and age. You want to have a passing game, because this game is all about passing.

“And you want people who can rush the passer and protect the lead, Detroit’s got all that and now you throw in two really good tight ends, (a) couple of running backs that can make things happen.”

He went on to heap praise on both the team — and Bill Ford Jr.

“They’ve got everything they need, and the division 8 wins won the division this year, so you’re in the right division and you have an owner that doesn’t meddle, he’s not gonna come in and tell you to play this guy, cut this guy, draft this guy — It’s a perfect situation. If I was ever coming back it would be for that job.”

Dungy coached the Colts from 2002-2008, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2001. As a head coach he has a career record of 139-69.

Dungy installed his version of the cover 2 defense in Tampa with Monte Kiffin in which is now known as the Tampa 2. The season following Dungy’s departure in Tampa they won the Super Bowl under Jon Gruden who is also one of the former coaches that people would like to see coach the Lions.

Jim Caldwell, who replaced Dungy in Indy after he retired, is interviewing with the Lions today.

Even though in the tweet it mentions Dungy doesn’t plan on returning to coaching, it is intriguing to hear him mention “coaching” and “the Lions” together.

Dungy, from Jackson, Mich., was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame in 2013.

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NBC SportsVerified account‏@NBCSportsOur @TonyDungy tells @dpshow that if he were to return, he would want the Lions job -- not that he's planning on it.

 

[jurb26]

Det could never be so lucky.

 

[Doubtingthomas]

He is what they need for sure. Change the culture first.

 

[Slider]

Does he know Manning is in Denver?

 

[Insein]

He could stablize Detroit enough to have a guy like Gruden come in after 4 or 5 years to win the Super Bowl for him.

 

[Premier]

I don't know how anybody could read that and interpret it as him saying he wants to come back.

 

[Da Guru]

I don't know how anybody could read that and interpret it as him saying he wants to come back.

They played the interview on local radio, did not hear where he said he wants to return. Also not a fan of coaches trying a comeback after 5-6 years out of the game. Be it Dungy or Gruden or Joe Gibbs, Jimmy Johnson whoever.

 

[The Dude]

He appears to be a great guy. I think he is a leader of great guys - but not sure he can handle all the thugs in Detroit.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

He appears to be a great guy. I think he is a leader of great guys - but not sure he can handle all the thugs in Detroit.

LOL yeah Reggie Bush and Calvin huge thugs

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

He was just saying out of all the teams, the Lions would be the most intriguing to him. However, he has to plans and does not want to return to the NFL to coach.

imo, the Lions will bring in Caldwell or Whisenhunt as their next coach.

 

[Bojang0301]

Why the hell didn't he tell Lovie that then? Lovie was the perfect fit for Det not a rebuilding Bucs team. Caldwell would be a bad choice. Ya he had a good season but it was the Barry Switzer effect.

 

[Warrior]

He appears to be a great guy. I think he is a leader of great guys - but not sure he can handle all the thugs in Detroit.

LOL yeah Reggie Bush and Calvin huge thugs

No, but the other 50 are

 

[mr roboto]

It's a very talented roster for sure, and Schwartz was an idiot, but something ain't right organizationally in Detroit. Continuing to underperform year in and out (see also, Dallas) is a leadership issue at the top.

 

[Demian]

He appears to be a great guy. I think he is a leader of great guys - but not sure he can handle all the thugs in Detroit.

LOL yeah Reggie Bush and Calvin huge thugs

You know exactly who he's talking about.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

You know exactly Suh he's talking about.

FYP

 

[flapgreen]

He appears to be a great guy. I think he is a leader of great guys - but not sure he can handle all the thugs in Detroit.

Agreed

 

[Raiderfan32904]

non sequitur

nothing about Tony D's comments allude to an impending return to coaching. he's an NFL commentator and they are paid to give their analysis. that's all this is.

 

[cvnpoka]

would be awful for calvin and staff

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Nothing since 1957 has ever been a "Perfect Situation" with the Lions.

 

[False Start]

Tony Dungy on a plane to Detroit. Here is a photo at the link.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/01/06/tony-dungy-on-a-plane-headed-to-detroit/

 

[jurb26]

Tony Dungy on a plane to Detroit. Here is a photo at the link.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/01/06/tony-dungy-on-a-plane-headed-to-detroit/

It's good to dream I suppose.

 

[Grahamburn]

He could stablize Detroit enough to have a guy like Gruden come in after 4 or 5 years to win the Super Bowl for him.

Still burns, doesn't it?

 

[Anarchy99]

They tweeted the info before he even finished talking about it. He said IF he were to return to coaching he would pick DET, but IIRC he also said he had no interest in coaching. I believe he also said if the job had presented itself 5-6 years then MAYBE he would have listened. Sounds like a case of the media trying to make their own news.

 

[Ilov80s]

Lions should do some negging, release an official statement praising what Dungy has done in the past, but state that the team is looking more towards the future of football. Maybe we can get him to chase us, he already sounds a little hot and bothered.

 

[Statorama]

I'd also like to be considered for the Lions head coaching job. It's the ideal coaching situation for me.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I'd also like to be considered for the Lions head coaching job. It's the ideal coaching situation for me.

Worked out well for The Schwartz. He's getting paid 12 Million to do nothing the next 2 years.

 

[Tornacl]

It's a very talented roster for sure, and Schwartz was an idiot, but something ain't right organizationally in Detroit. Continuing to underperform year in and out (see also, Dallas) is a leadership issue at the top.

Since William Clay Ford took over the Lions, he has hired 4 General Managers:

Russ Thomas (1967 - 1988): 138-175-9 (.443) Playoffs: 0-3

Chuck Schmidt (1989-2000): 95-97-0 (.495) Playoffs: 1-6

Matt Millen (2001 - 2007): 31-81-0 (.227) Playoffs - to quote Jim Mora "Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me? Playoffs? I'm just hoping we can win a game, another game."

Martin Mayhew (2008 - present): 23-59-0 (.280) Playoffs: 0-1

All of these GMs had one thing in common: None of them were ever GM for another organization before they were hired as the GM for the Lions. And for the three that left, none of them were ever hired as GM by another team afterward. I don't know whether any of them ever worked for another organization, but I would be surprised if any of them had worked for another team.

The Lions are perennially one of the worst-run organizations in sports, yet they always seem to chose people to run the team that are either in-house or from no house at all. Since the Lions are so poorly run, how could anyone that has only worked for the Lions have any idea how to properly run a team?

In my opinion, hiring a REAL GM, that has actually been in the GM pipeline for their career and worked for and helped to build a winning team is the Lions' biggest need. They need someone to come in and change the entire culture of the team. But, Mr. Ford is choosing to keep the Matt Millen-trained Mayhew with his stellar .280 winning percentage.