Tony Dungy coached his final NFL season in 2008. In the decade since then, along with being part of the NFL on NBC broadcast team, he has become a sort of guru within the NFL players' community. Dungy even published a book in 2010 entitled "The Mentor Leader" and was one of the driving forces in reincorporating Michael Vick to the NFL.
Considering the ongoing national anthem situation in the NFL, Dungy has been turned to for advice inside and outside the players' bubble. When appearing on Fox & Friends on Wednesday morning, Dungy spoke about the situation saying:
"I know a lot of these young men and they are trying to be a voice for people who don't have a voice, and that's what the Bible tells us to do, so I respect that.
"I respect Jim Brown's position. If I was still coaching, what I would do is tell my players, 'Let's come in and talk, tell me your issues -- what you're upset about, what are some solutions -- and I'll give you 10 minutes of my press conference every week. I'm going to give you a voice, give you a platform.' Maybe not use the three minutes before the game during the national anthem.
"I would stand because I personally think that's the way to go, but I know my dad was in the service, he was in the military. That's why he fought, that's why he enlisted in World War II, to give us the freedom of choice to do what we think is best."
“I would stand” -Fmr. NFL coach @TonyDungy weighs in on anthem kneeling after Jim Brown says he’d never kneel pic.twitter.com/qca249TDup
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 8, 2018
Robert Littal of Black Sports Online noted Fox News used the headline, "National Anthem Outrage" while Dungy was on screen and used only the quote, "I would stand" in the tweet for the video clip.
Here is your media lesson of the day. Tony Dungy I'm sure had good intentions and said several things in favor of players, but if you look at the FOX NEWS taglines they say "National Anthem Outrage" and their tweet says "I WOULD STAND says Tony Dungy".
— Robert Littal (@BSO) August 8, 2018
As I have mentioned several times, if you are a black person in media, FOX NEWS will put you on, not because they want your opinion, but because they can flip your opinion to their MAGA audience. See this nice black gentleman said he'd stand, NFL Players are wrong.
— Robert Littal (@BSO) August 8, 2018
On Thursday morning, ThePostGame had the opportunity to talk with Tony and Lauren at the NFL Experience in Times Square before the couple read their two new children's books, Austin Plays Fair and Maria Finds Courage to a group of children from Boys & Girls Clubs of New York. We simply asked Tony what he would write as a title, in order to clear up any confusion.
"My headline would be, 'The Dungys support the players’ right to be out-front for social change,'" Dungy says. We support any way they want to do it, but the idea is to try to make the situation better. I thought that was a very deceptive headline. I would personally stand, but I supportthose who don’t stand."
Dungy went on to discuss why players gravitate toward his mentorship, saying, "I think it's because I really think I try to represent god's point of view and try to talk about things biblically and I think people appreciate that. I'm not taking one side or another or anti-this. I try to give them good sound advice."
.@JeffEisenband let @TonyDungy and @LaurenDungy write their own headline for @NFL players and the national anthem: 'We support the players' right to be out-front for social change.' pic.twitter.com/mN670wOiPF
— ThePostGame (@ThePostGame) August 9, 2018
Austin Plays Fair and Maria Finds Courage are part of a series of children's books the Dungys will be rolling out together. They are each actually in the books as fictional versions of themselves, and a lucky kid will have the opportunity to win their own role in an upcoming book.
Earlier this week, @TonyDungy and @LaurenDungy published two children's books, 'Austin Plays Fair' and 'Maria Finds Courage.' In the books, the two are represented by fictional versions of themselves, "Coach Tony" and "Coach Lauren." pic.twitter.com/hPtVpbAGEw
— ThePostGame (@ThePostGame) August 9, 2018
-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.