Coming out of the University of Minnesota as a quarterback, Tony Dungy expected to be picked in the 1977 NFL Draft.
During his time as a quarterback at Minnesota, Dungy was named the team MVP in 1975 and 1976 and even earned the Big Ten’s Medal of Honor in 1977, which recognized one student-athlete from the graduating class of each Big Ten member school for demonstrating joint athletic and academic excellence throughout their college career, according to the award’s history.
But despite such a resume, Dungy never heard his name called during the draft.
Appearing on the NBC Sports Football Night In America podcast with Jace Collinsworth and Rodney Harrison, Dungy revealed that he was following the draft that day, waiting for a phone call with his roommate and teammate, Mike Jones.
Jones got the call from the New York Giants in the 10th round of the 1977 draft from the New York Giants, setting off a celebration. But Dungy was still waiting for his phone call. Later that night, according to Dungy, he called the Associated Press in Minnesota and asked what round the draft was in. The reporter from the AP let him know the draft had been over for a few hours to that point, which let Dungy know he was undrafted.
“I said, ‘It can’t be over. My phone didn’t ring,'” Dungy recalled, according to video via the NBC Sports YouTube page. “So I walked out. I’m walking around campus just praying, ‘Lord, what happened? How could you let this happen to me? How do I not get drafted? What are you doing to me?’ And I was so down, and I thought I was gonna go to Canada, play for the Montreal Alouettes. And I just prayed about it and the next morning my phone rang and it was Coach [Chuck] Noll and the Steelers. ‘Hey, we don’t want you as a quarterback, but we got room for you if you want to sign.’
“And it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Dungy, of course, decided to sign with the Steelers, who already had won two Super Bowls to that point and were establishing a dynasty in the NFL, along with having the best defense in the league year after year.
Though he was a quarterback in college, Dungy made the transition to defensive back and stuck with the Steelers for 1977 and 1978. Dungy made the switch successfully to defensive back and then had a great 1978 season, intercepting six passes and helping the Steelers win their third Super Bowl in Super Bowl XIII over the Dallas Cowboys.
During his time in Pittsburgh, Dungy also made NFL history, becoming the most recent player to record and throw an interception in the same game, doing so on Oct. 9, 1977, after quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Mike Kruczek were injured against the Houston Oilers.
Following the 1978 season, Dungy signed with the San Francisco 49ers and spent one season in the Bay Area, playing in 15 games and starting seven. He then joined the New York Giants ahead of the 1980 season but was cut in training camp. He immediately transitioned into his coaching career, which saw him go on to win a Super Bowl as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in 2006, finishing with a career record of 148-79 as a head coach, earning an enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He was obviously upset about going undrafted after a stellar career at Minnesota. but, as he stated, it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Learning under the great Chuck Noll and getting a great experience with the Steel Curtain defense, set him up for success down the road as a high-level NFL head coach.
