Steelers' Art Rooney Gave Tony Dungy A Simple Ultimatum During His Rookie Year

There's a saying that the Pittsburgh Steelers use in reference to anyone that steps onto the field: "Once a Steeler, always a Steeler." There are many players and coaches that are remembered as Steelers, even if they spent the bulk of their career elsewhere. For example, Tony Dungy spent two seasons as a player for the team, as well as eight years as a coach. Despite the fact that he won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts, many people still remember him as an assistant coach under Chuck Noll. 

Part of the reason that Dungy is known as a Steelers is because that's how he was told to live his life. While appearing as a guest on a podcast hosted by Sports Spectrum, he went into detail about that conversation with "The Chief," Art Rooney, and how that conversation changed his life.

"I got to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a 21-year-old rookie, and Art Rooney Sr. was our owner. As a rookie, when you made the team, Mr. Rooney invited you in, he said 'Congratulations,' but he also said something that was really unique. He said 'You're a Steeler now, and we have high expectations of you. You're going to represent our family; you're going to represent the football team; you're going to represent the city, and we want you to represent it the right way. Whenever you do anything from now on, it's not going to be Tony Dungy, but it's going to be Pittsburgh Steeler Tony Dungy...that's a responsibility, and we expect you to do that really well.'"

By this time, the Steelers had already established a culture of winning with two Super Bowl wins, and they were looking for more. If Dungy wanted to stick around, especially as an undrafted free agent, he had to embrace the "Steeler Way" and prove that he could be a model Steeler, both on and off the field.  

Keeping a job with a potential dynasty was not easy, but Dungy would do his best make it work, and he had some shining moments in Pittsburgh as well. 

Dungy Embraced Steelers Football

For starters, Dungy had to change positions after the Steelers signed him. He shifted from quarterback to defensive back just to make the team, and he had some shining moments. In his second season in 1978, he became a quality piece of the Steel Curtain. He intercepted six passes and recovered two fumbles in route to the Steelers' third Super Bowl win. Dungy helped the Steelers officially become a dynasty. 

The Steelers let him walk in free agency after that championship win, but they didn't close the door on him entirely. After he was cut by the New York Giants in 1980, he took up coaching. The Steelers hired him in 1981 as a defensive backs coach, then later promoted him to defensive coordinator. After new owner Dan Rooney forced Noll to demote Dungy after 1988, he opted to leave the team, but he did not forget the Steeler Way. 

Dungy would eventually become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he became famous with his Tampa 2 defense, as well as training a future Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin. He would help build up a championship team, but he did not win the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. Dungy brought the Tampa 2 defense to Indianapolis, where he would win his first and only Super Bowl as a coach. 

Nowadays, he lives to inspire many others like he did when he worked in football; this time, it was through his books and media outlets. He may not have had his greatest achievements as a Steeler, but he still lives his life as a Steeler as Art Rooney told him too, and that is why many people see him as a Steeler.

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