in NFL Articles

On the eve of Superbowl XXXVII, the Superbowl…and win.

Dungy has never been to the big dance before, which was a reason the Glazer family decided to release the signal caller in January of 2002. The Bucs traded away four draft picks and $8 million to acquire Jon Gruden, then coach of the Raiders, in a trade. Gruden, seemingly, was the missing piece, but even he knew that this was not his team.

Always known for his defensive focus, Dungy watched as the defense he had spent years building and perfecting, shut down Rich Gannon, eventually returning three picks for touchdowns. Imagine that. Watching the team that you built, release you and then go on to win the Superbowl. Ouch.

But now Dungy is poised for vindication. He has a new team now, and has for a the past five years. The Colts, previously coached by the fiery leprechaun known as Jim Mora Sr., have struggled defensively, though they have made the playoffs all five years.

Offense was never the problem for the stampeding Colts. It was their inability to keep points off the scoreboard that killed them year in and year out. In his first year as coach, Dungy was slaughtered by the England Patriots, a team that would become the Colts' bitter nemesis.

Last year, after going 13-0 to start the season (they ended up losing two games in the regular season), the Colts' hopes and dreams were shattered by a shoe-string tackle by Ben Roethlisberger on a Nick Harper fumble recovery. Mike “The Idiot Kicker” Vanderjagt then shanked a makeable field goal to lose the game for the Colts, who found themselves coming up short in the playoffs once again.

This past regular season has been much different. The team went 9-0 to start, but questions began to loom surrounding their porous defense and the inability of Peyton Manning and the offense to take over games like they used to. The Colts made the playoffs, but finished third in the AFC and questions were raised concerning their lack of defensive grit and toughness.

Safety Bob Sanders and defensive tackle Corey Simon were both out with serious injuries. Sanders has returned, in epic fashion, to add some fire to the defense. Simon was placed on the injured reserve with an undetermined injury.

Still, through the years, the Colts have become Dungy's squad. This team loves him, which was never more evident then when his eldest son tragically committed suicide just before the holidays in 2005. In that moment, Dungy and the Colts bonded through overwhelming tragedy, becoming a unit that loves and respects each other.

The praise Dungy receives from the media, other coaches and figureheads in the league is justified beyond measure. He is a man who not only commands great respect, but works hard to prove that he deserves it. The only negative thing that anyone could ever say about Dungy is that he has never won the Superbowl.

On Sunday, Dungy will have his chance. Instead of watching on the television as some other coach calls the signals for the team that he built, he will walk in to Dolphin Stadium flanked by a new team, that has matured and grown under his leadership. A spectator for years, Dungy now has the chance to coach his team from the sidelines in a battle against the Chicago Bears for the Lombardi Trophy.

If all goes right for the Colts, the memory of the Bucs 2003 Superbowl victory will be a thing of the past, and Dungy will not only enjoy the sweet taste of victory – he will also take a sip of pure, unadulterated, vindication.

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