The NFL tonight announced former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy and wide receiver Marvin Harrison as inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2016.
Dungy becomes the 23rd coach in the Hall of Fame and the third former Colts head coach to earn the honor joining Weeb Ewbank (inducted in 1978) and Don Shula (inducted in 1997). Dungy compiled a .668 regular season winning percentage (139-69) and a .652 overall mark (148-79) as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts (2002-08) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1996-2001). He is the winningest coach in Colts history and his 85-27 (.759) record from 2002-08 ranked second in the NFL during that span. Dungy was the first coach to beat all 32 NFL teams and is one of three people to win a Super Bowl as a player and a head coach. He led the Colts to their second Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XLI and became the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl. Dungy had 10 seasons with 10-plus wins (seven with Indianapolis, three with Tampa Bay). He took 11 of his 13 teams to the playoffs and made 10 straight playoff appearances from 1999-2008 to best Tom Landry’s nine (1975-83) as the most by a coach since 1970. Dungy also won six division titles (five AFC South, one NFC Central) and was the second Colts head coach inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2010.
After joining the Colts in 2002, Dungy established Indianapolis as one of the most successful franchises in the NFL year-in and year-out. He led Indianapolis to 10-6, 12-4, 12-4, 14-2, 12-4, 13-3 and 12-4 regular season records to become the only Colts coach with 10-plus victories and playoff appearances in his first seven seasons with the team. The seven straight 10-plus victory seasons tied the NFL’s then second-longest mark, while six straight years with 12-plus wins set the league’s standard. In Indianapolis, Dungy coached 27 Associated Press All-Pro selections, 34 Pro Bowl selections, 38 AFC Player of the Week selections and 13 AFC Player of the Month selections. Quarterback Peyton Manning was named NFL MVP four times under Dungy’s tutelage. Dungy also coached an Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year in Manning and safety Bob Sanders. He earned Coach of the Year honors from Sporting News and Sports Illustrated in 2005 after guiding the Colts to a franchise-record 14 wins. In 2008, Indianapolis became the only NFL team to win at least seven consecutive games in five straight seasons, a mark the franchise extended to six seasons in 2009 under Jim Caldwell. Dungy (nine) and Caldwell (14) also combined to help Indianapolis set the NFL record with 23 consecutive regular season victories from 2008-09. Dungy assisted the Colts in becoming the winningest NFL team for a decade as the club produced 115 wins from 2000-09. Indianapolis boasted a top five ranked offense for five consecutive seasons (2003-07) under Dungy, while the defense ranked in the top five in 2007. From 2002-08, Dungy also mentored one of the most disciplined teams in the league as the Colts committed the third-fewest penalties (622) and held the highest turnover margin (+70).
Dungy was the head coach of the Buccaneers for six seasons (1996-2001). He compiled a 54-42 (.563) regular season record and ranks second in wins in team history. He guided the Buccaneers to four postseason appearances and three 10-win seasons. In 1998, Dungy led a Tampa Bay defense that ranked first in the NFC and second in the NFL. He was named Professional Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club in 1997. In Tampa Bay, Dungy coached 35 Pro Bowl selections and 20 Associated Press All-Pro selections.
Prior to becoming a head coach, Dungy served as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings from 1992-95. During his tenure in Minnesota, the Vikings intercepted an NFL-high 95 passes and made three playoff appearances. Dungy was a defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-1991 and made two playoff appearances.
He made his NFL coaching debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1981 as a defensive assistant coach. He served as the defensive backs coach in Pittsburgh from 1982-83 before being named the NFL’s youngest coordinator (age 28) in 1984. In five seasons (1984-88) as the Steelers’ defensive coordinator, Pittsburgh averaged 24 interceptions and 37 takeaways, while scoring 20 touchdowns. Dungy was the defensive backs coach at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, in 1980.
Dungy played in 45 career NFL games with the San Francisco 49ers (1979) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1977-78). He originally signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1977 and was a member of Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl XIII title team.
Harrison is only the second Colts wide receiver to be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining Raymond Berry, who was inducted in 1973. The Colts drafted Harrison in the first round (19th overall) of the 1996 NFL Draft out of Syracuse. Harrison played all 13 of his NFL seasons (1996-2008) with Indianapolis and finished his career as one of the most prolific receivers to ever play the game. He started 188-of-190 games and totaled 1,102 receptions for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns. Harrison ranks in the top 10 all-time in league history in receptions (third), receiving touchdowns (fifth) and receiving yards (seventh). His 90 games with a touchdown reception are a franchise record and his 29 games with multiple-touchdown receptions ranks tied for the fourth-most in NFL history. Harrison’s 128 total touchdowns ranks as the ninth-most in league annals. His 778 career points ranks fourth in Colts history and first among non-kickers. He had receptions in his first 190 career games to set the NFL record for the most consecutive games with a catch to start a career. Harrison’s 5.8 receptions per game average ranks second all-time, while his 76.7 receiving yards per game average ranks third. His 59 100-yard receiving games are the third most in league history. Harrison is the Colts franchise career leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and 100-yard receiving games. He played on six division title winning teams and was a member of the Colts Super Bowl XLI victory. Harrison was the fourth player inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor in 2011 and owns 28 Colts career records.
During most of his time in Indianapolis, Harrison paired with quarterback Peyton Manning as the most productive QB-WR duo in NFL history. Harrison and Manning played 158 games together and set league records for most completions (953), yards (12,766) and touchdowns (112) by a tandem. From 1999-2006, Harrison had eight consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and he is the only player ever with eight straight seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards and 10-plus scoring receptions. He became the first NFL player with 100-plus receptions in four consecutive seasons. Harrison joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and Torry Holt as the only NFL players with 80-plus receptions in eight consecutive seasons. He holds single-season team records for receptions (143 in 2002), receiving yards (1,722 in 2002), receiving touchdowns (15 in 2001 and 2004) and 100-yard receiving games (10 in 2002). His 143 receptions in 2002 are the most single-season receptions in NFL history. Harrison was an eight-time Pro Bowler and Associated Press All-Pro (1999-2006), two-time NFL receptions leader (2000, 2002) and receiving yards leader (1999, 2002). He was named a member of the NFL All-Decade Team (2000-2009). Harrison earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors three times and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week four times. He finished his career with 100-plus receiving yardage outings against 27-of-31 opponents and had touchdown receptions against 29-of-31 opponents. The Colts won 62 percent of the time with Harrison in the lineup and in 72.9 percent of the games when he topped 100 receiving yards.
