Authentic Christianity has always made powerful people uncomfortable. Ask NFL Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, and outspoken Christian Tony Dungy.
In a short preview of an interview with sports journalist and former ESPN anchor Sage Steele — a preview posted Wednesday to the social media platform X — Dungy indicated that he “kinda knew” NBC would not bring him back for another season as an analyst on the network’s “Sunday Night Football” studio show, in part because of his Christian views.
“There were things that they didn’t want me to talk about,” Dungy said in a tone of resignation, adding that “they knew who I was when I got hired” and “it is what it is.”
Steele then noted that it seemed from the outside that NBC parted ways with Dungy over his pro-life principles.
The legendary former player and coach responded with a chuckle.
“There are some things that, I guess, on TV, especially, they want you to be careful because they want to attract everybody. They wanna have an audience of everyone. They don’t always appreciate you speaking about your faith.”
Do you agree with Dungy that expressing faith is essential in public life?
Absolutely, it’s vital
92% (11 votes)
Somewhat agree
8% (1 vote)
Not really
0% (0 votes)
No, it’s better kept private
0% (0 votes)
In other words, Dungy effectively confirmed Steele’s suspicion without saying it directly. He also indicated that he regretted nothing.
“But for me, I’m always gonna do that,” he said of honestly discussing his Christian beliefs, “and I’m gonna try to do it in a respectful way, but people are gonna know that I’m a Christian, so, that part is never gonna leave.”
The Hall of Famer also stated clearly what his public comments and social media posts have made clear for years.
“I am pro-life,” he said, “and I’m not gonna be ashamed to say that.”
The full interview will appear on “The Sage Steele Show” Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Hall-of-fame coach Tony Dungy opens up about getting fired by NBC and the role his Christian faith and pro-life views may have played. FACT: he only discussed his personal beliefs during his personal off time – never once on the air during his 17 years at NBC.
Catch the full conversation next Wednesday 10/14 on The Sage Steele Show.
@TonyDungy
— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) October 7, 2026
For the current season of NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has joined the program’s studio crew.
Ironically, Dungy spent part of his brief playing career with the Steelers. He even forced a game-clinching fumble in Pittsburgh’s 1978-79 Super Bowl victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
In 1996, Dungy took over as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Six seasons and four playoff berths later, he moved on to the Indianapolis Colts, where he made the playoffs every year, including a 2006-2007 Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears, in which he earned a notable distinction as the first black head coach ever to win a Super Bowl.
Notable, that is, to everyone but Dungy.
Prior to that game — now nearly 20 years ago — the sports media made a big fuss over the fact that whoever won the game, either Dungy or Bears head coach Lovie Smith, would earn that distinction.
“More than anything, I’ve said it before, Lovie Smith and I, not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches, showing that you can win doing it the Lord’s way,” Dungy said after winning the championship, according to Bleacher Report. “And we’re more proud of that.”
At the time, Sarah Braunstein of Bleacher Report was outraged. She insisted that Dungy “compartmentalized his identity: He separated his race from his religion — and he privileged the wrong one.”
Braunstein’s harangue continued.
Instead of citing his black predecessors, she added, “Dungy tried to circumvent race and claim that it was more important that he’d won the Super Bowl as a Christian, thus giving credit and power to a group that has no lack of it.”
In other words, Dungy is no stranger to venomous reactions from sports-media figures who were woke even before wokeness was a thing. After all, his outspoken Christianity has always riled up the wicked.
Fortunately, Dungy has never changed. In fact, his X feed remains as Christian as ever.
Dr. Sean McDowell gave the message again this week at Grace Family Church. He addressed the question “If God is real and God is good, then why do bad things happen?”
Many people can’t believe in God because of the suffering they see in the world. How does a Christian answer that question?His point: Evil is what comes when good gets corrupted. So where does “good” come from? Who decides what’s right and what’s wrong? That standard has to come from God.
God is powerful enough to stop evil and He will—at the end of the world. But God can’t force us to do good and not do anything evil because He has given us free will.
Why would a good God allow pain and suffering? Because we do have free will and sometimes pain can be God’s megaphone to a deaf world.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) September 20, 2026
Pastor Daryl gave the message at Grace Family Church this morning. Finishing the series on evidence and belief in the scripture he asked the question, “What will you do with Jesus?”
Jesus made claims to be the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God. Do I believe that?As Christians we are supposed to represent Jesus. We don’t always do that well but that doesn’t change who Jesus is or what He said We have to believe Jesus is perfect in spite of the fact that people who believe in Him aren’t perfect. 🙏🏽
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) September 27, 2026
In short, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” executives might not exactly qualify as the modern equivalent of bloodthirsty Roman emperors, but if those executives did indeed part ways with Dungy on account of his faith, then they have countenanced a milder-yet-still-reprehensible form of persecution.
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