Tony Dungy is joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Ring of Honor. 

  • Tony Dungy to be honored in Bucs' Ring of Honor
  • To be honored Sept. 24 during Bucs-Steelers Monday Night Football game
  • Dungy, 54-42 as Bucs coach, led '90s turnaround and took team to 4 playoffs in 6 seasons 

The team has announced that Dungy, the team's head coach from 1996 to 2001, will be this season’s sole inductee, and 12th overall, to the club’s Ring of Honor. 

The ceremony will take place Sept. 24, at halftime of the Bucs' nationally televised Monday Night Football appearance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Dungy, a 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee, amassed a 54-42 regular season record as head coach of the Buccaneers, posting a franchise-best .563 winning percentage and four playoff appearances.

Widely credited with the late '90s turnaround that set the franchise on a Super Bowl course, Dungy led the Bucs to four postseason berths in a five-year span (1997-2001). The Bucs' 1997 playoff appearance ended a post-season drought of 18 years. 

"I will always be grateful to the Glazer family for giving me my first opportunity to coach a team," Dungy said. "It was an awesome time for me and my family as we encountered so many special players, staff members, and fans. This induction into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor puts a bow on all those great memories."

Dungy’s legacy extends beyond statistics and records. Two of his stalwart defensive players, Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp, became fellow Hall of Fame inductees, while perennial Pro Bowlers John Lynch (2018 finalist), Ronde Barber (2018 semifinalist) and Simeon Rice (2018 semifinalist) remain on the ballot. 

Among Dungy’s assistant coaches during his Tampa Bay tenure were future NFL head coaches Jim Caldwell, Herman Edwards, Rod Marinelli, Lovie Smith and Mike Tomlin. 

Dungy went on to capture a Super Bowl title as coach of the Indianapolis Colts. 

"Tony Dungy’s impact on the Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay community is not measured in terms of wins and losses," said Buccaneers Owner/Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer. "Tony transformed our entire organization and established a winning culture that set the foundation for the most successful era in our franchise’s history. 

"Through his exceptional leadership, Tony set a new benchmark for excellence on and off the field that we still strive to achieve to this day."