Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy rejoined his team Thursday, a week after his oldest son’s death of an apparent suicide. Dungy is expected to be on the sideline Sunday when the Colts (13-2) host Arizona in the regular-season finale.
This story has bothered me from day one, especially because I have two teenage siblings, which makes me think, probably foolishly, that I understand how difficult it is for kids to grow up in this day and age.
But to see Tony Dungy back at work so soon after the funeral of his son, to see him laughing at a football practice — practice that is for a game against the lowly Arizona Cardinals — strikes me as offensive.
His demeanor throughout this episode as been one-part noble, one-part sterile. He has repeated how his faith will see him through this loss.
I like to think I have a great deal of faith, but I hope that if I died, especially by suicide, that my father would display more emotion than what we have seen from Dungy.
I know it’s not politically correct to criticize Dungy, especially in this town, but the question has to be asked: if he was such an “All-Pro Dad,” then why did his son find it necessary to end his life?
