When Mentors Mold the Man

By Tony Dungy, Tampa, Florida

As appeared in

Tom Lamphere, team chaplain for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, and I were having breakfast at Jerry’s Market when he said something that took me by surprise. “Tony, let’s study the Book of Nehemiah.”

I’d been with the Vikings for a year as their defensive coordinator, a position I hoped would lead to my dream job: NFL head coach. Tom and I had become good friends, and I considered him a spiritual mentor.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder, Where is he going with this?

“It’s only thirteen chapters but Nehemiah is filled with lessons about leadership,” Tom said. “Lessons that I’d like you to apply to your own life.”

I nodded.

“I see you becoming a head coach,” he said. “And when God gives you that opportunity, I want you to be prepared.”

I started reading Nehemiah, and Tom and I got together for breakfast every Monday to talk through each chapter. Nehemiah was a Jewish official in the court of the Persian king. With unwavering faith in God, he led the people of Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of protection around the city in just 52 days.

The more Tom and I discussed Nehemiah, the more I saw how God had already been working some of those vital leadership lessons into my life through the mentors he put in my path. Other lessons I had yet to learn.

Nehemiah 5:15-16 “The early governors…lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not. Instead I devoted myself to the work on this wall.”

I grew up in Jackson, Michigan. Besides my parents, CleoMae and Wilbur Dungy, the person I looked up to most was Allen Truman. Allen was a tremendous athlete five years older than me. That’s a big deal when you’re 12 and in Little League. Allen was my coach, and he kept mentoring me after our season ended. He’d take me to Detroit Tigers games or to shoot hoops with his friends or just throw the football around.

Allen warned me about guys who had great talent but got caught up in thinking they were better than everyone else.