Dungy on Ryan, 'Hard Knocks': 'I'm Disappointed With Profanity'

Tony Dungy is widely respected as both a coach and a person. He's also deeply religious and has used his time away from football to help others, perhaps most notably Michael Vick.

And during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Dungy, one of the most soft-spoken coaches in NFL history, made it clear that he could have done without Jets coach Rex Ryan's liberal use of the "F" word during the first episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks."

Via PFT:

"I'm disappointed with all the profanity," Dungy said. "I think Rex can make his points without all that."

Asked if he would hire a coach who talks the way Ryan does, Dungy answered, "I would not. I personally don't want my players to be around that. I don't want to be around that. . . . It's hard for me to be around that, and if I were in charge, no, I wouldn't hire someone like that. Now, I've been around 'F' bombs, so it's not like it's new. I just don't think that has to be part of your every-minute, everyday vocabulary to get your point across."

"I would hope that he does," Dungy said of the possibility of Goodell getting involved. "I don't know that he will or not but I hope that he does because I just don't think the league needs that. I don't think our young people need to hear that that's what's done to be successful. Because it doesn't have to be that way."

It may seem puritanical for Dungy to suggest Roger Goodell's involvement, but the NFL is a multi-billion-dollar corporation that is very cognizant of its public image. I don't think it's much of a surprise to learn that football coaches and players, in addition to yelling and screaming, also curse, but that doesn't mean some people could do without it. Even those who spent most of their adult lives either playing or coaching.