Tony Dungy is taking a lead role in improving communication between the NFL and its players.
Dungy will lead a new NFL player advisory forum that will meet with players about league policies, programs and issues that affect their lives on and off the field. Those subjects will include player health and safety, personal conduct, game rules and procedures, career transition and player development.
Dungy, who retired as coach of the Indianapolis Colts after last season, is a special adviser to commissioner Roger Goodell.
“When I worked on the competition committee we always had meetings with players at the NFL combine to talk about issues important to them,” Dungy said, “and then the committee reported back to the commissioner and the league office. I thought that communication always was important and commissioner Goodell wanted to broaden that.”
Goodell will attend the meetings, and union officials have been invited to attend. Pro Bowl players Kurt Warner, Ray Lewis and Brian Dawkins are among the players who will take part in the meetings. Dungy envisions as many as 50 players being involved, including a dozen or more before the end of the season.
