
Why This NFL Legend Isn’t Afraid to Call Fatherlessness a ‘National Problem’
By Movieguide® Contributor
NFL Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy is on a mission to advocate for the fatherless.
Per Fox News Digital, Dungy “drew blowback nearly three years ago with comments he made about young African American men in prison and fatherlessness. Dungy’s comments came as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative in April 2022. The Super Bowl champion head coach drew criticism for his remarks almost immediately on social media.”
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But despite the pushback, Dungy continues to defend his stance on the subject.
“I don’t think facts really impact people all that much. It’s crazy,” he said in an appearance on the Outkicks “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” show. “Fatherlessness is a national problem. And it’s all over in every community but especially in the African American community. We’ve got to do something about it.”
He called it the “No. 1 problem that impacts a lot of other things.”
The stats support Dungy’s position.
According to Fathers.com, an estimated 24.7 million children (33%) in America “live absent their biological number.” In African American communities, that number is 57.6%.
“Sometimes because of political agenda, sometimes because of other things,” the former NFL coach added, “people can put the facts behind them, and you can’t worry about that. A lot of people were upset, but you have to say what’s really going on.”
This isn’t the first time Dungy has made bold comments about hot cultural topics.
Last year, after Vice President Kamala Harris claimed that people don’t have to abandon their faith to support abortion, Dungy clapped back with a faith-filled response.
“Dear VP Harris: I hear you make this statement all the time,” he responded. “Exactly what ‘faith’ are you talking about when you say you don’t have to abandon it to support abortion? Are you talking about the Christian faith that says all babies are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), that God places them in the womb (Jer 1:5) and that we should not take any life unjustly (Luke 18:20)? Are you talking about that faith or some nebulous, general ‘faith’ that says we’re good enough, and smart enough to make our own decisions? What ‘faith’ are you talking about?”
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