Tony Dungy’s father, Wilbur, always preached: Set goals high, but if things don’t go your way, look to make them better instead of complaining. His NFL career was not short of setbacks, but he kept winning, including a Super Bowl XLI win in 2006 that made him the first African American head coach to win the Lombardi Trophy. That success, the leadership, and the experience of being in the NFL circle since 1977 got Dungy a position as a Hall of Fame voter six years ago. But 2026 has become yet another hurdle he needs to overcome.

Earlier this month, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced several improvements to its selection process ahead of the Class of 2027 selection that were being discussed for two and a half years now. It’s hard to ignore that its current decisions could’ve come in the wake of the recent eyebrow-raising storylines in the NFL. But Dungy getting a boot doesn’t seem like collateral damage, but a making of his own.

“The reporting keeps moving. I’ve confirmed 25 selectors are out as the Pro Football Hall of Fame remakes its Selection Committee. They represent 368 combined years of service. I’ve also confirmed 11 who are staying, with the rest of the old committee coming into focus,” Paul Kuharsky posted on X.

According to Paul Kuharsky, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has informed 22 (25 as per post) selection committee members that they’re out under a new set of bylaws. Dungy’s name is on that list. Considering some thoughts shared by Dungy on the HOF’s selection process don’t align with HOF President & CEO Jim Porter’s reasoning for the new bylaws, the Hall of Famer also got the boot.

Earlier this month, when the HOF announced the improvements, Porter had mentioned that their former selection process bylaws left the possibility of “unintended biases” open. This was, in turn, caused by Bill Belichick’s snub in the 2026 HOF class, something Dungy, knowingly or not, became a part of.

Tony Dungy first questioned the HOF selection process before giving his thoughts on Belichick’s snub

In August 2025, as the Class for that year was announced, Dungy openly showed his disappointment at the selection committee dropping the ball. According to the rules, they could’ve selected up to five Modern-Era players for the class but only went with three, leaving Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts stars wide receiver Reggie Wayne and kicker Adam Vinatieri out. Dungy had coached the two and strongly believed that they should’ve been voted for as well.

“I’m a little surprised at that [Wayne and Vinatieri missing out],” Dungy told sports anchor Anthony Calhoun of WISH 8 Indianapolis in August 2025. “I’m disappointed for those two guys, but I’m even more disappointed in the whole process.

“I’m one of the voters, and we sat there and had an all-day Zoom meeting and we’re trying to break things down and we’re splitting hairs between 10 and 12 really, really gifted candidates, and we only elected three modern-day people into the hall.”

But it felt like it was too convenient for him to simply ignore the elephant in the room when it came to Belichick’s snub — the head coach who set up the New England Patriots’ twenty-year dynasty and won six Super Bowls with them. The reaction was noteworthy because, as a former Colts head coach, Dungy knew former GM Bill Polian — a known nemesis of Belichick.

“Well, first of all, we don’t know that they didn’t get inducted in the Hall of Fame,” Dungy said in February 2026. “I’m a voter. I have not heard who’s in or who’s out. So I’m not going to make a comment on it and speculate. We’ll find out I think on Thursday who’s in and who’s out.”

Polian, meanwhile, later confirmed that he did vote for Belichick, despite the differences between them. But these two situations do give a hint as to why Dungy may have been removed from the selection committee.

Meanwhile, Dungy is facing a tough stretch. This news came a few months after Dungy revealed he was leaving NBC’s Football Night in America, where he had been since 2009, saying on Twitter that it was “disappointing news” after 17 years there. He has not yet publicly spoken on the cut. But he isn’t alone.

The Hall of Fame selection committee shrinks further

The new bylaw by the HOF states that it will shrink its committee from 50 members down to 28, none of which will be affiliated with a team market. Only 25 of those will actually cast votes each year, while the remaining three will sit in on discussions without voting, a role that rotates annually. Porter explained the thinking behind it.

“Returning to an in-person meeting with 28 Selectors will create robust, thoughtful dialogue and debate around the candidates being discussed. The goal of the Hall of Fame always has been the election of the most deserving individuals, regardless of category.”

Previously, every NFL team had its own rep, plus 17 at-large voters and one seat for the Pro Football Writers of America. Now it’s 27 at-large voters, and just one PFWA representative, with team reps eliminated. In the wake of this call, Kuharsky, who was himself removed, shared more names.

ESPN reporter Lisa Salters got the same call, having served as a voter for six years. Some of the committee’s true veterans are losing their seats too. Rick Gosselin is stepping away after 31 years. Frank Cooney served for 33 years. Longtime Houston voice John McClain also parted ways after 33 years, and Cleveland’s Tony Grossi logged 31 of his own.

As for Dungy, a coach who was considered to be one of the most respected voices in the game is now seeing 2026 as a period of silent exits.