Bush appoints Dungy to civic leadership role
Tony Dungy has a Super Bowl title, a best-selling book and now a presidential appointment.
On Tuesday, President Bush announced his intention to appoint the Indianapolis Colts coach to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The term runs for two years.
After the announcement in Washington, Dungy told reporters at training camp he was first asked about taking the position when the Colts visited the White House in April, a traditional honor for Super Bowl champions.
Indianapolis beat the Bears 29-17 in February, winning its first title since moving from Baltimore in 1984.
"You have to fill out a lot of paperwork, and they have to do some checking, that sort of thing. That came through OK," Dungy said. "It's a great honor, and it's something we always talk about with our team -- how to serve your community and make your community better."
Dungy, a devout Christian, has said most of the proceeds from his No. 1 selling book "Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life," will go to charitable organizations.
Since joining the Colts in 2002, Dungy's community work has included the Baskets of Hope, a program that benefits Riley Hospital for Children; a faith-based program called All-Pro Dad; and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Clubs.
New concussion plan: The NFL's new guidelines on concussion management include a telephone hotline that will make it easier to report to the league when a player with a head injury is being forced to practice or play against medical advice.
The league's new concussion guidelines, many of which stemmed from a conference in June involving team trainers and doctors, were formalized Tuesday and will be sent to all players and other team personnel.
They include whistleblower provisions for individuals to report concussions with the telephone hotline and a booklet that will allow players and their families to identify symptoms.
Concussions have become an increasingly high priority for Commissioner Roger Goodell and team officials in the past year. Last spring, the commissioner announced that all players would be given baseline tests during their training-camp physicals that can be used to diagnose when they have concussions.
More tests for Kiffin: Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin underwent more tests in the hospital as he missed another practice while recovering from a viral infection. Kiffin has been at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center since Monday morning for tests and observation.
The hospital is not giving out information on his condition, and the Raiders have only said Kiffin "hopes to be back soon."