Pitt Football: Tony Dungy Blasted For Damar Hamlin Remarks, Liter Box Comment

Former Steelers coach Tony Dungy is under fire for comparing the injury to former Pitt Panther Damar Hamlin to abortion.

PITTSBURGH -- NBC football commentator and former Steelers coach Tony Dungy has faced harsh criticism after using the injury to former Pitt Panthers safety Damar Hamlin as evidence in an anti-abortion speech he gave at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. this weekend. 

"An unbelievable thing happened that night," Dungy said. "A professional football game with millions of dollars of ticket money and advertising money on the line, that game was canceled. Why? Because a life was at stake, and people wanted to see that life saved. Even people who are not necessarily religious got together and called on God… that’s exactly why we’re here today. Because every day in this country, innocent lives are at stake. The only difference is they don’t belong to a famous athlete and they’re not seen on national TV. But those lives are still important to God in God’s eyes."

Dungy was hit with wide-ranging criticism on social media for his comments. Calls for Dungy to be fired from his role as a commentator on NBC's Sunday Night Football pregame show, Football Night in America, and part-time color commentator for games were also shared widely. 

Absolutely tasteless for Tony Dungy to use Damar Hamlin’s near death experience like this https://t.co/XgPA2vLsoy

— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@exavierpope) January 20, 2023

Tony Dungy is free to have his political opinions. That's fine. He can talk about them. That's cool. When he starts crossing over into crazy, it gets harder for me to say agree to disagree. What happened to Damar Hamlin has nothing to do with a woman's right to choose.

— Jon Easter (@johnnystir) January 21, 2023

I’m so glad my father isn’t here to see you this way @TonyDungy. You were his favorite. Flat out awful!!

— Gee Scott Sr. 🎙️ (@GeeScottSr) January 20, 2023

These comments come at the end of a week in which Dungy had already faced heavy criticism for promoting false claims that school districts were putting litter boxes in bathrooms for kids who "identify as cats". He tweeted that in response to a post about a Minnesota bill that would require menstrual products to be put in boys bathrooms. Dungy has since deleted the T

Some of Dungy's colleagues have posted messages of support for him and endorsed his character. 

Lot of hit pieces on Tony Dungy coming out in last 24 hours. All I can say is Coach Dungy is one of the most genuine, humble, and morally upright people I've ever met. There is not an ounce of hate in him. The only hate in these articles is the hatred of Christianity.

— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) January 20, 2023

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