Dungy’s Son Dies of Apparent Suicide

James Dungy, the 18-year-old son of Indianapolis Colt Coach Tony Dungy, was found dead early Thursday of an apparent suicide in his apartment in the Tampa, Fla., area, the Hillsborough County sheriff’s office said.

The second oldest of five children, James Dungy attended Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. According to a sheriff’s spokeswoman, Dungy’s girlfriend found him when she returned to the Campus Lodge Apartments about 1:30 a.m. Dungy was not breathing when he was found.

“Based on evidence at the scene, indications are that this death appears to be a suicide,” Hillsborough County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. “There is no evidence to contradict that at this time.”

Tony Dungy will not be with the team Saturday when the Colts play at Seattle. Assistant Jim Caldwell will coach the team in Dungy’s absence.

Team President Bill Polian said Caldwell “will take over Tony’s duties for however long Tony may be away.”

Upon learning the news, Dungy and his wife, Lauren, immediately boarded the private jet of Colt owner Jim Irsay and headed for Tampa.

“Tony made it clear to both myself and Jim that he wished for the organization and the team to carry on, and we will,” Polian said in a news conference at team headquarters in Indianapolis. “We have the greatest role model there is in Tony Dungy.

“As Jim said to the team this morning: ‘We’ll emulate our leader. We’ll do what he does and what he wishes.’ ”

Chaplains were brought in to talk with the team.

“I don’t think there’s anyone here that would wish to play a football game under these circumstances, but it’s our obligation and we’ll fulfill that obligation because that’s what Tony wants us to do,” Polian said.

The Colts had won their first 13 games before losing last Sunday to the San Diego Chargers.

Quarterback Peyton Manning said the death “certainly keeps things in perspective. Players with families, it certainly hits home. Coach Dungy’s close to a lot of these players.... Players feel close to him as well as his family.”

The Dungys moved to Indianapolis in 2002 after Tony Dungy was fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he coached from 1996 to 2001. His sons, James and Eric, were well known by the players and often watched games from the sideline but had to earn the right to do so with good behavior.

Jessica James, 18, who described herself as a close friend of James Dungy, said she and a group of friends went to the movies with him Monday night.

“He was cracking jokes, just being himself,” she told the Associated Press. “This morning, it was so surreal.”

She said Dungy “was just a really good kid, very laid-back. Unless you asked him, you’d never know he was Tony Dungy’s son.”

Rich McKay, former Buccaneer president who now has that title with the Atlanta Falcons, said James was “a great kid, nice and unassuming,” who grew into a friendly, respectful 6-foot-7 young man. He was so tall, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be mistaken for a Colt player.

“He was a pleasure to be around,” McKay said in a phone interview. “It’s a true tragedy.”

Tony Dungy is widely recognized for his community involvement and the respect with which he treats his players. He is active in All-Pro Dad, a Tampa-based resource group that provides assistance and advice to fathers.

Two years ago, when the infant son of Colt receiver Brandon Stokley spent several weeks in the hospital because of postnatal complications, Dungy was a frequent visitor.

“He was great,” Stokley told the team website. “He came to the hospital often, even after the season. Even after we lost to New England [in the AFC championship game], he still showed up. I think that just shows you what kind of man he is.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.