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Dungy Won’t Serve on Obama’s Faith Council

Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy won’t be joining President Barack Obama’s faith-based advisory board after all, reports Politico.

Obama courted Dungy –  the first Black NFL head coach to lead a team to Super Bowl victory – to serve on his administration’s Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Initiative. But Dungy’s lack of free time appeared to be an issue.

“I am honored to have been asked by the president to serve on the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships,” he said in a statement to CBN News. “In looking at the dates of the Council meetings I would not be able to participate to the degree I would want. Because of the time commitment needed I have respectfully declined, but do look forward to working with the president in furthering responsible fatherhood and other issues we both hold dear.”

Dungy will still serve as an adviser to the administration, an unnamed White House aide told Politico.

“Coach Dungy could not make the time commitment to serve on the advisory council – but he’ll continue to serve as a key informal adviser to the administration and the President on fatherhood issues,” said the aide.

Dungy has drawn criticism in the past, though, from liberal groups for his support for a gay marriage ban in Indiana.

“The Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships council shouldn’t be used to reward voices of intolerance like Tony Dungy,” Tanya Clay, director of public policy for People for the American Way, said in a previous statement.

On Monday a diverse group of nine men and women of differing faiths were announced as new appointees to the board.

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