Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS – When Tony Dungy began his climb up the coaching ranks, one potential employer asked if he’d be willing to shave his beard “because people were looking for a certain kind of person.”

In most cases, that person wasn’t him. Or any other black coach, for that matter.

Indeed, Dungy has come a long way since those formative years. So has the NFL.

The leader of the Indianapolis Colts awoke Monday as a Super Bowl coach – one with a rapidly growing legacy. In less than a week, he’ll face one of his prot