Jim Caldwell understood the enormous shoes that he would have to fill once he was named Tony Dungy’s successor. But it did not take long for Caldwell to prove that he had the wherewithal to succeed the greatest coach the Indianapolis Colts have had. In his first season, Caldwell led the Colts to 14 straight victories during the regular season and a Super Bowl berth.
Caldwell and the Colts defeated the New York Jets 30–17 to earn a Super Bowl XLIV appearance. Caldwell became just the fourth black coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl. After years of being denied opportunities by the NFL, several black coaches have found success. Tony Dungy and Mike Tomlin have both won Super Bowls, while Lovie Smith and Marvin Lewis have developed into pivotal figures for their organizations.
Caldwell is only the fifth NFL coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first season. The Indianapolis Colts will face the New Orleans Saints at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on Feb. 7. –amir shaw
