By Tony Dungy

How do you want to be remembered as a dad? As a former coach in the NFL, I’m often asked how I wanted to be remembered. But occasionally I’m asked how I want to be remembered by my kids. As dads, we want to do our best in helping our kids become the best versions of themselves and live great lives. We want them to remember the ways we sacrificed for them every day.

However, when I think about that question, here’s what I really want my kids to remember about me the most.

That I Followed the Lord

Since God created life, I believe He knows more about how to live than anyone. So I want my kids to remember that when I tried to guide them in the right direction, I sought the Lord’s wisdom and will. I’ve tried to teach them how to stay focused on the Lord and how to follow Him.

How Special They Were to Me and How Much I Loved Them

I want them to know how important they were in my life. If in 20 years, my kids say that I loved them, that I taught them how to follow the Lord, and that I was there for them, I feel like I would have accomplished my goals as a dad.

The above article originally appeared at AllProDad.com and was published at Think Eternity with permission.

Tony Dungy says that being a father is his most important job, and with eleven children, it’s a job that keeps him very busy. Since his retirement from the NFL in 2009, Coach Dungy has served as an analyst on NBC's Football Night in America and enjoys time with his wife, Lauren and family at their home in Tampa. Coach Dungy’s fatherhood role model is his own dad, Wilber Dungy. Tony grew up in Michigan, and says his father was always there to support him and encourage him.

Find him at All Pro Dad.