FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Sept. 17, 2025 – The Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation is pleased to announce that Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant coach Tom Moore will receive this year’s Bud Grant Distinguished Minnesotan Award. Moore, a four-time Super Bowl champion with more than six decades of college and NFL coaching experience, is set to be honored during the Minnesota Football Honors television broadcast, which premieres Saturday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m. CT, on FanDuel Sports Network North. 

Tom Moore’s career has taken him across the country, but several key chapters unfolded on a high school football field in Rochester, Minnesota. Moore, a 1957 Rochester High School graduate, earned All-American honors as a quarterback. Now, more than 68 years after playing high school football in Minnesota, the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior offensive assistant has become one of the most accomplished coaches in NFL history. 

“Tom Moore kicked off his storied football journey by playing under the Friday night lights in our state. He developed a love for football here and then went on to become one of the best and most respected coaches in NFL history,” said Todd Fultz, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation. “Tom has developed numerous Pro Football Hall of Famers and continues to influence the next generation of players in his current role with the Bucs. We can’t wait to honor Tom for his outstanding achievements during this year’s Minnesota Football Honors show.”

Following his high school career in Rochester, Moore played college football at the University of Iowa, winning a Rose Bowl and Big Ten title in 1958. Moore also led the Hawkeyes to a share of the conference title during the 1960 season. After Tom’s playing career ended, he accepted a graduate assistant coaching job with the Hawkeyes. Moore spent two seasons in Iowa before joining the Dayton (1965–1968), Wake Forest (1969) and Georgia Tech (1970-71) coaching staffs. 

After gaining college coaching experience at those schools, Moore returned to Minnesota. University of Minnesota head coach Cal Stoll hired Moore as his running backs coach ahead of the 1972 season. During his first two-year stint in maroon and gold, Moore recruited former Gophers quarterback and future NFL Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy to the University of Minnesota. In 1974, Tom briefly left Minneapolis to become offensive coordinator for the New York Stars (World Football League). However, just one year later, he ended up back in Dinkytown. Stoll named Moore the Gophers’ offensive coordinator in 1975. Tom then spent two seasons leading and developing an offensive scheme that featured Dungy as the starting quarterback. 

Once the 1976 season ended, Moore left the University of Minnesota for the NFL. Hall of Fame NFL coach Chuck Noll hired Tom as the Steelers wide receivers coach. It marked the beginning of Moore’s long journey as an NFL assistant coach. Moore spent the next 40-plus years coaching for the following teams: Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Throughout his career, Moore has coached numerous Hall of Fame players including Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Mike Webster, Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Randall McDaniel, Cris Carter, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James. In 1990, Moore returned to Minnesota when the Vikings hired him as assistant head coach. Tom worked closely with head coaches Jerry Burns and Dennis Green during his four-year stint in Minneapolis. 

Additionally, Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy hired Moore, his former coach at the University of Minnesota, as the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive coordinator. Moore spent 13 seasons (1998-2010) coaching Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. While working with Moore, Manning posted franchise records with 54,828 passing yards, 399 touchdowns and 4,682 completions. The Colts legend also won four of his five NFL MVP Awards (2003-04, 2008-09) and Super Bowl XLI under Moore’s instruction. 

Years later, Moore eventually ended up coaching another accomplished NFL quarterback - Tom Brady. Moore, an offensive assistant for the Bucs, worked with Brady during each of his three seasons in Tampa Bay. In 2021, Brady joined Drew Brees (2008) and Peyton Manning (2013) as the only players since 1991 to lead the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and attempts in a single season. Moore also won his fourth Super Bowl when the Bucs defeated Kansas City 31-9 in Super Bowl LV. This fall marks the 86-year-old’s 49th season in the NFL.

Coaching Career: 

• Iowa (1961–1962): Graduate assistant

• Dayton (1965–1968): Running backs coach

• Wake Forest (1969): Offensive coordinator

• Georgia Tech (1970–1971): Running backs coach

• University of Minnesota (1972–1973): Running backs coach

• New York Stars (1974): Offensive coordinator

• University of Minnesota (1975–1976): Offensive coordinator

• Pittsburgh Steelers (1977–1982): Wide Receivers coach

• Pittsburgh Steelers (1983–1989): Offensive coordinator

• Minnesota Vikings (1990–1993): Assistant head coach

• Detroit Lions (1994–1996): Offensive coordinator

• New Orleans Saints (1997): Running backs coach

• Indianapolis Colts (1998–2008): Offensive coordinator

• Indianapolis Colts (2009): Senior offensive coordinator

• Indianapolis Colts (2010): Senior offensive assistant & offensive consultant

• New York Jets (2011): Offensive consultant

• Tennessee Titans (2012): Offensive consultant

• Arizona Cardinals (2013–2017): Assistant head coach & offensive consultant

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019–present): Senior Offensive Assistant 

Notable Career Achievements: 

• 4-time Super Bowl champion (XIII, XIV, XLI, LV) as an NFL assistant coach

• In 2005, he was inducted into the Rochester, Minnesota, Sports Hall of Fame 

• In 2014, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (Western Chapter) in recognition of his 13 seasons as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers 

• In 2015, Moore was honored with the Pro Football Writers of America Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmerman Award for lifetime achievement as assistant coach in the NFL.

• ​​In 2023, Moore received the Hall of Fame Award of Excellence. 

Minnesota Football Honors is hosting a television broadcast to honor this year’s high school, college and Minnesota Vikings award winners. The show premieres Saturday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m. CT on FanDuel Sports Network North. Additional airing times will be announced soon on nffmn.org.

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About the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation:

The Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote amateur football’s ability to develop leadership, sportsmanship, competitive spirit and academic excellence in Minnesota’s young people. The Minnesota Chapter recognizes legendary football icons, college football Hall of Famers and Minnesota’s top high school and college football scholar-athletes. For more information, visit www.nffmn.org, or Facebook (@MNFootballHonors) and Twitter (@NFFMN).

Contact:

Todd Fultz, President - Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation

Phone: (612)-325-5500

Media Contact:

Daniel House, Director of Media Relations and Content

Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation

Email: daniel@nffmn.org