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From the Field to the Franchise
Jan. 07, 2025
Coaching and Care as the Thread of a Winning Career
When Tony Levine was in high school, he knew he wanted to become a football coach. A multi-sport athlete, Tony told his dad even though he loved playing football, his true passion was helping people grow and develop. He thought about the role he could one day play as a teacher, coach, mentor and encourager.
Tony walked on to the University of Minnesota’s football team, becoming a three-year starter and being named Academic All-Big Ten in 1994 and 1995.
Coaching and Care as the Thread of a Winning Career
When Tony Levine was in high school, he knew he wanted to become a football coach. A multi-sport athlete, Tony told his dad even though he loved playing football, his true passion was helping people grow and develop. He thought about the role he could one day play as a teacher, coach, mentor and encourager.
Tony walked on to the University of Minnesota’s football team, becoming a three-year starter and being named Academic All-Big Ten in 1994 and 1995.
Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota
After graduation, Tony started his own sports marketing company before ultimately changing his path and doing what he loved most: coaching a team.
25 years in football
Tony’s collegiate coaching career began at Texas State University in San Marcos. But it was in his second stop at Auburn University where Tony met his current wife of 22 years, Erin.
As many football coaching couples do, Tony and Erin moved around the country for Tony to coach various college and NFL teams, including Louisiana Tech, Louisville and the Carolina Panthers. In 2008, he joined the coaching staff at the University of Houston as receivers coach and special teams coordinator.
“I’d never been to Houston and Erin had never been to Texas,” Tony said. “We immediately fell in love with not only the city of Houston but also the state of Texas.”
In 2010 Tony was promoted to Assistant Head Coach, and in 2011 the Cougars finished the season 13-1 and ranked No. 14 in the nation. Then in 2012, Tony was named the 12th head coach of the University of Houston Cougars Football Team.
Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota
After graduation, Tony started his own sports marketing company before ultimately changing his path and doing what he loved most: coaching a team.
25 years in football
Tony’s collegiate coaching career began at Texas State University in San Marcos. But it was in his second stop at Auburn University where Tony met his current wife of 22 years, Erin.
As many football coaching couples do, Tony and Erin moved around the country for Tony to coach various college and NFL teams, including Louisiana Tech, Louisville and the Carolina Panthers. In 2008, he joined the coaching staff at the University of Houston as receivers coach and special teams coordinator.
“I’d never been to Houston and Erin had never been to Texas,” Tony said. “We immediately fell in love with not only the city of Houston but also the state of Texas.”
In 2010 Tony was promoted to Assistant Head Coach, and in 2011 the Cougars finished the season 13-1 and ranked No. 14 in the nation. Then in 2012, Tony was named the 12th head coach of the University of Houston Cougars Football Team.
Photo courtesy of the University of Houston
“There are two types of coaches: coaches that have never been fired, and coaches that haven’t been fired yet,” Tony likes to say. “For 19 years, I was the first.”
After back-to-back eight-win seasons and leading the team to two January bowl games, Tony was let go after the 2014 season. When he lost his job, their four children were nine, seven, five and three years old.
As a coach, Tony slept in his office Monday through Thursday night, traveled constantly for games and recruiting, and spent countless hours on the phone. His kids were entering ages when they were participating in music lessons, recreational sports and dance recitals. He never had a chance to attend any.
Tony and Erin discussed what they wanted to do and whatever it was, they felt strongly about three things:
• Can I balance work and family?
• Can we stay and raise our family in Houston?
• Can I do what I’m passionate about in growing and developing people?
Three weeks after he was let go at Houston, Tony submitted his interest in becoming a Chick-fil-A Owner-Operator.
The decision to stay in Houston
During the interview process, Tony shared after moving several times for his football career, his family felt happy and settled in Houston.
He requested to only be considered if Chick-fil-A built a restaurant in southwest Houston. After a year in the Operator selection process, Tony received a call that one would be coming to Missouri City, the suburb where they had lived for 10 years. During the months of waiting, he joined the coaching staff at Western Kentucky, which preceded a move nine months later to Purdue. Two and a half years after submitting his expression of interest, Tony was selected to become an Owner-Operator.
Similarities between coaching football and operating a Chick-fil-A Restaurant
His first restaurant, Chick-fil-A Sienna Crossing, opened in May 2018. Tony’s focus to this day is on two things: his team and his community.
“We have 78 Team Members who have been here two years or more; 29 since the restaurant opened in 2018,” Tony said. “When people ask our Team Members why they’ve been here for so many years, one of the things they talk about is the care they receive. It’s one of my favorite Chick-fil-A quotes: ‘Cared for people, care for people.’”
Tony’s personal leadership mantra is “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Photo courtesy of the University of Houston
“There are two types of coaches: coaches that have never been fired, and coaches that haven’t been fired yet,” Tony likes to say. “For 19 years, I was the first.”
After back-to-back eight-win seasons and leading the team to two January bowl games, Tony was let go after the 2014 season. When he lost his job, their four children were nine, seven, five and three years old.
As a coach, Tony slept in his office Monday through Thursday night, traveled constantly for games and recruiting, and spent countless hours on the phone. His kids were entering ages when they were participating in music lessons, recreational sports and dance recitals. He never had a chance to attend any.
Tony and Erin discussed what they wanted to do and whatever it was, they felt strongly about three things:
• Can I balance work and family?
• Can we stay and raise our family in Houston?
• Can I do what I’m passionate about in growing and developing people?
Three weeks after he was let go at Houston, Tony submitted his interest in becoming a Chick-fil-A Owner-Operator.
The decision to stay in Houston
During the interview process, Tony shared after moving several times for his football career, his family felt happy and settled in Houston.
He requested to only be considered if Chick-fil-A built a restaurant in southwest Houston. After a year in the Operator selection process, Tony received a call that one would be coming to Missouri City, the suburb where they had lived for 10 years. During the months of waiting, he joined the coaching staff at Western Kentucky, which preceded a move nine months later to Purdue. Two and a half years after submitting his expression of interest, Tony was selected to become an Owner-Operator.
Similarities between coaching football and operating a Chick-fil-A Restaurant
His first restaurant, Chick-fil-A Sienna Crossing, opened in May 2018. Tony’s focus to this day is on two things: his team and his community.
“We have 78 Team Members who have been here two years or more; 29 since the restaurant opened in 2018,” Tony said. “When people ask our Team Members why they’ve been here for so many years, one of the things they talk about is the care they receive. It’s one of my favorite Chick-fil-A quotes: ‘Cared for people, care for people.’”
Tony’s personal leadership mantra is “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Tony Levine, Local Owner-Operator, Chick-fil-A Sienna Crossing
Skills and techniques from his coaching career have translated seamlessly into his role as Owner-Operator, like recruiting, teaching, building relationships with families, showing care, and developing his leadership team.
Just like a 105-man roster in collegiate football, Tony’s restaurant team is intentional about development and training, too.
“When I was coaching football, we’d recruit a young man who was a high school running back, but after watching him practice and seeing his skillset I’d say, ‘I bet he’d be a great cornerback on defense.’ We are always intentional about putting our Team Members in the best position for them to be successful.”
Skills and techniques from his coaching career have translated seamlessly into his role as Owner-Operator, like recruiting, teaching, building relationships with families, showing care, and developing his leadership team.
Just like a 105-man roster in collegiate football, Tony’s restaurant team is intentional about development and training, too.
“When I was coaching football, we’d recruit a young man who was a high school running back, but after watching him practice and seeing his skillset I’d say, ‘I bet he’d be a great cornerback on defense.’ We are always intentional about putting our Team Members in the best position for them to be successful.”
“We talk about the words ‘training’ and ‘confidence’ a lot,” Tony said. “As a coach, I would never put a player in a football game until they were properly trained and ready to play. Putting a player in a game before they’re ready leads to low confidence and discouragement and oftentimes leads to them wanting to quit or transfer. Conversely, when a player goes in a game and is ready to play, they have success, gain confidence, and they want to stay because they have a great experience. Those are the reasons that training and confidence are so important to us.”
Coach Tony’s impact continues in and out of the restaurant – including every time he’s visited at the restaurant by a former player or coach or receives a wedding invitation.
“When I was coaching, my goal was that not only would I make an impact on my players with the game of football, but more importantly that I would make an impact on them as future husbands and fathers. I have the same goal now with our Chick-fil-A Team Members as well.”
Tony’s impact continues as he mentors and coaches the next generation of talent in his own community. In late October, Tony opened Chick-fil-A Fort Bend Town Center in Missouri City, not too far from Chick-fil-A Sienna Crossing.
“We talk about the words ‘training’ and ‘confidence’ a lot,” Tony said. “As a coach, I would never put a player in a football game until they were properly trained and ready to play. Putting a player in a game before they’re ready leads to low confidence and discouragement and oftentimes leads to them wanting to quit or transfer. Conversely, when a player goes in a game and is ready to play, they have success, gain confidence, and they want to stay because they have a great experience. Those are the reasons that training and confidence are so important to us.”
Coach Tony’s impact continues in and out of the restaurant – including every time he’s visited at the restaurant by a former player or coach or receives a wedding invitation.
“When I was coaching, my goal was that not only would I make an impact on my players with the game of football, but more importantly that I would make an impact on them as future husbands and fathers. I have the same goal now with our Chick-fil-A Team Members as well.”
Tony’s impact continues as he mentors and coaches the next generation of talent in his own community. In late October, Tony opened Chick-fil-A Fort Bend Town Center in Missouri City, not too far from Chick-fil-A Sienna Crossing.
