In 1960, after completing his tour in the Air Force, Dooley began a distinguished football officiating career.
Beginning with his Super Bowl paycheck, Dooley signed away nearly every paycheck he received from the NFL for the next 14 years, which was an amount in excess of $500,000 to a scholarship fund he created at Virginia Military Institute called "Matthew 25",[2] named after the Biblical passage.
Dooley retired from the NFL following the 1992 season in order to spend more time with his family, but continues to supply funds to the scholarship with the checks he receives from his work mediating and arbitrating construction-related problems.
R.T. Dooley Construction made a policy to give a financial contribution every year to employees and other organizations.
Tom was married to Nancy and had three children, Nina, Bob, and David and lived in Charlotte, North Carolina.