Super Bowl XLI
Encyclopedia
Super Bowl XLI was an American football
game that featured the American Football Conference
(AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts
and the National Football Conference
(NFC) champion Chicago Bears
to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion for the 2006 season
. The Colts defeated the Bears, 29–17, overcoming a 14–6 first quarter deficit to outscore their opponent 23–3 in the last three quarters.
This game, played on February 4, 2007, at Dolphin Stadium
in Miami Gardens, Florida
, featured two teams ending long Super Bowl
appearance droughts. The Colts made their first appearance in a Super Bowl game since winning Super Bowl V
in the 1970 NFL season
during the team's tenure in Baltimore; they moved to Indianapolis
in 1984
. Meanwhile, the Bears made their first appearance since winning Super Bowl XX
in the 1985 season
. It was only the second time that two pre-expansion era (pre 1960) teams met in the Super Bowl. The first was Super Bowl XIV
between the Pittsburgh Steelers
and the Los Angeles Rams. Also, if one counts the histories of several other franchises as part of that of the Colts, this game would be the first Super Bowl between two NFL charter members from 1920, as the Colts' earliest ancestor, the Dayton Triangles
, were part of the league's inaugural season along with the team that became the Chicago Bears, the Decatur Staleys (the only other possible Super Bowl match-up under this criterion would be between the Colts and the Arizona Cardinals
, the Bears' former crosstown rivals).
Colts quarterback Peyton Manning
was named the game's Most Valuable Player, completing 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown
, with one interception for a passer rating of 81.8. This was Manning's first Super Bowl
title after being one of the league's most dominant quarterback
s throughout his nine-year career. It was also the first time two African-American head coaches (Lovie Smith
and Tony Dungy
) were coaching in the Super Bowl, with Tony Dungy being the first to win. The tagline for the game was, "One Game. One Dream."
, Tampa Bay
, New York City
, and Washington D.C. With this game, the Miami Metropolitan Area
tied New Orleans, Louisiana
as the city to host the most Super Bowls (9).
This was the fourth Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium, which has also been known as "Joe Robbie Stadium" and "Pro Player Stadium". The venue previously hosted Super Bowls XXIII
(broadcast on NBC
), XXIX
(on ABC
), and XXXIII
(on FOX
). Super Bowls II
, III
, V
, X
, and XIII
were also in Miami, but held at the Miami Orange Bowl
.
In February 2006, the NFL and the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee unveiled the slogan "one game, one dream" for the game, referring to the entire South Florida region working together to present the event. The Super Bowl XLI logo was also unveiled, featuring the colors orange (to represent the sun) and blue (for the ocean). The "I" in the Roman numeral "XLI" was drawn to resemble a pylon placed at each corner of an end zone
because "the goal is to get to the game." This year's logo has the same shade of orange as the logo of the host city's home team, the Miami Dolphins
. The "XL" part is similar to that of Super Bowl XL
's logo.
Chicago finished the season with an NFC best 13–3 record and advanced to the second Super Bowl in franchise history. The team excelled on defense, ranking third in fewest points allowed (255) and second in fewest points allowed per drive. They also ranked second in scoring (427 points), although only tenth in points per offensive drive thanks to a league leading 65 points scored on defensive or special teams plays.
The Bears offense was led by quarterback Rex Grossman
, the team's first round draft pick in 2003. Over the previous three seasons, Grossman had played in just 8 regular season games due to injuries, but he recovered to start in all 16 games in 2006. By the end of the season, he finished with 3,193 yards and 23 touchdowns, the most by a Bears quarterback since 1995. Grossman had difficulty avoiding turnovers
, however, and threw 20 interceptions and lost five fumbles during the year. In the last seven games of the season, he turned the ball over 18 times. Many fans and sports writers expected head coach Lovie Smith
to bench him at some point, but Smith insisted that Grossman would be the starter throughout the entire season.
Receivers Muhsin Muhammad
(60 receptions, 863 yards, 5 touchdowns) and Bernard Berrian
(51 receptions, 775 yards, 7 touchdowns) provided the main deep threat on the team, along with tight end Desmond Clark
, who caught 45 passes for 626 yards and 6 touchdowns. Chicago's running game was led by running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson
. Jones rushed for 1,210 yards and caught 36 passes, while Benson rushed for 647 yards and scored 6 touchdowns.
Chicago's defense allowed the 5th least total yardage, allowed less than 100 yards per game on the ground, and allowed the fewest yards per drive of any NFL team. The line was anchored by Adewale Ogunleye
, who had 6.5 sacks, and Pro Bowler Tommie Harris
, who recorded 5, along with rookie Mark Anderson, who led the team with 12 sacks. Behind them, two of the three Bears starting linebackers, Lance Briggs
, and Brian Urlacher
, were selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl
. In the secondary, cornerbacks Ricky Manning, Jr.
and Charles Tillman
each recorded five interceptions.
The loss of Harris to injury after the twelfth game of the season coincided with a decline in defensive performance. Before his loss, the Bears allowed only two opponents to score more than twenty points (23 points to the Arizona Cardinals
in week six and 31 to the Miami Dolphins
in week 9). After his injury, Chicago opponents scored more than 20 points in six of the seven remaining games, including two of three playoff games. Only the New Orleans Saints
in the NFC Championship game
were held below 21 points.
The Bears special teams unit was considered to be the best in the league . This unit sent 3 players to the Pro Bowl, including special teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo
, kicker Robbie Gould
(who led all NFL kickers with 143 points), and rookie return man Devin Hester
, who gained 600 punt return yards with a 12.8 yards per return average, the second highest in the NFL. He also set a league record with 6 touchdowns on special teams.
to lead the team. Over the next four seasons, Manning, along with other stars such as receiver Marvin Harrison
and running back Edgerrin James
, turned the Colts into one of the best offensive teams in the NFL, but the team struggled to find consistency on defense and always ended up with either a losing season or elimination from the playoffs in the first round. In 2002, Indianapolis fired head coach Jim Mora
and replaced him with Tony Dungy
. Dungy had developed one of the best defenses in the NFL while coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, and it was hoped he could solve the Colts' defensive problems as well.
Over the next four seasons, the Colts won 48 of 64 games, but still could not find much success in the postseason. In 2002, they were blown out 41–0 in the wild card round by the New York Jets
. In 2003, they won their first two playoff games behind impressive offensive performances, and reached the AFC title game. There, they lost to the eventual champion New England Patriots
24–14, with Manning throwing four interceptions. In 2004, the Colts had one of the most spectacular offensive seasons in NFL history, scoring 522 points and gaining 6,582 yards, while Manning set NFL records for most touchdown passes and highest passer rating. But again the Patriots' defense (and snowy conditions) proved too formidable, as they lost 20–3 in the divisional round of the playoffs.
In 2005, the Colts' defense improved, making the team the clear favorites in the NFL. They won the first 13 games of the season and finished with a 14–2 record, while ranking second in the NFL in both points scored and fewest points allowed. But once again they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, this time to the #6 seeded Pittsburgh Steelers
, 21–18. After another disappointing loss, Manning had developed a reputation of being unable to make it to a championship, a reputation that followed him from college after he was unable to win an NCAA title with the Tennessee Volunteers
(who won a title the year after he graduated). The Colts lost some key players after the 2005 season, including James, who departed the Colts for the Arizona Cardinals, and kicker Mike Vanderjagt
, the NFL's all-time leader in field goal percentage, who left for the Dallas Cowboys.
Still, the Colts remained one of the AFC's top teams in the 2006 NFL season
. Manning made the Pro Bowl for the 7th time in his career, completing 362 of 555 passes for 4,397 yards and an NFL-best 31 touchdowns, with an additional 4 rushing touchdowns and with only 9 interceptions and 15 sacks. His favorite target was Harrison, who caught 95 passes for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns. Receiver Reggie Wayne
was also a major deep threat with 86 receptions for 1,310 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tight ends Ben Utecht
and Dallas Clark
were also reliable targets, each recording over 30 receptions for over 300 yards. On the ground, rookie running back Joseph Addai
led the team with 1,081 yards and a 4.8 yards-per-carry average despite not starting any games in the regular season. He also caught 40 receptions for 325 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. Running back Dominic Rhodes
was also a major contributor, rushing for 641 yards and catching 36 passes for 251 yards. The offensive line was led by Pro Bowlers Jeff Saturday
and Tarik Glenn
. On special teams, the Colts signed kicker Adam Vinatieri
to replace Vanderjagt. While Vinatieri's career field goal percentage was lower, the Colts considered him to be an improvement because of his reputation for making "clutch
" kicks, a reputation aided by his game winning field goals in Super Bowl XXXVI
and Super Bowl XXXVIII
.
Indianapolis' defense ranked second in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed. Dwight Freeney
and Robert Mathis
(who recorded 9.5 sacks and forced 4 fumbles) were widely considered to be among the best pass-rushing defensive end
s in the NFL. Behind them, linebacker Cato June
led the team in tackles (92) and interceptions (3). The Colts' run defense, however, was a major problem, giving up 2,768 yards on the ground, an average of 173 per game and last in the NFL. Another major issue for the Colts was their coverage teams, as they ranked 30th out of 32 teams in average kickoff return yardage allowed and 31st in average punt return yardage allowed.
Indianapolis started out the season winning their first nine games, but ended up losing four of their next seven and finished with a 12–4 record, giving them the #3 playoff seed. Thus, they would have to win three games to make it to the Super Bowl.
23–8, holding Chiefs running back Larry Johnson (who rushed for 1,789 yards during the season) to just 32 yards on 13 carries. Then, they defeated the Baltimore Ravens
15–6, winning on a playoff record-tying five field goals by Vinatieri and holding running back Jamal Lewis
(who rushed for 1,132 yards during the season) to just 53 yards.
Then the Colts faced their arch-rival New England Patriots
in the AFC title game. New England jumped to an early 21–3 lead, but Indianapolis stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Patriots 32–13 with an additional field goal late in the first half. The Colts' final scoring drive did much to help Manning
lose his image of always choking in big games. With 2:22 left in the game, the Colts had the ball on their own 20-yard line trailing 34–31. On the first four plays of the drive, Manning completed three passes, moving the ball 69 yards to the Patriots 11-yard line in just 24 seconds. Three plays later, Addai scored a 3-yard touchdown run to put them in the lead, 38–34 with only 60 seconds left in regulation. The Patriots responded with a drive to the Colts 45-yard line, but defensive back Marlin Jackson
ended the drive with an interception to give Indianapolis the win. This happened to be the biggest comeback in AFC-NFC Conference Championship history.
Meanwhile, the Bears started out their post-season with a 27–24 win over the Seattle Seahawks
with Robbie Gould
's 49-yard field goal in overtime. One week later, they defeated the New Orleans Saints
39–14. Chicago dominated most of the game, jumping to a 16–0 early lead. Two touchdown passes from Saints quarterback Drew Brees
, cut the score to 16–14, but the Bears responded with 23 unanswered points to propel them to their first Super Bowl since 1985. Thomas Jones finished the game with a franchise postseason record 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
It was the first time since the 1996 postseason that the home team won both of the conference championship games. The Colts were the first dome team to win the Super Bowl in an outdoor game. (The St. Louis Rams
were the first dome team to win a Super Bowl (XXXIV
)). The 2006
Indianapolis Colts were the first division champion to win a Super Bowl with four postseason wins and the second division champion (2003
Carolina Panthers
) to win a conference title with three postseason wins.
For the Bears, this marked the first time that a Chicago sports team not owned by Jerry Reinsdorf
had reached the finals in their league since the Blackhawks
lost in the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals
.
The Indianapolis Colts
held pre-game practices for Super Bowl XLI at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility
on the campus of Nova Southeastern University
in Davie, Florida
. The Colts' "Team and Family" hotel was the Marriott Harbor Beach. At the 2007 Indianapolis 500
pre-race ceremonies on May 27, 2007, eventual Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning
stated to ABC Sports commentator Brent Musberger that the day before the game that two-time Indianapolis 500
winner Hélio Castroneves
gave a pep talk to the Colts team.
The Chicago Bears
held pre-game practices for Super Bowl XLI at the Miami Hurricanes Football Facility, on the campus of the University of Miami
in Coral Gables, Florida
.
Chicago defensive tackle Tank Johnson
was required to request a judge's order to leave the state of Illinois
due to an arrest for unlicensed ownership of six firearms and two assault rifles. On January 23, 2007, the judge granted him permission to travel out of state to play in the Super Bowl.
Chicago and Indianapolis are the two closest cities, geographically, to ever play in a Super Bowl; at 182 miles (293 km) apart (connected by Interstate 65
), they are slightly closer than New York and Baltimore, whose teams played each other at III
and XXXV
). This prompted Colts coach Tony Dungy to joke to Jim Nantz, at the end of the AFC Championship game, that the two teams should split the difference and play the game in Fort Wayne
.
in high-definition
with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz
and color commentator
Phil Simms
. This was the first Super Bowl announced by Nantz. Additionally, the game had Steve Tasker
(Bears sideline
) and Solomon Wilcots
(Colts sideline
) reporting on the sidelines and Lesley Visser
(Bears sideline
) and Sam Ryan (Colts sideline
) in the stands.
This was the first Super Bowl aired on CBS since the Janet Jackson
and Justin Timberlake
incident
three years earlier, in Super Bowl XXXVIII
; and the first since the Viacom
/CBS
split at the end of 2005. Extensive pre-game coverage, hosted by The NFL Today
team of James Brown
, Shannon Sharpe
, Boomer Esiason
and Dan Marino
, whose name graces the address of the game site (2269 Dan Marino Boulevard), began at noon (US EST) with NFL Films
’ “Road to the Super Bowl” year in review (narrated by Tom Selleck
). This was followed by "The Phil Simms All-Iron Team", and a four-and-a-half hour Super Bowl Today pre-game show followed by game coverage at 6:25 PM. Other contributors to the pre-game show included Katie Couric
, anchor of the CBS Evening News
, Armen Keteyian
, CBS News Chief Investigative Corrrespondent, Randy Cross
, who reported from Iraq
where U.S. military forces played a touch football game known as "The Baghdad
Bowl" and Dick Enberg
, who participated in his 12th Super Bowl telecast as a host, play-by-play announcer, or contributor.
Westwood One
provided radio coverage of the event, with Marv Albert
and Boomer Esiason as announcers.
The American Forces Network
(AFN) provided coverage of the Super Bowl for U.S. forces stationed overseas and to all U.S. Navy ships at sea.
The opening title sequence of CBS television coverage featured the composition Lux Aeterna, by artist Clint Mansell, in the background.
Nielsen Media Research
reported 93 million viewers for Super Bowl XLI, making it at the time the fifth most watched program in U.S. television history (trailing only the M*A*S*H finale and Super Bowls XLIII
, XXX
, and XLII
).
which both took the main CBS commentary, and on the French cable channel RDS
. In the United Kingdom the Super Bowl was broadcast on ITV1
, Sky Sports 1 & Sky Sports HD1
with Sky Sports
taking the main CBS commentary and ITV
taking the NFL supplied international commentary feed of Spero Dedes
and Sterling Sharpe
.
Super Bowl XLI was broadcast in over 200 countries. Amongst the television networks who broadcast Super Bowl XLI were:
– ESPN Argentina
and Fox Sports
– SBS
, Fox Sports
and ESPN
broadcast the game live (All International Feed). – ORF
1, DSF
– Channel 5
, Channel 7
(both CBS feed) – BandSports
and ESPN International
; Bandeirantes
also broadcast a condensed version of the game – Global
, NTV
(English) and RDS
(French) – ESPN Latin-America
and Fox Sports
– CCTV-5
– Z1
– TV2 Zulu – MTV3
– France 2
– ARD
(international feed), NASN (international feed), DSF
(on tape delay
) – Sport 1
– Sýn
– TV3
, Sky Sports
and Sky Sports HD
– Sky Sport Italia (in HDTV
) – ESPN Asia
– NHK BS-1
, Nippon Television
– Seoul Broadcasting System
| – Sport 4 – Televisa
, TV Azteca
(in HDTV) – Elmag RTV
– NASN (HDTV) – Sky Sports
, ESPN
– Viasat SportN
– Fox Sports
, ESPN
– Solar Sports
– Canal + – SportTV 1
– NTV Plus
– Canal +
– SportKlub – TV6 (Sweden) – True Vision Super Sport ch.61, ESPN
– Fox Sports Turkey – ITV1, Sky Sports
and Sky Sports HD
(CBS feed and announcers)
, Romero Britto
and Louie Vega performed as the pre-game act, and Billy Joel
sang the National Anthem
, accompanying himself on piano
. He also performed at Super Bowl XXIII
, which was also played at the same venue. Joel became the second person to sing the National Anthem twice for a Super Bowl; Aaron Neville sang the national anthem before Super Bowl XXIV, in New Orleans, and Super Bowl XL (along with Aretha Franklin), in Detroit.
Marlee Matlin
and Jason Hay-Southwell performed the National Anthem in American Sign Language
.
Besides participating in the CBS telecast of the pre-game show, Dan Marino also participated in the coin toss along with Norma Hunt, the widow of Lamar Hunt
, the former owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the man who gave the Super Bowl its name.
, Prince
, performed in the Pepsi
Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show. The setlist for Prince's performance was a short rendition of "We Will Rock You
" by Queen
, his signature hit "Let's Go Crazy
", "Baby, I'm a Star", cover versions of the Creedence Clearwater Revival
hit "Proud Mary", the Bob Dylan
composition "All Along the Watchtower
", and the Foo Fighters
song "Best of You", and in light of the conditions, he fittingly finished the performance with another signature song, "Purple Rain
" in the downpour. The 12-minute performance featured Prince accompanied by two dancers he calls “The Twinz” and the Florida A&M University
marching band, the Marching 100
. Prince had rehearsed with the drum line for a week before the performance. The performance was on a large, central stage which was shaped after the artist's logo, and was outlined with lights. He played before 74,512 fans at Dolphin Stadium (who had been given flashlights to point at the stage during the performance of Purple Rain). The event was carried “to the biggest audience of his life – 140 million television viewers.” Overall, the show was energetic and quite well received by the rain-soaked audience surrounding the stage. Music critics were extremely enthusiastic about his performance, one calling it "arguably the best halftime show in Super Bowl history", and others saying it was one of the best ever.
Following the game, however, controversy emerged about a silhouetted camera shot of Prince, projected against a large sheet by a bright light on the other side of the performer. The controversy centered around his guitar, which detractors claimed seemed phallic, critics stating that it "looked embarrassingly rude, crude and unfortunately placed." Though the guitar has been considered by some an extension of a male player's sexuality (especially highlighted by such artists as Jimi Hendrix
, Eddie Van Halen
, and even Prince himself), supporters of Prince say that the show did not, in fact, become any more sexually charged than usual, noting that "a guitar at waist level does look like an enormous phallus
." ABC
late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live
responded to this mild controversy by including two satirically pixelized
Super Bowl clips on its weekly segment "This Week in Unnecessary Censorship" for the February 9, 2007 episode. The first "censored" clip was the kickoff show introduction for CBS
' coverage of the Super Bowl, with the first two letters of "kickoff" blurred out as if "jackoff
" were censored, then with a clip of the shadow of Prince playing guitar with the guitar neck
blurred out as if an actual penis
were being blurred.
presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy
to the Colts after the game, and Peyton Manning
was named MVP.
The rain did not hinder Bears' return man Devin Hester
, who ran back the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to give Chicago the earliest lead in Super Bowl history. The Colts avoided kicking to Hester for the rest of the game, allowing him only one punt return, and choosing to squib kick
whenever Hester was in the deep kickoff return position.
On Indianapolis' first drive of the game, defensive back Chris Harris
intercepted a deep, third-down pass from Peyton Manning
and returned it 6 yards to the Bears' 35-yard line. However, Chicago could not gain a first down on their ensuing possession and they were forced to punt. After several short runs and passes, Manning beat the Bears' defense with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne
, cutting the Bears' lead to 7–6. The touchdown occurred because of a mental error on the Bears' secondary. Cornerback Charles Tillman passed Reggie Wayne onto Safety Daniel Manning. But Manning chose to follow Tight End Ben Utecht over the middle, leaving Wayne all alone. The score remained the same, at 7–6, after punter/holder Hunter Smith
fumbled the snap on the extra point attempt. On the ensuing kickoff, Chicago tight end Gabe Reid
fumbled Adam Vinatieri
's bouncing kickoff while being tackled by Robert Mathis
; Colts linebacker Tyjuan Hagler
recovered the loose ball. However, on the next play, Indianapolis gave the ball back when running back Joseph Addai
fumbled the handoff and Bears defensive end Mark Anderson
recovered it.
On the first play after the turnover, Thomas Jones' 52-yard run moved the ball to the Colts' 5-yard line. Three plays later, Rex Grossman
threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Muhsin Muhammad
, giving the Bears a 14–6 lead. After forcing an Indianapolis punt, Chicago lost another turnover when Cedric Benson
's fumble was recovered by Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney
on the Bears' 43-yard line. Indianapolis subsequently advanced to the 36-yard line, but decided to punt rather than risk a 53-yard field-goal attempt.
Following a Chicago punt, Indianapolis drove 47 yards and scored with Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal to make the score 14–9. Chicago was forced to punt again on their next drive, and return man Terrence Wilkins
returned the ball 12 yards to his own 42-yard line. Manning started out the drive with a 22-yard completion to Marvin Harrison
. His next pass went to tight end Dallas Clark
for 17 yards. Two more completions moved the ball to the Bears' 11-yard line, and then Dominic Rhodes
took the ball to the end zone with three consecutive carries, the last one a 1-yard touchdown run to give his team a 16–14 lead with 6:09 left in the second quarter.
After another Chicago punt, the Colts advanced to the Bears' 36-yard line before defensive back Charles Tillman
ended the drive by forcing and recovering a fumble from tight end Bryan Fletcher. But on the next play, Grossman fumbled a snap, and Colts defensive lineman Raheem Brock
recovered the ball. Manning then led the Colts to Chicago's 17-yard line. With two seconds left, Vinatieri attempted a 36-yard field goal, but his kick sailed wide left, and the score remained 16–14 at halftime.
. Then, on third down, he fumbled the snap. Grossman recovered the fumble himself, but the Bears were forced to punt, and Wilkins returned the ball 12 yards to the Colts' 36-yard line. Rhodes then gained 52 yards on four carries, with a facemask penalty adding another 10. Chicago managed to halt the drive at their own 2-yard line, but Vinatieri kicked his third field goal to make the score 22–14.
Chicago tight end John Gilmore
picked up Vinatieri's bouncing kickoff and returned it 9-yards to his own 45-yard line, with an Unnecessary Roughness penalty on Mathis adding another 15 yards and giving the Bears a first down on the Colts' 40-yard line. Chicago could only gain 14 yards on their ensuing possession, but it was enough for Robbie Gould
to make a 44-yard field goal, cutting the score to 22–17. After an Indianapolis 7-play drive ended in a punt, Chicago started on their own 20-yard line with 13:38 left in the game. But four plays later, Colts defensive back Kelvin Hayden
intercepted a pass intended for Muhammad and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown.
From that point on, the Colts took over the game. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Colts defensive back Bob Sanders
intercepted Grossman's pass and returned it 38 yards to the Bears 41-yard line. Chicago's defense eventually forced a punt, but Smith's 32-yard kick pinned the Bears back at their own 8-yard line. The Bears drove to their own 47, but on a fourth down conversion attempt, tight end Desmond Clark
dropped a potential first down reception after being leveled by defensive back Matt Giordano
. The Colts subsequently called eight consecutive Dominic Rhodes
runs before turning the ball over on downs themselves, leaving only 1:42 remaining in regulation. Five plays later, the game was over.
had 113 for the Colts and Thomas Jones had 112 for the Bears. Tony Dungy is the third man to win the Super Bowl as a head coach as well as a player, following Tom Flores
and Mike Ditka
.
For the Colts, Rhodes rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while also catching an 8-yard reception. Addai rushed for 77 yards and caught 10 passes (a Super Bowl record for running backs) for 66 yards. Wilkins returned four kickoffs for 89 yards and 3 punts for 42 yards. Adam Vinatieri became the first kicker ever to play in five Super Bowls and the first to win four Super Bowl ring
s. Vinatieri's three field goals and two extra points gave him a total of 49 points for the entire 2006 post-season, an NFL record. The Colts' win was the first major professional championship for Indiana
since the Indiana Pacers
' ABA
title in the 1972–73 season.
Hester's touchdown for the Bears on the opening kickoff was the first one in Super Bowl history, and the eighth kick return for a touchdown in a Super Bowl; only two of the eight teams who did this went on to win the game (the Green Bay Packers
in Super Bowl XXXI
and the Baltimore Ravens
in Super Bowl XXXV
). Hester's return also kept a streak alive for there being a kickoff return for a touchdown in each Super Bowl played at Dolphin Stadium. Hester's and Wayne's touchdowns in the first quarter marked the first time in Super Bowl history, the first two touchdowns were scored by players from the same college (University of Miami
). Jones was the Bears' top rusher with 112 yards, while also catching four passes for 18 yards. Desmond Clark was the Bears top receiver with six receptions for 64 yards. Grossman completed 20 of 28 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, leaving him with a QB rating of 68.3 for the game. Muhsin Muhammad
became the third player ever to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl for two different teams, joining Ricky Proehl
and Jerry Rice
.
aCarries
bLong play
cReceptions
. However, CNN reported that after discounts, the average price is likely closer to $1.8 to $2 million. Familiar advertisers in recent years such as Anheuser-Busch
, CareerBuilder
, General Motors
and Coca-Cola
bought multiple advertising spots, and other popular advertisers like Go Daddy
and Emerald Nuts
had commercials this year.
The only major hype related to commercials in the months leading up to Super Bowl XLI involved various campaigns to allow consumers to be involved in the creation of Super Bowl ads, inspired by consumer-generated content sites like YouTube
. Frito-Lay
announced a campaign in September 2006 to allow the public to submit ads for their Doritos
brand and vote on the best one, which aired during the Super Bowl. Doritos actually aired two of the ads due to a close voting margin; the winning ad (featuring a chance meeting with a man and a woman that feature the qualities of Doritos) aired in the first quarter, while a second (with a checkout lady overly enamored with the product) aired in the second quarter. The five finalists each received $10,000 in this contest. General Motors announced a similar contest, open only to college students, for their Chevrolet
brand; however, the ad would be produced professionally based on ideas suggested by the public. The winning ad featured men gathering around an HHR model with women in it and stripping off their clothes and giving it a car wash. The NFL itself advertised a similar contest to generate suggestions for a commercial promoting the league, with the winning concept featuring fans' disappointment that their teams' season was over.
The annual USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter
survey chose a Budweiser
ad featuring crabs worshiping an ice chest with that particular beer inside as the top ad of Super Bowl XLI, followed by another Bud commercial featuring a stray dog with mud spots climbing onto the brewery's trademark Clydsedale-drawn wagon in a parade. In all, Anheuser-Busch took seven of the top ten spots in the annual survey, sweeping the top three spots. A YouTube user survey chose the Doritos "Snack Hard" ad (produced for the incredible price of $12, the cost of three bags of the snack product) as their top ad, that ad finished fourth in the USA Today survey. ADBOWL
results were slightly different with only 6 of Anheuser-Busch’s ads finishing in the top ten. The highest ranked being the Bud Light “Rock, Paper, Scissors” spot. Also in the top ten were Blockbuster Video’s “Mouse,” Doritos’ “Car Wreck,” GM’s “Robot” and Taco Bell
’s “Lion’s Talk ‘Carne’.”
One ad that drew criticism from the gay community was for the Snickers
candy bar featuring two men accidentally "kissing" each other after sharing the product in question, then proceeded to rip chest hairs as a manly act as homophobic. The ad proved to be controversial, and the ad was cancelled the next day by Masterfoods USA (Mars, Incorporated
's snack food division), and three other versions were deleted from the snickers.com web site. The ad was ninth in the USA Today ad survey, and according to a Masterfoods publicist, not intended to harm anyone.
A different ad for General Motors
featured a laid off
assembly line
robot
contemplating suicide
, which drew criticism from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
. The group asked for an apology from GM, and that the ad be taken off the air and the company's website. The suicide scene was replaced with a scene of the robot watching a car being crushed at a junkyard when it was shown again during the 79th Academy Awards
on February 25.
at Super Bowl XLI. Originally, spokesmen for Dolphin Stadium announced that tailgating would be permitted as usual, however the NFL quickly contradicted this statement announcing an NFL owner-imposed ban on all tailgating and non-ticketed fans were forbidden within a two-block-radius of the stadium.
Rachel L. Margolies sent a letter to the Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis
, ordering the church to cancel its party and remove the trademarked Super Bowl name from its website. She said that the church could not use the words "Super Bowl" as it violates trademark law, could not charge admission as that violates copyright
law, could not use its projection screen (only one television could be used and it could not be over 55 inches), and could not "promote a message" in connection with the game. Regarding the last point, the Fall Creek Baptist church planned to also show an extra video to highlight the Christian
testimonies of Colts coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith. "While this may be a noble message," Rachel L. Margolies wrote, "we are consistent in refusing the use of our game broadcasts in connection with events that promote a message, no matter the content." Sports bars nationwide were allowed to show the game, as are businesses that televise sports as part of their everyday operations because they don't charge admission and they leave the message the NFL intended intact.
The Indianapolis Star
picked up the story, and soon pastors across the U.S. were working to cancel their parties. Immediately the NFL received a backlash of bad publicity, with indignant football fans in constant sarcasm (akin to rules imposed about on-field behavior i.e. taunting opposition teams) referring to the NFL as the "No Fun League." For example, the enforcement of this policy earned the NFL
a "Worst Person in the World" silver on the February 2, 2007 edition of Countdown with Keith Olbermann
.
After a long series of bad press, the NFL issued a written statement clarifying their policy, saying that they did not object to churches hosting Super Bowl parties so long as they did not charge admission and showed the game on "a television of the type commonly used at home". This statement did not attempt to forbid coordination of any other message with the game, something typically done by churches, nor did it attempt to forbid the use of the term "Super Bowl."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game that featured the American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) champion Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
to decide the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) champion for the 2006 season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
. The Colts defeated the Bears, 29–17, overcoming a 14–6 first quarter deficit to outscore their opponent 23–3 in the last three quarters.
This game, played on February 4, 2007, at Dolphin Stadium
Dolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
in Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...
, featured two teams ending long Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance droughts. The Colts made their first appearance in a Super Bowl game since winning Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
in the 1970 NFL season
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
during the team's tenure in Baltimore; they moved to Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
in 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
. Meanwhile, the Bears made their first appearance since winning Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
in the 1985 season
1985 Chicago Bears season
The 1985 Chicago Bears season was their 66th regular season and 16th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 15-1 record, earning them the top seed in the NFC for the playoffs. The Bears defeated their three post season opponents by a combined score of 91-10 en...
. It was only the second time that two pre-expansion era (pre 1960) teams met in the Super Bowl. The first was Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
between the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and the Los Angeles Rams. Also, if one counts the histories of several other franchises as part of that of the Colts, this game would be the first Super Bowl between two NFL charter members from 1920, as the Colts' earliest ancestor, the Dayton Triangles
Dayton Triangles
The Dayton Triangles were an original franchise of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The Triangles were based in Dayton, Ohio, and took their nickname from their home field, Triangle Park, which was located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers in north...
, were part of the league's inaugural season along with the team that became the Chicago Bears, the Decatur Staleys (the only other possible Super Bowl match-up under this criterion would be between the Colts and the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the Bears' former crosstown rivals).
Colts quarterback Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
was named the game's Most Valuable Player, completing 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, with one interception for a passer rating of 81.8. This was Manning's first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
title after being one of the league's most dominant quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s throughout his nine-year career. It was also the first time two African-American head coaches (Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
and Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
) were coaching in the Super Bowl, with Tony Dungy being the first to win. The tagline for the game was, "One Game. One Dream."
Host selection process
Dolphin Stadium won the bid to host Super Bowl XLI on September 17, 2003 after a campaign against ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Tampa Bay
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and Washington D.C. With this game, the Miami Metropolitan Area
South Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
tied New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
as the city to host the most Super Bowls (9).
This was the fourth Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium, which has also been known as "Joe Robbie Stadium" and "Pro Player Stadium". The venue previously hosted Super Bowls XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
(broadcast on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
), XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
(on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
), and XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
(on FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
). Super Bowls II
Super Bowl II
The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida....
, III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
, V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
, X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
, and XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
were also in Miami, but held at the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
.
In February 2006, the NFL and the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee unveiled the slogan "one game, one dream" for the game, referring to the entire South Florida region working together to present the event. The Super Bowl XLI logo was also unveiled, featuring the colors orange (to represent the sun) and blue (for the ocean). The "I" in the Roman numeral "XLI" was drawn to resemble a pylon placed at each corner of an end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
because "the goal is to get to the game." This year's logo has the same shade of orange as the logo of the host city's home team, the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The "XL" part is similar to that of Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
's logo.
Chicago Bears
The Bears offense was led by quarterback Rex Grossman
Rex Grossman
Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of...
, the team's first round draft pick in 2003. Over the previous three seasons, Grossman had played in just 8 regular season games due to injuries, but he recovered to start in all 16 games in 2006. By the end of the season, he finished with 3,193 yards and 23 touchdowns, the most by a Bears quarterback since 1995. Grossman had difficulty avoiding turnovers
Turnover (football)
In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball loses possession of the ball, which is then gained by the other team. The two events that are officially classified as "turnovers" are fumbles or interceptions In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball...
, however, and threw 20 interceptions and lost five fumbles during the year. In the last seven games of the season, he turned the ball over 18 times. Many fans and sports writers expected head coach Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
to bench him at some point, but Smith insisted that Grossman would be the starter throughout the entire season.
Receivers Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
(60 receptions, 863 yards, 5 touchdowns) and Bernard Berrian
Bernard Berrian
Bernard Berrian is a free agent American football wide receiver who last played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
(51 receptions, 775 yards, 7 touchdowns) provided the main deep threat on the team, along with tight end Desmond Clark
Desmond Clark
Desmond Darice Clark is an American football Tight End who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Forest...
, who caught 45 passes for 626 yards and 6 touchdowns. Chicago's running game was led by running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
. Jones rushed for 1,210 yards and caught 36 passes, while Benson rushed for 647 yards and scored 6 touchdowns.
Chicago's defense allowed the 5th least total yardage, allowed less than 100 yards per game on the ground, and allowed the fewest yards per drive of any NFL team. The line was anchored by Adewale Ogunleye
Adewale Ogunleye
Adewale Ogunleye is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Indiana.-Early years:...
, who had 6.5 sacks, and Pro Bowler Tommie Harris
Tommie Harris
Tommie Harris, Jr. is an American football defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.Harris has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts...
, who recorded 5, along with rookie Mark Anderson, who led the team with 12 sacks. Behind them, two of the three Bears starting linebackers, Lance Briggs
Lance Briggs
Lance Marell Briggs is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.-Early years:A Sacramento native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High...
, and Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
, were selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
. In the secondary, cornerbacks Ricky Manning, Jr.
Ricky Manning, Jr.
Richard "Ricky" Manning, Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.Manning has also been a member of the Chicago Bears, St...
and Charles Tillman
Charles Tillman
Charles "Peanut" Tillman is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was selected with the 35th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.-Early years:...
each recorded five interceptions.
The loss of Harris to injury after the twelfth game of the season coincided with a decline in defensive performance. Before his loss, the Bears allowed only two opponents to score more than twenty points (23 points to the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week six and 31 to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week 9). After his injury, Chicago opponents scored more than 20 points in six of the seven remaining games, including two of three playoff games. Only the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the NFC Championship game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
were held below 21 points.
The Bears special teams unit was considered to be the best in the league . This unit sent 3 players to the Pro Bowl, including special teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo
Brendon Ayanbadejo
Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins....
, kicker Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
(who led all NFL kickers with 143 points), and rookie return man Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
, who gained 600 punt return yards with a 12.8 yards per return average, the second highest in the NFL. He also set a league record with 6 touchdowns on special teams.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts' first trip to the Super Bowl in 36 years set a record for longest time between appearances by a team. Their return was the culmination of a nine-year-long building process. In 1998, they drafted quarterback Peyton ManningPeyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
to lead the team. Over the next four seasons, Manning, along with other stars such as receiver Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
and running back Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
, turned the Colts into one of the best offensive teams in the NFL, but the team struggled to find consistency on defense and always ended up with either a losing season or elimination from the playoffs in the first round. In 2002, Indianapolis fired head coach Jim Mora
Jim E. Mora
James Earnest Mora is the former head coach of the USFL's Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars and the NFL's New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. He played football at Occidental College where he was also a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. His son Jim L...
and replaced him with Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
. Dungy had developed one of the best defenses in the NFL while coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, and it was hoped he could solve the Colts' defensive problems as well.
Over the next four seasons, the Colts won 48 of 64 games, but still could not find much success in the postseason. In 2002, they were blown out 41–0 in the wild card round by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In 2003, they won their first two playoff games behind impressive offensive performances, and reached the AFC title game. There, they lost to the eventual champion New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
24–14, with Manning throwing four interceptions. In 2004, the Colts had one of the most spectacular offensive seasons in NFL history, scoring 522 points and gaining 6,582 yards, while Manning set NFL records for most touchdown passes and highest passer rating. But again the Patriots' defense (and snowy conditions) proved too formidable, as they lost 20–3 in the divisional round of the playoffs.
In 2005, the Colts' defense improved, making the team the clear favorites in the NFL. They won the first 13 games of the season and finished with a 14–2 record, while ranking second in the NFL in both points scored and fewest points allowed. But once again they lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, this time to the #6 seeded Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, 21–18. After another disappointing loss, Manning had developed a reputation of being unable to make it to a championship, a reputation that followed him from college after he was unable to win an NCAA title with the Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
(who won a title the year after he graduated). The Colts lost some key players after the 2005 season, including James, who departed the Colts for the Arizona Cardinals, and kicker Mike Vanderjagt
Mike Vanderjagt
Michael John "Mike" Vanderjagt , is a professional American and Canadian football placekicker and punter who has played in the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League and National Football League...
, the NFL's all-time leader in field goal percentage, who left for the Dallas Cowboys.
Still, the Colts remained one of the AFC's top teams in the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
. Manning made the Pro Bowl for the 7th time in his career, completing 362 of 555 passes for 4,397 yards and an NFL-best 31 touchdowns, with an additional 4 rushing touchdowns and with only 9 interceptions and 15 sacks. His favorite target was Harrison, who caught 95 passes for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns. Receiver Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
was also a major deep threat with 86 receptions for 1,310 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tight ends Ben Utecht
Ben Utecht
Benjamin Jeffrey Utecht is a former American football tight end who played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Minnesota...
and Dallas Clark
Dallas Clark
Dallas Dean Clark is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts 24th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa...
were also reliable targets, each recording over 30 receptions for over 300 yards. On the ground, rookie running back Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.-Early years:Addai's family hails from Ghana in West Africa...
led the team with 1,081 yards and a 4.8 yards-per-carry average despite not starting any games in the regular season. He also caught 40 receptions for 325 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. Running back Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Dondrell Rhodes is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He attended Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
was also a major contributor, rushing for 641 yards and catching 36 passes for 251 yards. The offensive line was led by Pro Bowlers Jeff Saturday
Jeff Saturday
Jeffrey Bryant Saturday is an American football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at North Carolina. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Football League Players' Association.-Early years:Saturday attended...
and Tarik Glenn
Tarik Glenn
Tarik Glenn is a former American football offensive tackle who played for the Indianapolis Colts. Glenn performed as two-way lineman at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California....
. On special teams, the Colts signed kicker Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
to replace Vanderjagt. While Vinatieri's career field goal percentage was lower, the Colts considered him to be an improvement because of his reputation for making "clutch
Clutch (sports)
In American sports terminology, "clutch" means performing well under extreme pressure. It often refers to high levels of production in a critical game, such as Game 7 of a best-of-seven series, the last hole of a Major Championship golf tournament, or the final minute in a close match...
" kicks, a reputation aided by his game winning field goals in Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
and Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
.
Indianapolis' defense ranked second in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed. Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
and Robert Mathis
Robert Mathis
Robert Nathan Mathis is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.-Early years:Mathis attended McNair High School in Atlanta, Georgia....
(who recorded 9.5 sacks and forced 4 fumbles) were widely considered to be among the best pass-rushing defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
s in the NFL. Behind them, linebacker Cato June
Cato June
Cato Nnamdi June is a free agent American football linebacker who most recently played for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. A 2006 Pro Bowl choice, June was a...
led the team in tackles (92) and interceptions (3). The Colts' run defense, however, was a major problem, giving up 2,768 yards on the ground, an average of 173 per game and last in the NFL. Another major issue for the Colts was their coverage teams, as they ranked 30th out of 32 teams in average kickoff return yardage allowed and 31st in average punt return yardage allowed.
Indianapolis started out the season winning their first nine games, but ended up losing four of their next seven and finished with a 12–4 record, giving them the #3 playoff seed. Thus, they would have to win three games to make it to the Super Bowl.
Regular season statistical comparison
The chart below provides a comparison of regular season statistics in key categories (overall rank amongst 32 teams in parentheses).| Statistic | Indianapolis Colts | Chicago Bears |
|---|---|---|
| Points scored per game | 26.7 (2nd, tied) | 26.7 (2nd, tied) |
| Points allowed per game | 22.5 (23rd) | 15.9 (3rd) |
| Rushing yards gained per game | 110.1 (18th) | 119.9 (15th) |
| Rushing yards allowed per game | 173.0 (32nd) | 99.4 (6th) |
| Passing yards gained per game | 269.2 (2nd) | 205.1 (14th) |
| Passing yards allowed per game | 159.2 (2nd) | 194.8 (11th) |
| Yards gained per play | 6.0 (2nd) | 5.0 (21st) |
| Yards allowed per play | 5.5 (29th) | 4.6 (2nd) |
| Time of possession per game | 29:32 (23rd) | 30:56 (11th) |
| Third-down conversion percentage | 56 (1st) | 37 (22nd) |
| Third-down conversion percentage allowed | 47 (32nd) | 31 (2nd) |
| Fourth-down conversion percentage | 0 (32nd) | 69 (4th, tied) |
| Fourth-down conversion percentage allowed | 79 (30th, tied) | 62 (27th) |
| Total turnover differential |
Playoffs
Although the Colts' rushing defense looked extremely weak during the season, it ended up being a key factor on their road to the Super Bowl. First, Indianapolis defeated the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
23–8, holding Chiefs running back Larry Johnson (who rushed for 1,789 yards during the season) to just 32 yards on 13 carries. Then, they defeated the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
15–6, winning on a playoff record-tying five field goals by Vinatieri and holding running back Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
(who rushed for 1,132 yards during the season) to just 53 yards.
Then the Colts faced their arch-rival New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in the AFC title game. New England jumped to an early 21–3 lead, but Indianapolis stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Patriots 32–13 with an additional field goal late in the first half. The Colts' final scoring drive did much to help Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
lose his image of always choking in big games. With 2:22 left in the game, the Colts had the ball on their own 20-yard line trailing 34–31. On the first four plays of the drive, Manning completed three passes, moving the ball 69 yards to the Patriots 11-yard line in just 24 seconds. Three plays later, Addai scored a 3-yard touchdown run to put them in the lead, 38–34 with only 60 seconds left in regulation. The Patriots responded with a drive to the Colts 45-yard line, but defensive back Marlin Jackson
Marlin Jackson
-Indianapolis Colts:Jackson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the 29th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft. As an NFL rookie he had 52 tackles and one interception. Marlin played mostly in passing situations with one start in 15 games. In his second season, he had 82 tackles and 1...
ended the drive with an interception to give Indianapolis the win. This happened to be the biggest comeback in AFC-NFC Conference Championship history.
Meanwhile, the Bears started out their post-season with a 27–24 win over the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
with Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
's 49-yard field goal in overtime. One week later, they defeated the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
39–14. Chicago dominated most of the game, jumping to a 16–0 early lead. Two touchdown passes from Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
, cut the score to 16–14, but the Bears responded with 23 unanswered points to propel them to their first Super Bowl since 1985. Thomas Jones finished the game with a franchise postseason record 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
It was the first time since the 1996 postseason that the home team won both of the conference championship games. The Colts were the first dome team to win the Super Bowl in an outdoor game. (The St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
were the first dome team to win a Super Bowl (XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
)). The 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
Indianapolis Colts were the first division champion to win a Super Bowl with four postseason wins and the second division champion (2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
) to win a conference title with three postseason wins.
For the Bears, this marked the first time that a Chicago sports team not owned by Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real...
had reached the finals in their league since the Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
lost in the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals
1992 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1992 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Prince of Wales Conference and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Clarence Campbell Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks were making their first appearance in the Final since...
.
Super Bowl pre-game practices and notes
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
held pre-game practices for Super Bowl XLI at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility
Miami Dolphins Training Facility
The Miami Dolphins Training Facility is located on the Nova Southeastern University main campus in Davie, Florida. It is the headquarters location for the Miami Dolphins, as well as a location for frequent special events.-Architecture and features:...
on the campus of Nova Southeastern University
Nova Southeastern University
Nova Southeastern University, commonly referred to as NSU or Nova, is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian, research university located in Broward County, Florida, with its main campus in the town of Davie...
in Davie, Florida
Davie, Florida
Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States. The town's population was 91,992 at the 2010 census.- History :Davie was founded by Jake Tannebaum and Tamara Toussaint. The original name of the town was Zona. In 1909 R.P. Davie assisted then Governor Broward by draining the swamplands...
. The Colts' "Team and Family" hotel was the Marriott Harbor Beach. At the 2007 Indianapolis 500
2007 Indianapolis 500
The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
pre-race ceremonies on May 27, 2007, eventual Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
stated to ABC Sports commentator Brent Musberger that the day before the game that two-time Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
winner Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves is a Brazilian auto racing driver currently competing in the North American IndyCar Series. In IndyCar competition, Castroneves has 14 wins and 28 poles, and has never placed lower than sixth in the standings in a complete season of racing...
gave a pep talk to the Colts team.
The Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
held pre-game practices for Super Bowl XLI at the Miami Hurricanes Football Facility, on the campus of the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
.
Chicago defensive tackle Tank Johnson
Tank Johnson
Terry "Tank" Johnson is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
was required to request a judge's order to leave the state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
due to an arrest for unlicensed ownership of six firearms and two assault rifles. On January 23, 2007, the judge granted him permission to travel out of state to play in the Super Bowl.
Chicago and Indianapolis are the two closest cities, geographically, to ever play in a Super Bowl; at 182 miles (293 km) apart (connected by Interstate 65
Interstate 65 in Indiana
In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 65 traverses the state from south to north. The Indiana portion begins near Louisville, Kentucky and travels north, passing through Columbus, Indianapolis, Lafayette. Interstate 65 terminates near Gary on the Indiana Toll Road. Interstate 65 covers 261.27...
), they are slightly closer than New York and Baltimore, whose teams played each other at III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
and XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
). This prompted Colts coach Tony Dungy to joke to Jim Nantz, at the end of the AFC Championship game, that the two teams should split the difference and play the game in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
.
United States
The game was televised in the United States by CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in high-definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz
James William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
and color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
. This was the first Super Bowl announced by Nantz. Additionally, the game had Steve Tasker
Steve Tasker
Steven Jay Tasker is a broadcaster for CBS Sports, who previously was a wide receiver/gunner in the National Football League. He was drafted in the ninth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played college football at Northwestern...
(Bears sideline
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
) and Solomon Wilcots
Solomon Wilcots
Solomon Wilcots is a former American football defensive back in the NFL. Wilcots played sixs in the league for the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, and Pittsburgh Steelers.-Broadcasting:...
(Colts sideline
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
) reporting on the sidelines and Lesley Visser
Lesley Visser
Lesley Candace Visser is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and sportswriter. Visser is the first female NFL analyst on TV, and the only sportscaster in history, male or female, who has worked on Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the...
(Bears sideline
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
) and Sam Ryan (Colts sideline
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
) in the stands.
This was the first Super Bowl aired on CBS since the Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
and Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
incident
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
three years earlier, in Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
; and the first since the Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
/CBS
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
split at the end of 2005. Extensive pre-game coverage, hosted by The NFL Today
The NFL Today
The NFL Today is an American sports series that precedes the American football program The NFL on CBS on CBS Sports. The program usually airs at noon on Sundays of the National Football League regular season...
team of James Brown
James Brown (TV personality)
James Brown , commonly called "J.B.", is an American sports announcer known for being the host of The NFL Today on CBS and Inside the NFL on Showtime. He is the former host of the FOX network's NFL pregame show, Fox NFL Sunday.-Early life:Born on February 25, 1951 in Washington, D.C. to John and...
, Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011...
, Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
and Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
, whose name graces the address of the game site (2269 Dan Marino Boulevard), began at noon (US EST) with NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
’ “Road to the Super Bowl” year in review (narrated by Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
). This was followed by "The Phil Simms All-Iron Team", and a four-and-a-half hour Super Bowl Today pre-game show followed by game coverage at 6:25 PM. Other contributors to the pre-game show included Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
, anchor of the CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
, Armen Keteyian
Armen Keteyian
Armen Keteyian is an American television journalist and author. He is currently CBS News' Chief Investigative Correspondent based out of New York, reporting primarily for the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, while also contributing to 60 Minutes.-Early life and career:Keteyian was born in...
, CBS News Chief Investigative Corrrespondent, Randy Cross
Randy Cross
Randall "Randy" Laureat Cross , is a football analyst and former NFL offensive lineman. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in July 2011.-High school years:...
, who reported from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
where U.S. military forces played a touch football game known as "The Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
Bowl" and Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
, who participated in his 12th Super Bowl telecast as a host, play-by-play announcer, or contributor.
Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
provided radio coverage of the event, with Marv Albert
Marv Albert
Marv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
and Boomer Esiason as announcers.
American Forces Network
The American Forces Network is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces American Forces Radio and Television Service for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide...
(AFN) provided coverage of the Super Bowl for U.S. forces stationed overseas and to all U.S. Navy ships at sea.
The opening title sequence of CBS television coverage featured the composition Lux Aeterna, by artist Clint Mansell, in the background.
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
reported 93 million viewers for Super Bowl XLI, making it at the time the fifth most watched program in U.S. television history (trailing only the M*A*S*H finale and Super Bowls XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
, XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
, and XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
).
International
The Super Bowl was broadcast live in Canada on CBS (which is available in Canada) as well as Global TV and NTVCJON-TV
CJON-DT is a Canadian English language television station broadcasting on channel 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional transmitters and cable coverage throughout the province. It is known on-air as NTV, for Newfoundland Television...
which both took the main CBS commentary, and on the French cable channel RDS
Réseau des sports
Réseau des sports , is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc....
. In the United Kingdom the Super Bowl was broadcast on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
, Sky Sports 1 & Sky Sports HD1
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
with Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
taking the main CBS commentary and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
taking the NFL supplied international commentary feed of Spero Dedes
Spero Dedes
Spero Dedes is a Greek-American sportscaster born in Paramus, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Paramus High School and a 2001 graduate of Fordham University in New York....
and Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...
.
Super Bowl XLI was broadcast in over 200 countries. Amongst the television networks who broadcast Super Bowl XLI were:
– ESPN Argentina
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Fox Sports
Fox Sports en Latinoamérica
Fox Sports, is a Latin American cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-recorded event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming, Fox Sports compete with the largest international sports network, ESPN.The channel broadcast...
– SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
, Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
broadcast the game live (All International Feed). – ORF
ORF
ORF may refer to:* ORF , the Austrian public service broadcaster.* Open reading frame, a portion of the genome.* The IATA airport code for Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk, Virginia.* ORF format , Olympus raw image file format....
1, DSF
Deutsches Sportfernsehen
SPORT1 is a privately owned commercial German television channel. Until April 11, 2010, it was called DSF . It was founded on January 1, 1993 out of the television channel Tele 5 which had become the successor of the music video channel musicbox on January 11, 1988...
– Channel 5
Great Belize Television
Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City-based local television station established in December of 1991. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs...
, Channel 7
Tropical Vision Limited
Tropical Vision Limited, or as it is locally known, Channel 7, is a Belize City based television station operating since 1981.Its Managing Director is Nestor Vasquez.- Schedule :Weekdays...
(both CBS feed) – BandSports
Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação
Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação is a Brazilian media conglomerate, headquartered in São Paulo and headed by João Carlos "Johnny" Saad.The group owns the following assets:* Terrestrial Television...
and ESPN International
ESPN International
ESPN International is a family of networks around the world. It was begun in 1989 and is operated by ESPN. It consists of:Asia: *ESPN SEA*ESPN SEA 2*ESPN China*ESPN Hong Kong*ESPN India*ESPN Malaysia...
; Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967...
also broadcast a condensed version of the game – Global
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, NTV
CJON-TV
CJON-DT is a Canadian English language television station broadcasting on channel 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional transmitters and cable coverage throughout the province. It is known on-air as NTV, for Newfoundland Television...
(English) and RDS
Réseau des sports
Réseau des sports , is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc....
(French) – ESPN Latin-America
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Fox Sports
Fox Sports en Latinoamérica
Fox Sports, is a Latin American cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-recorded event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming, Fox Sports compete with the largest international sports network, ESPN.The channel broadcast...
– CCTV-5
CCTV-5
CCTV-5 , also known as the Sports Channel, part of the China Central Television family of networks, is the main sports broadcaster in the People's Republic of China. CCTV-5 began broadcasting on 1 January 1995...
– Z1
Zagrebacka Televizija
Zagrebačka Televizija , also known as Z1 Televizija, is a local commercial television station based in capital city of Croatia, Zagreb. Television started its broadcasting in summer 2004 on one channel, Z1. A notable TV talk show produced and aired on Z1 is the Nightmare Stage by Željko...
– TV2 Zulu – MTV3
MTV3
MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials...
– France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
– ARD
ARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
(international feed), NASN (international feed), DSF
Deutsches Sportfernsehen
SPORT1 is a privately owned commercial German television channel. Until April 11, 2010, it was called DSF . It was founded on January 1, 1993 out of the television channel Tele 5 which had become the successor of the music video channel musicbox on January 11, 1988...
(on tape delay
Broadcast delay
In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical...
) – Sport 1
Sport 1
Sport 1 is a European sports channel which is currently available in Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania broadcasting in different languages...
– Sýn
SYN
Syn may refer to:*SYN , a band by HALCA *Doctor Syn, a character in novels by Russell Thorndike*Grand Admiral Peccati Syn character in the Star Wars expanded universe*Syn , in Norse mythology...
– TV3
TV3 Ireland
TV3 is a free-to-air commercial television network in the Republic of Ireland. Launched on 20 September 1998 it was Ireland's first commercial broadcaster. The channel is owned by TV3 Group a subsidiary of Doughty Hanson & Co.-The TV3 Group:...
, Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and Sky Sports HD
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
– Sky Sport Italia (in HDTV
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
) – ESPN Asia
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
– NHK BS-1
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
, Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
– Seoul Broadcasting System
| – Sport 4 – Televisa
Televisa
Televisa is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate, the largest mass media company in Latin America and in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a major international entertainment business, with much of its programming airing in the United States on Univision, with which it has an exclusive contract...
, TV Azteca
TV Azteca
Azteca, is the second largest Mexican television entertainment. It was established in 1983 as the state-owned Instituto Mexicano de la Televisión , a holding of the national TV networks channel 13 and 7 and was privatized under its current name in 1993 and now is part of Grupo Salinas...
(in HDTV) – Elmag RTV
Elmag RTV
Radio Television Elmag is a broadcasting company based in Podgorica, Montenegro. RTV Elmag consists of TV Elmag and Radio Elmag.Radio Elmag was the first private FM radio station in Montenegro and is receivable throughout the country. Its transmission frequency in Podgorica is 96.00 FM....
– NASN (HDTV) – Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
– Viasat SportN
Viasat SportN
SportN or Viasat SportN is the name of a former sports channel which broadcast to Norway. The channel launched on November 29, 2005, as a replacement for the then pan-Nordic Viasat Sport 1 channel in Norway....
– Fox Sports
Fox Sports en Latinoamérica
Fox Sports, is a Latin American cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-recorded event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming, Fox Sports compete with the largest international sports network, ESPN.The channel broadcast...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
– Solar Sports
Solar Sports
Solar Entertainment Corporation which also created its sister stations, Talk TV, The Game Channel, ETC, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, Universal Channel, Diva Universal & Basketball TV, Solar Sports or the Solar Sports Network is a Philippine sports channel owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation...
– Canal + – SportTV 1
SportTV 1
SportTV 1 started its broadcasts in 1998, being the first Portuguese pay-tv channel. It broadcast mainly soccer, handball, basketball and sports news coverage....
– NTV Plus
NTV Plus
NTV Plus is the brand name for the Russian digital satellite television service from NTV, transmitted from Eutelsat's W4 satellite at 36.0°E & from Bonum 1 at 56.0°E...
– Canal +
Canal+ Spain
Canal+ 1, formerly known simply as Canal+ is a Spanish commercial television channel, launched in September 1990 on terrestrial television frequencies. The channel is operated by Sogecable. The main staples of Canal+ 1 are Spanish football, bullfighting and recent movies.In 1997 new channels using...
– SportKlub – TV6 (Sweden) – True Vision Super Sport ch.61, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
– Fox Sports Turkey – ITV1, Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and Sky Sports HD
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
(CBS feed and announcers)
Pre-game ceremonies
Before the game, Cirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
, Romero Britto
Romero Britto
Romero Britto is a Brazilian Neo-pop artist, painter, serigrapher, and sculptor. He combines elements of cubism, pop art and graffiti painting in his work. He is known for his contemporary work. Britto has lived in Miami, Florida since 1989...
and Louie Vega performed as the pre-game act, and Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
sang the National Anthem
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
, accompanying himself on piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. He also performed at Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
, which was also played at the same venue. Joel became the second person to sing the National Anthem twice for a Super Bowl; Aaron Neville sang the national anthem before Super Bowl XXIV, in New Orleans, and Super Bowl XL (along with Aretha Franklin), in Detroit.
Marlee Matlin
Marlee Matlin
Marlee Bethany Matlin is an American actress. She is the only deaf actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, which she won for Children of a Lesser God. Her work in film and television has resulted in a Golden Globe award, with two additional nominations, and four Emmy...
and Jason Hay-Southwell performed the National Anthem in American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
.
Besides participating in the CBS telecast of the pre-game show, Dan Marino also participated in the coin toss along with Norma Hunt, the widow of Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt was an American sportsman and promoter of American football, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee into three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer , as well as MLS predecessor the...
, the former owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the man who gave the Super Bowl its name.
Halftime show
American singer and musicianMusician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, performed in the Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show. The setlist for Prince's performance was a short rendition of "We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You
"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA placed it at #146 on its list of Songs of the Century...
" by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, his signature hit "Let's Go Crazy
Let's Go Crazy
"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album, Purple Rain. It was the opening track on both the album, and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs, and is almost always a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other...
", "Baby, I'm a Star", cover versions of the Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
hit "Proud Mary", the Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
composition "All Along the Watchtower
All Along the Watchtower
"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
", and the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
song "Best of You", and in light of the conditions, he fittingly finished the performance with another signature song, "Purple Rain
Purple Rain (song)
"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and The Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name, and was released as the third single from that album. The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel,...
" in the downpour. The 12-minute performance featured Prince accompanied by two dancers he calls “The Twinz” and the Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
marching band, the Marching 100
Marching 100
The Marching 100 is the official name of the marching band at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida.-History:The first band at FAMU was organized in 1892, under P.A. Van Weller...
. Prince had rehearsed with the drum line for a week before the performance. The performance was on a large, central stage which was shaped after the artist's logo, and was outlined with lights. He played before 74,512 fans at Dolphin Stadium (who had been given flashlights to point at the stage during the performance of Purple Rain). The event was carried “to the biggest audience of his life – 140 million television viewers.” Overall, the show was energetic and quite well received by the rain-soaked audience surrounding the stage. Music critics were extremely enthusiastic about his performance, one calling it "arguably the best halftime show in Super Bowl history", and others saying it was one of the best ever.
Following the game, however, controversy emerged about a silhouetted camera shot of Prince, projected against a large sheet by a bright light on the other side of the performer. The controversy centered around his guitar, which detractors claimed seemed phallic, critics stating that it "looked embarrassingly rude, crude and unfortunately placed." Though the guitar has been considered by some an extension of a male player's sexuality (especially highlighted by such artists as Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
, and even Prince himself), supporters of Prince say that the show did not, in fact, become any more sexually charged than usual, noting that "a guitar at waist level does look like an enormous phallus
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
." ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
responded to this mild controversy by including two satirically pixelized
Pixelization
Pixelization is a video- and image-editing technique in which an image is blurred by displaying part or all of it at a markedly lower resolution. It is primarily used for censorship...
Super Bowl clips on its weekly segment "This Week in Unnecessary Censorship" for the February 9, 2007 episode. The first "censored" clip was the kickoff show introduction for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' coverage of the Super Bowl, with the first two letters of "kickoff" blurred out as if "jackoff
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
" were censored, then with a clip of the shadow of Prince playing guitar with the guitar neck
Neck (music)
The neck is the part of certain string instruments that projects from the main body and is the base of the fingerboard, where the fingers are placed to stop the strings at different pitches. Guitars, lutes, the violin family, and the mandolin family are examples of instruments which have necks.The...
blurred out as if an actual penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
were being blurred.
Post-game ceremonies
Former Colts and Dolphins head coach Don ShulaDon Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy
Vince Lombardi Trophy
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League's championship game, the Super Bowl.-History:...
to the Colts after the game, and Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
was named MVP.
First half
The Bears won the coin toss and elected to receive. For the first time in Super Bowl history, the game was played in the rain, which was continuous throughout the game.The rain did not hinder Bears' return man Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
, who ran back the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to give Chicago the earliest lead in Super Bowl history. The Colts avoided kicking to Hester for the rest of the game, allowing him only one punt return, and choosing to squib kick
Squib kick
A squib kick is a term used in American football meaning a short, low, line drive kickoff that usually bounces around on the ground before it can be picked up by a member of the receiving team. The ball is kicked so short that it forces the receiving team's slower players to recover the ball first...
whenever Hester was in the deep kickoff return position.
On Indianapolis' first drive of the game, defensive back Chris Harris
Chris Harris (football player)
For the Denver Broncos player of the same name, see Chris Harris Chris Harris is an American football safety for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League...
intercepted a deep, third-down pass from Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
and returned it 6 yards to the Bears' 35-yard line. However, Chicago could not gain a first down on their ensuing possession and they were forced to punt. After several short runs and passes, Manning beat the Bears' defense with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
, cutting the Bears' lead to 7–6. The touchdown occurred because of a mental error on the Bears' secondary. Cornerback Charles Tillman passed Reggie Wayne onto Safety Daniel Manning. But Manning chose to follow Tight End Ben Utecht over the middle, leaving Wayne all alone. The score remained the same, at 7–6, after punter/holder Hunter Smith
Hunter Smith
Hunter Dwight Smith is an American football punter, currently a free agent and most recently for the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
fumbled the snap on the extra point attempt. On the ensuing kickoff, Chicago tight end Gabe Reid
Gabe Reid
Gabriel "Gabe" Reid is a former American football tight end for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Brigham Young University. Reid played high school football for Leone High School in American Samoa and followed older brother Spencer...
fumbled Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
's bouncing kickoff while being tackled by Robert Mathis
Robert Mathis
Robert Nathan Mathis is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.-Early years:Mathis attended McNair High School in Atlanta, Georgia....
; Colts linebacker Tyjuan Hagler
Tyjuan Hagler
Tyjuan Cedric Hagler is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
recovered the loose ball. However, on the next play, Indianapolis gave the ball back when running back Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.-Early years:Addai's family hails from Ghana in West Africa...
fumbled the handoff and Bears defensive end Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson (football)
Mark Anderson is an American football defensive end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was selected in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Alabama....
recovered it.
On the first play after the turnover, Thomas Jones' 52-yard run moved the ball to the Colts' 5-yard line. Three plays later, Rex Grossman
Rex Grossman
Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of...
threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
, giving the Bears a 14–6 lead. After forcing an Indianapolis punt, Chicago lost another turnover when Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
's fumble was recovered by Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
on the Bears' 43-yard line. Indianapolis subsequently advanced to the 36-yard line, but decided to punt rather than risk a 53-yard field-goal attempt.
Following a Chicago punt, Indianapolis drove 47 yards and scored with Vinatieri's 29-yard field goal to make the score 14–9. Chicago was forced to punt again on their next drive, and return man Terrence Wilkins
Terrence Wilkins
Terrence Olondo Wilkins is a former wide receiver and punt returner for the Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League. He signed with the Colts on November 10, 2003. He also played with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League. He has 1,466 career receiving yards in the...
returned the ball 12 yards to his own 42-yard line. Manning started out the drive with a 22-yard completion to Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
. His next pass went to tight end Dallas Clark
Dallas Clark
Dallas Dean Clark is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts 24th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa...
for 17 yards. Two more completions moved the ball to the Bears' 11-yard line, and then Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Dondrell Rhodes is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He attended Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
took the ball to the end zone with three consecutive carries, the last one a 1-yard touchdown run to give his team a 16–14 lead with 6:09 left in the second quarter.
After another Chicago punt, the Colts advanced to the Bears' 36-yard line before defensive back Charles Tillman
Charles Tillman
Charles "Peanut" Tillman is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was selected with the 35th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.-Early years:...
ended the drive by forcing and recovering a fumble from tight end Bryan Fletcher. But on the next play, Grossman fumbled a snap, and Colts defensive lineman Raheem Brock
Raheem Brock
Raheem Fukwan Brock is an American football defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
recovered the ball. Manning then led the Colts to Chicago's 17-yard line. With two seconds left, Vinatieri attempted a 36-yard field goal, but his kick sailed wide left, and the score remained 16–14 at halftime.
Second half
Wilkins returned the second half kickoff 26 yards to the Colts's 38-yard line. On the ensuing possession, Addai rushed five times for 25 yards and caught four passes for 19 yards as the Colts drove 56 yards in 13 plays and scored with a 29-yard field goal from Vinatieri, increasing their lead to 19–14. On the Bears' next drive, Jones started out with a 14-yard run, and then Muhammad caught a 9-yard pass, bringing up second down and one on the Colts' 45-yard line. But on the next play, Grossman was sacked for an 11-yard loss by Anthony McFarlandAnthony McFarland
Anthony Darelle "Booger" McFarland is an American football player who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University.McFarland has also played for the Indianapolis Colts...
. Then, on third down, he fumbled the snap. Grossman recovered the fumble himself, but the Bears were forced to punt, and Wilkins returned the ball 12 yards to the Colts' 36-yard line. Rhodes then gained 52 yards on four carries, with a facemask penalty adding another 10. Chicago managed to halt the drive at their own 2-yard line, but Vinatieri kicked his third field goal to make the score 22–14.
Chicago tight end John Gilmore
John Gilmore (football player)
John Henry Gilmore, Jr. is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Saints in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
picked up Vinatieri's bouncing kickoff and returned it 9-yards to his own 45-yard line, with an Unnecessary Roughness penalty on Mathis adding another 15 yards and giving the Bears a first down on the Colts' 40-yard line. Chicago could only gain 14 yards on their ensuing possession, but it was enough for Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
to make a 44-yard field goal, cutting the score to 22–17. After an Indianapolis 7-play drive ended in a punt, Chicago started on their own 20-yard line with 13:38 left in the game. But four plays later, Colts defensive back Kelvin Hayden
Kelvin Hayden
Kelvin Darnell Hayden, Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Illinois. He returned a Rex Grossman interception 56 yards for a...
intercepted a pass intended for Muhammad and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown.
From that point on, the Colts took over the game. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Colts defensive back Bob Sanders
Bob Sanders
Demond "Bob" Sanders is a professional American football safety who is currently on the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Sanders was drafted in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts...
intercepted Grossman's pass and returned it 38 yards to the Bears 41-yard line. Chicago's defense eventually forced a punt, but Smith's 32-yard kick pinned the Bears back at their own 8-yard line. The Bears drove to their own 47, but on a fourth down conversion attempt, tight end Desmond Clark
Desmond Clark
Desmond Darice Clark is an American football Tight End who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Forest...
dropped a potential first down reception after being leveled by defensive back Matt Giordano
Matt Giordano
Matthew Victor Giordano is an American football safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.Giordano earned a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in Super...
. The Colts subsequently called eight consecutive Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Dondrell Rhodes is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He attended Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
runs before turning the ball over on downs themselves, leaving only 1:42 remaining in regulation. Five plays later, the game was over.
Box score
Final statistics
Overview
This was the third Super Bowl to have two players rush for more than 100 yards as Dominic RhodesDominic Rhodes
Dominic Dondrell Rhodes is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He attended Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
had 113 for the Colts and Thomas Jones had 112 for the Bears. Tony Dungy is the third man to win the Super Bowl as a head coach as well as a player, following Tom Flores
Tom Flores
Thomas R. "Tom" Flores is a retired American football quarterback and coach. Flores and Mike Ditka are the only two people in the National Football League history to win a Super Bowl as a player, as an assistant coach, and as a head coach...
and Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
.
For the Colts, Rhodes rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while also catching an 8-yard reception. Addai rushed for 77 yards and caught 10 passes (a Super Bowl record for running backs) for 66 yards. Wilkins returned four kickoffs for 89 yards and 3 punts for 42 yards. Adam Vinatieri became the first kicker ever to play in five Super Bowls and the first to win four Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s. Vinatieri's three field goals and two extra points gave him a total of 49 points for the entire 2006 post-season, an NFL record. The Colts' win was the first major professional championship for Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
since the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
' ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
title in the 1972–73 season.
Hester's touchdown for the Bears on the opening kickoff was the first one in Super Bowl history, and the eighth kick return for a touchdown in a Super Bowl; only two of the eight teams who did this went on to win the game (the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
and the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
). Hester's return also kept a streak alive for there being a kickoff return for a touchdown in each Super Bowl played at Dolphin Stadium. Hester's and Wayne's touchdowns in the first quarter marked the first time in Super Bowl history, the first two touchdowns were scored by players from the same college (University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
). Jones was the Bears' top rusher with 112 yards, while also catching four passes for 18 yards. Desmond Clark was the Bears top receiver with six receptions for 64 yards. Grossman completed 20 of 28 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, leaving him with a QB rating of 68.3 for the game. Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
became the third player ever to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl for two different teams, joining Ricky Proehl
Ricky Proehl
Richard Scott Proehl is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 17 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts...
and Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
.
Statistical comparison
| Indianapolis Colts | Chicago Bears | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 29 | 17 |
| First downs | 24 | 11 |
| Third down efficiency | 8–18 | 3–10 |
| Fourth down efficiency | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| Total yards | 430 | 265 |
| Passing yards | 239 | 154 |
| Passing – Completions-attempts | 25–38 | 20–28 |
| Passing – Yards per pass | 6.3 | 5.5 |
| Rushing yards | 191 | 111 |
| Rushing attempts | 42 | 19 |
| Yards per rush | 4.5 | 5.8 |
| Penalties-yards | 6–40 | 4–35 |
| Sacks against | 1 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 5 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2–2 | 4–3 |
| Interceptions thrown | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 38:04 | 21:56 |
Individual leaders
*Completions/AttemptsaCarries
bLong play
cReceptions
Starting lineups
| Indianapolis | Position | Position | Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | |||
| Reggie Wayne Reggie Wayne Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts... |
Muhsin Muhammad Muhsin Muhammad Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft... |
||
| Tarik Glenn Tarik Glenn Tarik Glenn is a former American football offensive tackle who played for the Indianapolis Colts. Glenn performed as two-way lineman at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California.... |
John Tait | ||
| Ryan Lilja Ryan Lilja Ryan Matthew Lilja is an American football guard for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2004... |
Ruben Brown Ruben Brown Ruben Parnell Brown is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 14th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.... |
||
| Jeff Saturday Jeff Saturday Jeffrey Bryant Saturday is an American football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at North Carolina. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Football League Players' Association.-Early years:Saturday attended... |
Olin Kreutz Olin Kreutz Olin George Kreutz is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washington.Kreutz has also played for the New Orleans Saints.... |
||
| Jake Scott | Roberto Garza Roberto Garza Roberto Garza is an American football center and guard for the Chicago Bears of the NFL.-High School Years:Garza attended Rio Hondo High School in Rio Hondo, Texas and was a Letterman in football and track and field... |
||
| Ryan Diem Ryan Diem Ryan Diem is a starting offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Ryan Diem stands 6'6" tall and weighs 305 pounds... |
Fred Miller | ||
| Dallas Clark Dallas Clark Dallas Dean Clark is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts 24th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa... |
Desmond Clark Desmond Clark Desmond Darice Clark is an American football Tight End who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Forest... |
||
| Marvin Harrison Marvin Harrison Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse... |
Bernard Berrian Bernard Berrian Bernard Berrian is a free agent American football wide receiver who last played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft... |
||
| Peyton Manning Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the... |
Rex Grossman Rex Grossman Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of... |
||
| Joseph Addai Joseph Addai Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.-Early years:Addai's family hails from Ghana in West Africa... |
Thomas Jones | ||
| Ben Utecht Ben Utecht Benjamin Jeffrey Utecht is a former American football tight end who played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Minnesota... |
TE | FB | Jason McKie Jason McKie Jason A. McKie is an American football fullback who currently a free agent. He was signed as a undrafted free agent out of Temple University by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002.... |
| DEFENSE | |||
| Robert Mathis Robert Mathis Robert Nathan Mathis is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.-Early years:Mathis attended McNair High School in Atlanta, Georgia.... |
Adewale Ogunleye Adewale Ogunleye Adewale Ogunleye is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Indiana.-Early years:... |
||
| Anthony McFarland Anthony McFarland Anthony Darelle "Booger" McFarland is an American football player who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University.McFarland has also played for the Indianapolis Colts... |
Tank Johnson Tank Johnson Terry "Tank" Johnson is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington.... |
||
| Raheem Brock Raheem Brock Raheem Fukwan Brock is an American football defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft... |
Ian Scott | ||
| Dwight Freeney Dwight Freeney Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School... |
Alex Brown | ||
| Rob Morris | Hunter Hillenmeyer Hunter Hillenmeyer Hunter Taverner Hillenmeyer is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round with the 31st pick of the 2003 NFL Draft. Hillenmeyer attended high school at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville... |
||
| Gary Brackett Gary Brackett Gary Lawrence Brackett is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Rutgers.-Early years:Brackett attended Glassboro High School in Glassboro, New Jersey.... |
Brian Urlacher Brian Urlacher Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the... |
||
| Cato June Cato June Cato Nnamdi June is a free agent American football linebacker who most recently played for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. A 2006 Pro Bowl choice, June was a... |
Lance Briggs Lance Briggs Lance Marell Briggs is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.-Early years:A Sacramento native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High... |
||
| Nick Harper Nick Harper (American football) Nicholas Necosi Harper is a currently a free agent American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was signed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as an street free agent in 2000. He played college football at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia.Harper has played for the... |
Charles Tillman Charles Tillman Charles "Peanut" Tillman is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was selected with the 35th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.-Early years:... |
||
| Jason David Jason David Jason Aeron Walter David is an American football cornerback and is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... |
Nathan Vasher Nathan Vasher Nathaniel DeWayne Vasher is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... |
||
| Antoine Bethea Antoine Bethea Antoine Bethea is a professional American football safety for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 6th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Colts... |
Chris Harris | ||
| Bob Sanders Bob Sanders Demond "Bob" Sanders is a professional American football safety who is currently on the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Sanders was drafted in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts... |
Danieal Manning Danieal Manning Danieal Manning is a professional American football safety for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 42nd pick in the 2006 NFL Draft from Abilene Christian University, which made him the first player from a non-Division I school to be selected that year... |
||
Officials
- Referee: Tony Corrente #99
- Umpire: Carl PaganelliCarl PaganelliCarl Paganelli is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1999 NFL season, who wears uniform number 124. As an umpire, Paganelli is notable for working two Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXXIX and Super Bowl XLI, in a span of three years. He has two brothers who...
#124 - Head Linesman: George Hayward #54
- Line Judge: Ron Marinucci #107
- Field Judge: Jim Saracino #58
- Side Judge: John ParryJohn Parry (American football official)John Parry is an American football official in the National Football League since the 2000 NFL season. Parry officiated Super Bowl XLI in 2007 as a side judge on the crew headed by referee Tony Corrente. Following this game, he was promoted to referee for the 2007 NFL season following the...
#132 - Back Judge: Perry Paganelli #46
- Alternate Referee: Jeff TripletteJeff TripletteJeff Triplette is an official in the National Football League since the 1996 season. He wears uniform number 42. His 2011 NFL officiating crew consists of umpire Jeff Rice, head linesman Phil McKinnely, line judge Jeff Bergman, field judge Barry Anderson, side judge Dave Wyant and back judge Steve...
#42 - Alternate Umpire: Butch Hannah #40
- Alternate Line Judge: Carl Johnson #101
- Alternate Field Judge: Buddy Horton #82
- Alternate Back Judge: Richard Reels #83
Commercials
Advertising rates were reported as being slightly higher than in the year before, with CBS confirming a price of $2.6 million for some 30-second spots, compared with $2.5 million during Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
. However, CNN reported that after discounts, the average price is likely closer to $1.8 to $2 million. Familiar advertisers in recent years such as Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
, CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder.com is the largest online employment website in the United States, with more than 23 million unique visitors each month and a 34% market share of help-wanted web sites in the United States. CareerBuilder.com provides online career search services for more than 1,900 partners as of...
, General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
bought multiple advertising spots, and other popular advertisers like Go Daddy
Go Daddy
Go Daddy is an Internet domain registrar and Web hosting company that also sells e-business related software and services. In 2010, it reached more than 45 million domain names under management. Go Daddy is currently the largest ICANN-accredited registrar in the world, and is four times the size of...
and Emerald Nuts
Diamond Foods, Inc.
Diamond Foods is a packaged food company with offices in San Francisco and Stockton, California. It began as an agricultural marketing cooperative and converted in July 2005 to a public company, specializing in marketing nuts, particularly walnuts...
had commercials this year.
The only major hype related to commercials in the months leading up to Super Bowl XLI involved various campaigns to allow consumers to be involved in the creation of Super Bowl ads, inspired by consumer-generated content sites like YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay North America is the division of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets and sells corn chips, potato chips and other snack foods. The primary snack food brands produced under the Frito-Lay name include Fritos corn chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips,...
announced a campaign in September 2006 to allow the public to submit ads for their Doritos
Doritos
Doritos is a brand of seasoned tortilla chips created by Arch West and produced since 1964 by the American food company Frito-Lay ....
brand and vote on the best one, which aired during the Super Bowl. Doritos actually aired two of the ads due to a close voting margin; the winning ad (featuring a chance meeting with a man and a woman that feature the qualities of Doritos) aired in the first quarter, while a second (with a checkout lady overly enamored with the product) aired in the second quarter. The five finalists each received $10,000 in this contest. General Motors announced a similar contest, open only to college students, for their Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
brand; however, the ad would be produced professionally based on ideas suggested by the public. The winning ad featured men gathering around an HHR model with women in it and stripping off their clothes and giving it a car wash. The NFL itself advertised a similar contest to generate suggestions for a commercial promoting the league, with the winning concept featuring fans' disappointment that their teams' season was over.
The annual USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter
USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter
The USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter is an annual survey taken of television commercials by the USA Today newspaper in a live poll during the telecast in the United States of the annual professional American football championship game of the National Football League...
survey chose a Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
ad featuring crabs worshiping an ice chest with that particular beer inside as the top ad of Super Bowl XLI, followed by another Bud commercial featuring a stray dog with mud spots climbing onto the brewery's trademark Clydsedale-drawn wagon in a parade. In all, Anheuser-Busch took seven of the top ten spots in the annual survey, sweeping the top three spots. A YouTube user survey chose the Doritos "Snack Hard" ad (produced for the incredible price of $12, the cost of three bags of the snack product) as their top ad, that ad finished fourth in the USA Today survey. ADBOWL
ADBOWL
ADBOWL is an online, real-time website that tracks what consumers think of the commercials that air during major television events such as the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards...
results were slightly different with only 6 of Anheuser-Busch’s ads finishing in the top ten. The highest ranked being the Bud Light “Rock, Paper, Scissors” spot. Also in the top ten were Blockbuster Video’s “Mouse,” Doritos’ “Car Wreck,” GM’s “Robot” and Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
’s “Lion’s Talk ‘Carne’.”
One ad that drew criticism from the gay community was for the Snickers
Snickers
Snickers is a brand name chocolate bar made by Mars, Incorporated. It consists of peanut nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel, enrobed in milk chocolate. Snickers has annual global sales of $2 billion....
candy bar featuring two men accidentally "kissing" each other after sharing the product in question, then proceeded to rip chest hairs as a manly act as homophobic. The ad proved to be controversial, and the ad was cancelled the next day by Masterfoods USA (Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
's snack food division), and three other versions were deleted from the snickers.com web site. The ad was ninth in the USA Today ad survey, and according to a Masterfoods publicist, not intended to harm anyone.
A different ad for General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
featured a laid off
Layoff
Layoff , also called redundancy in the UK, is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as when certain positions are no longer necessary or when a business slow-down occurs...
assembly line
Assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product much faster than with handcrafting-type methods...
robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
contemplating suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, which drew criticism from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was founded in 1987 by a group of experts on suicide who wanted to create a 5013 organization to fund research in suicide prevention....
. The group asked for an apology from GM, and that the ad be taken off the air and the company's website. The suicide scene was replaced with a scene of the robot watching a car being crushed at a junkyard when it was shown again during the 79th Academy Awards
79th Academy Awards
The 79th Academy Awards ceremony , honored the best films of 2006 and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC. Ellen DeGeneres hosted the ceremony for the first time. The producer was Laura Ziskin. The announcers were Don LaFontaine and Gina Tuttle.The nominees were...
on February 25.
Prohibiting tailgating
The NFL upset many fans by banning the traditional practice of tailgatingTailgate party
In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...
at Super Bowl XLI. Originally, spokesmen for Dolphin Stadium announced that tailgating would be permitted as usual, however the NFL quickly contradicted this statement announcing an NFL owner-imposed ban on all tailgating and non-ticketed fans were forbidden within a two-block-radius of the stadium.
Prohibiting church display
The NFL upset a large number of fans by threatening churches with lawsuits if they had Super Bowl parties. National Football League assistant counselLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Rachel L. Margolies sent a letter to the Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, ordering the church to cancel its party and remove the trademarked Super Bowl name from its website. She said that the church could not use the words "Super Bowl" as it violates trademark law, could not charge admission as that violates copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
law, could not use its projection screen (only one television could be used and it could not be over 55 inches), and could not "promote a message" in connection with the game. Regarding the last point, the Fall Creek Baptist church planned to also show an extra video to highlight the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
testimonies of Colts coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith. "While this may be a noble message," Rachel L. Margolies wrote, "we are consistent in refusing the use of our game broadcasts in connection with events that promote a message, no matter the content." Sports bars nationwide were allowed to show the game, as are businesses that televise sports as part of their everyday operations because they don't charge admission and they leave the message the NFL intended intact.
The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star is a morning daily newspaper that began publishing on June 6, 1903. It has won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting twice, in 1975 and 1991. It is currently owned by the Gannett Company.-History:...
picked up the story, and soon pastors across the U.S. were working to cancel their parties. Immediately the NFL received a backlash of bad publicity, with indignant football fans in constant sarcasm (akin to rules imposed about on-field behavior i.e. taunting opposition teams) referring to the NFL as the "No Fun League." For example, the enforcement of this policy earned the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
a "Worst Person in the World" silver on the February 2, 2007 edition of Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
.
After a long series of bad press, the NFL issued a written statement clarifying their policy, saying that they did not object to churches hosting Super Bowl parties so long as they did not charge admission and showed the game on "a television of the type commonly used at home". This statement did not attempt to forbid coordination of any other message with the game, something typically done by churches, nor did it attempt to forbid the use of the term "Super Bowl."