AP News, February 5th, 2007
Merely by stepping on the field Sunday, Tony Dungy made history. A few hours later, he won the Super Bowl, too. Not bad for a day's work. Long saddled with a reputation as a coach who couldn't win the big one, Dungy shook that label when his Indianapolis Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17.
The biggest win of Dungy's career came against his close friend and protege, Bears coach Lovie Smith. They were the first black head coaches in the 41-year history of the Super Bowl.
Dungy won because he had the better quarterback. Like his coach, Peyton Manning filled a void in his impressive resume by winning a ring. Steady rain made for a sloppy game that included eight turnovers, but Manning threw for 247 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown pass.
Smith's erratic young quarterback, Rex Grossman, made the same kind of mistakes that had Bears fans lobbying for his benching all season. He threw two interceptions and fumbled twice, losing one.
Smith stayed with his quarterback, and the underdog Bears found themselves gradually overpowered by the Colts.
In the early going, it appeared Smith might pull off an upset against his former mentor. Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a score, and Smith followed the rookie down the sideline and signaled touchdown.
But Indy rallied and claimed its first Super Bowl championship. The Colts had been perennial title contenders since Dungy became coach in 2002 but fell short each year.
They made a breakthrough two weeks ago, when Manning helped Indy rally from an 18-point deficit to beat New England. That earned Dungy a chance to face his friend Smith in the title game.
Their relationship dates to 1996, when Dungy hired Smith to coach linebackers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were a page-one story throughout last week, discussing daily the laid-back personalities and Christian faith they share, as well as their groundbreaking success.
Smith, in his third season as head coach, led the Bears to their first Super Bowl since Walter Payton helped them win the league title 21 years ago.
Dungy also won a ring as a player. He was a backup safety for the championship Pittsburgh Steelers 28 years ago.
