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HANNAH STORM, co-host: As we said, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was the game's MVP, capping a record-setting nine-year career. He talked to me after the game about what it means to finally win the championship.
Mr. PEYTON MANNING (Super Bowl XLI MVP): Yeah, there's a real sense of accomplishment for the season this year, you know, and next year, you know, Hannah, it'll be a different year, and I want to be a better quarterback and a better team.
STORM: What were your thoughts when you saw all the weather tonight and this rain?
Mr. MANNING: Well, you know, we talked about it all week and the chance, and you kind of think, `Ah, it won't rain in Miami in the Super Bowl,' but the weather's really been good all week, but you know the old cliche, "both teams have to play in it," you know...
STORM: Mm-hmm.
Mr. MANNING: ...and we we kind of--we've been doing a wet ball drill during the season, and it's nice having a veteran center like Jeff Saturday to be taking a lot of snaps from, because they had a couple of exchange problems, and so we didn't and that played a big role tonight.
STORM: What was the key to overcoming a bit of a shaky start? There--you all got down 7-to-nothing on the first play of the game. You threw an interception the first possession.
Mr. MANNING: Yeah, and not the way you want to start at all. And no question, but, you know, there was never any panic. It's kind of been our theme all season, to staying calm, staying collected, once we kind of get into a rhythm. We want to get into that rhythm. And it took us, you know, that second series, the touchdown of Reggie was big, and we kind of found the rhythm from that point on. We were able to get the lead and hold onto the lead.
STORM: How critical was time of possession? It was huge in this game.
Mr. MANNING: No question. We feel like when we're playing a team that's not real familiar with our offense, we want to use that tempo and that no-huddle offense to try to keep them on their heels a little bit, and we felt we had them running a little bit. You can see them breathing heavy, and you don't want to give them a chance to breathe.
STORM: Mm-hmm.
Mr. MANNING: And so a good mix of the running game and the pass game. The offensive line was great, the running backs were great. That was really critical tonight.
STORM: Yeah, and the turnovers. I mean, it was--it was sort of a wild game.
Mr. MANNING: Yeah, it was a crazy game, and the weather did play a factor, like I said, but there was a couple of snaps. I mean and the two fumbles we had were a credit to the Bears. They do a great of stripping the ball. We talked about all week was the extra two yards probably aren't worth it. To possess that ball at the end of the play is the main thing, and they got us on a couple of strips, but our defense did a good job of holding it, and then our defense got a couple of huge turnovers there at the end.
STORM: You already have so many great records, and you're already up there in the upper echelon in a lead of quarterbacks, but to have a Super Bowl ring, what does that mean to you?
Mr. MANNING: Well, I feel fortunate to be a part of a team that had a chance to win one. I truly understand in order to win a Super Bowl you have to be on the right team, you have to be a good team. And we've had chances in years past, but our team just hasn't been good enough. So this year our team was good enough, and I feel fortunate. I've been playing nine years, to be lucky enough to be on a team this year that had a chance to win one I'm proud to be the quarterback of that team.
STORM: So humble and hard-working. That's Peyton Manning, and nobody was prouder of his performance than his dad, Archie, former Saints quarterback who never even made it to the playoffs. After the game, he told me why it was such a special moment for him, too.
Mr. ARCHIE MANNING (Peyton Manning's Father): I wasn't fortunate enough to do this while I was playing. And we didn't. We didn't even get close. But I'm not scarred by that. I--the way I look at it is I'm grateful I had a chance to play the game. But if I had, I don't think I'd be any happier than I am now. I mean, You know, it's something about when your child does something, that's just as--just as good as you. I'm not a selfish type of guy. So we're very proud.
STORM: What a special night for the entire Manning family. They're very special. They're so classy. And now they can be so proud having a Super BowlMVP in the family.
