Tony Dungy is a Hall of Fame coach whose winning Super Bowl XLI validates his calm, thoughtful approach to the game and his players. He has a .648 career winning percentage and nine playoff appearances in 11 seasons. His success at Tampa Bay and Indianapolis have been most impressive.

"He's not afraid to use the people around him, is highly intelligent and does not have to motivate through fear."

--Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts assistant head coach discussing the leadership style of head coach Tony Dungy.

"This team, I don't want to say mellow, but we don't lose our cool. We rarely lose our cool, and that is because of our head coach. He is not a guy to lose his cool, and we take on that same personality. We were in here. We knew what we had to do."

--Indianapolis Colts defensive back Marlin Jackson, discussing the influence of Tony Dungy's personality on the team, following their victory in the 2007 AFC Championship game over the New England Patriots.

"I think what guys like Tony Dungy show men is be yourself. Just believe in what you know and just stay with that through the storms and different things like that, and you can get the job accomplished."

--NFL Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith, describing Tony Dungy's leadership style. Lovie Smith worked for Dungy when they were both with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"He's very calm in the first quarter and he has that same calm look on his face in the fourth quarter when it's fourth-and-1, and we have to go for it to win the game. I think that calming presence really resonates with the rest of the team, especially our young players."

--Peyton Manning, two-time NFL MVP quarterback, discussing the Dungy calm.

"When everybody else is frantic and running around like 'What do we have to do next,' all you have to do is look at Coach. Coach is calm, and I think that trickles down throughout the team."

"During the game, the fourth quarter, game on the line, you look into his eyes and it's like 'All right, we got this. He's got a confident look'."

--Dwight Freeney, three-time NFL Pro Bowl defensive lineman, discussing the confidence of Tony Dungy.

Peyton Manning was asked about the possible complacency that sets in on a team that wins a championship and potential of a letdown next year.

"That's not what I want," he said. "Next year my goal is to be a better quarterback and our goal is to win another one next year. If we don't, it will be disappointing."

"I wanted to be on a team that won a Super Bowl," he said. "This was just a wonderful team win. It didn't look good at the kick-off return, but there was no panic whatsoever. We kept doing what we have done throughout the play-offs. We found a way to learn from some of those [past] losses and we were stronger for it. It was nice to cap it off with a championship."

Now that the Indianapolis Colts have won the Super Bowl, it becomes clear that they may be a team for the ages. Why?

They have the best quarterback in the NFL. Manning has always been statistically superior to any other quarterback of his era, including New England Patriot, Tom Brady.

They have the second-best receiver in NFL history. With eight straight 1,000-yard seasons, Harrison has averaged 1,402 yards receiving a year. These numbers are comparable to Jerry Rice's best eight year stretch. Jerry Rice is often considered the best wide receiver in NFL history.

They have the best clutch kicker in NFL history in Adam Vinitieri.

"We're going to talk about the challenge of repeating and what it's going to take, that we're going to have to play better. Peyton (Manning, Super Bowl MVP) talked about it. We can't come in and think that we can just do what we did this year. We've got to improve if we want to stay where we are.

"We will be the hunted next year and we understand that. It will be a challenge and a challenge I look forward to helping the guys through."

--Tony Dungy, talking about complacency and raising the bar immediately after winning the Super Bowl, wishing to avoid a let down and responding to a question about retirement.

"We'll enjoy this. Once the first day of weightlifting, which will be March, comes, we'll be in there working. For me as a player, I want to be a better player next year than I was this year."

--NFL Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning, the day after the Colts win, discussing his plans to repeat next year and how he will fight complacency.

"He's got great patience, he never panics. He believes in slow progress."

--Rod Marinelli, head coach of the Detroit Lions, who was Dungy's defensive line coach at Tampa Bay.

"He's the greatest role model for our players."

--Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts president, discussing the importance of Tony Dungy to the success of the team.

"The message of this team is about perseverance. You are going to be disappointed at times. You're not going to win every game. Every season is not going to end up the way you'd like it. But the real test of a man and the test of a champion is, can you continue to fight when things don't go your way? And that's what we've had."

Tony Dungy, head coach of the NFL Champion Colts, who needed five years to deliver the championship to Indianapolis that everyone thought was just around the corner when he teamed up with Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts in 2002.

Tony Dungy proved winning can be done without shouting, intimidating, bullying or humiliating players to get there.

''I really wanted to show people that you can win all kinds of ways,'' Dungy said prior to their win over the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl.

''It's a good thing to see guys have success when it maybe goes against the grain, against the culture.

"We want players with good football temperament, ployers who have reliability, who like the game. Players who are durable, who have good football intelligence as to what's happening out there, and a good work ethic."

--Bill Polian, NFL Indianapolis Colts president.

When the Colts took running back Edgerrin James from the University of Miami, with the #4 pick in the 1999 NFL draft, many of their fans were disappointed. They had hoped for Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams from the University of Texas, but the Colts knew that with Peyton Manning at quarterback, they would need a strong running back and receiver, they knew that they would need someone with a strong character who would fit it well.

"We knew Edgerrin was a totally grounded guy. Ricky had other interests," said Polian.

"I am happy that I think the N.F.L. is seeing you don't have to do it the stereotypical way, and there are people who can get the job done in a different way than we've seen before.

"It's O.K. to hire young guys or hire a so-called players' coach. We've got a great game. It can be a great game and still be fun."

--Tony Dungy.

"Without question, the unwavering belief in people you work with is what I took from him.

"I was a 28-year-old secondary coach. Tony was a secondary coach by trade, and he never came in my room. Going into it, I assumed I'd be spending a lot of time with the coach standing over my shoulder. He said, 'Mike, do your thing.' It worked in a unique way. I was driven to not let him down."

--Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who was Dungy's defensive backs coach at Tampa Bay.

Dungy's memoir, "Quiet Strength," is a best seller, a testament not only to his coaching skills, but also to his broad appeal.

"What he's already achieved is incredibly significant as a coach, not only because he was the first African-American to win the Super Bowl.

"That will be something that is always tied to him. But more important, that he has changed the way you coach. You can be a quiet and effective leader and a man of principles and values. I think it will last because younger coaches coming through the system will recognize that you can do it with your own style and approach, and Tony's proven that."

--N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Fostering loyalty by allowing others to find their way and teaching his players to be better men is what Dungy felt was the special take that he needed to teach football succcessfully.

Excerpts taken from the New York Times, 11/04/07.

Following a dazzling opening kickoff return by Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears, Super Bowl winner and Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy said that his 2007 NFL Championship team maintained their "no panic" mode and extreme poise that they had shown all season through their ups and down season.

"No one was really shocked, no one was upset after the opening kick off. It was just seven points and we felt we could bet back in it," said Dungy.

"You have to go out there and make your mistakes on the field and learn from it. I'm fortunate they have been pretty patient with me early in my career, and gave me this opportunity."

--Dallas Clark, NFL tight end, Indianapolis Colts

"I've never been around anybody like him. He wants to be perfect, and that's what you want from your quarterback, a fiery person and somebody who strives to be perfect. I think he feels accountable to his teammates. He wants to prepare as much as he can so when he goes out there and the game is over, he has no regrets."

--Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Brandon Stokley, discussing the preparation and mindset of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning

"We want people with good football temperament. We want people who have a great work ethic. We want people that are dedicated to team goals. We want folks who can conduct themselves as professionals. We have a program whereby we try to identify the guys that fit best for us. That's ultimately where Tony (Dungy) and I become involved. We've been fortunate."

"Norm Pollum, who was a mentor of mine in Buffalo (where they went to four Super Bowls in the 1990s), had a great saying, 'There are only two things that count, finding good players and coaching them well'."

--Bill Polian, President, NFL Indianapolis Colts, discussing his thoughts about building a winner, prior to the 2007 Super Bowl.

"I've realized you don't have to be the fastest, the strongest or the smartest. But the more you're consistent, the more your teammates and the coaches in the league respect you."

--Reggie Wayne, wide-receiver, NFL Indianapolis Colts, discussing his improvement as the counterpart of future Hall of Fame receiver, Marvin Harrison.