Bill Polian is the President of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team. He rose to league prominence as the General Manager of the Buffalo Bills, building a team that participated in four straight Super Bowls. Following his stint in Buffalo, Polian went on to become the General Manager of the expansion Carolina Panthers, where his initial success in building what was arguably the most rapidly successful expansion team in NFL history led to his moving on to the Colts. He has won the NFL's Executive of the Year award 5 times (1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, and 1999). City Indianapolis, Indiana Other nicknames The Horseshoes Team colors Speed Blue and White Head Coach Tony Dungy Owner Jim Irsay General manager Bill Polian Mascot Blue League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1953–present) Western Conference (1953-1969) Coastal Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... The term general manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. ... For other uses, see Buffalo Bills (disambiguation). ... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy. ... City Charlotte, North Carolina Other nicknames The Cardiac Cats Team colors Black, Carolina Blue, and Silver Head Coach John Fox Owner Jerry Richardson General manager Marty Hurney Mascot Sir Purr League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1995–present) National Football Conference (1995-present) NFC West (1995-2001) NFC South (2002... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ...

Buffalo Bills

Polian was General Manager in Buffalo from 1986-1993. "When Bill Polian was promoted to general manager of the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 30, 1985, the Bills were suffering from back to back 2-14 seasons and fan interest was at an all-time low. Polian had been with the Bills since August 2, 1984. He was originally hired as director of pro personnel. On February 7, 1985, Bills general manager Terry Bledsoe suffered a heart attack and Polian was named along with, director of scouting, Norm Pollom, to handle contract negotiations in Bledsoe's absence. Polian was instrumental in the signing of Bruce Smith to his first NFL contract. This impressed the Bills' hierarchy enough to warrant a promotion to GM, after the firing of Bledsoe, in 1985. The fans were not impressed with the promotion of Polian however. Most observers considered the move business as usual, on a 2-14 team. Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Polian stated in his first press conference, "I know the NFL well, I know it's players, I think I'm prepared for the job." His statement proved to be true. Polian proceeded to build an NFL powerhouse. In 1986, Polian got USFL star Jim Kelly to finally come to Buffalo. He next hired Marv Levy to replace Hank Bullough as head coach. In the 1987 draft, Polian's skill as a GM was apparent as he "traded down" from the #3 slot in the first round to the #8 slot (linebacker Shane Conlon) and also acquiring the #36 slot, which was traded up with Tampa to select cornerback Nate Odomes. On October 31, 1987, Polian orchestrated one of the biggest trades in Bills history by acquiring linebacker Cornelius Bennett. In 1988, without the luxury of a first round pick, Polian drafted running back Thurman Thomas in the second round. Polian had expertly put the pieces together that would make the Bills a "championship caliber team," appearing in an NFL record, 4 straight Super Bowls. Because of his accomplishments, Bill Polian won the NFL Executive of the Year Award twice, in 1988 and in 1991.

On February 4, 1993, after the Bills had appeared in their 3rd straight Super Bowl, Bill Polian was fired as general manager. Polian wasn't fired because he wasn't doing a good job, he was fired because he didn't get along with treasurer, Jeff Littmann, for reasons unknown to all except those close to owner Ralph Wilson, Littmann and Polian himself.

In his closing press conference, Bill Polian said of the team that he built, "They're a very special group of men. Cherish them, you will not see their like again."

Carolina Panthers

Polian was General Manger of the Panthers from 1994-1996. He tried to create the quickest Super Bowl winner in history, and nearly did so, building a team that went to the NFC Championship game in only its second year of existence. This feat led him to a promotion, becoming not just the GM, but the President of the Indianapolis Colts. Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

Indianapolis Colts

First order of business

On December 21, 1997, the Colts played their last game of the season, losing to the Vikings and finishing the season 3-13. The very next day, Polian was hired as President to try and turn the team around. Polian opted not to keep QB Jim Harbaugh, who had led the team to the AFC Championship game following the 1995 season. Instead, he decided to build through the draft as the Colts would have the number 1 overall pick for 1998, and 2 of the most hyped quarterbacks would be coming out of college. As the '98 draft approached, much hype surrounded the first and second picks, as most people assumed they were going to be Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning. Then NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue made the announcement, "With the first overall pick of the 1998 draft, the Indianapolis Colts select quarterback, University of Tennessee, Peyton Manning". The San Diego Chargers would take Ryan Leaf second; Leaf's abbreviated career appears to have shown the wisdom of Polian's choice. is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... James Joseph Jim Harbaugh (born December 23, 1963 in Toledo, Ohio) is a former American football quarterback who played for the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and finally the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was drafted by the Bears out of the University of Michigan... The AFC Championship Game is one of the two semi-final matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. ... The quarterback is a position in the offensive backfield of American and Canadian football, directly behind players of the line. He is generally the leader of the offensive team when it is on the field, responsible for initiating play by receiving the snap of the ball from the center. ... Ryan David Leaf (born May 15, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks between 1998 and 2002. ... Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana)[1] is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise. ... Commissioner is a designation that may be used for a variety of official positions, especially referring to a high-ranking public (administrative or police) official, or an analogous official in the private sector (e. ... Paul John Tagliabue (born November 24, 1940 in Jersey City, New Jersey) was the Commissioner of the National Football League from 1989 to September 2006, when he retired from office. ... City Indianapolis, Indiana Other nicknames The Horseshoes Team colors Speed Blue and White Head Coach Tony Dungy Owner Jim Irsay General manager Bill Polian Mascot Blue League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1953–present) Western Conference (1953-1969) Coastal Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970... The University of Tennessee (UT), sometimes called the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT Knoxville or UTK), is the flagship institution of the statewide land-grant University of Tennessee public university system in the American state of Tennessee. ... Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana)[1] is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise. ... “Chargers” redirects here. ... Ryan David Leaf (born May 15, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks between 1998 and 2002. ...

Marshall, Edgerrin (not Ricky), and now Joe

Even though the Colts finished 3-13 under Polian's first year as president, there were obvious signs of improvement. It was clear that towards the end of the season, Manning and his corps of receivers were starting to get a very good rhythm and the offense was starting to shine. Even with these signs of improvement, Polian opted not to keep RB Marshall Faulk, again deciding to build through the draft. The Colts would have the 4th overall pick in the draft, and again much hype would surround the draft as Ricky Williams was coming out. The Cleveland Browns re-entered the NFL in 1999 and would have the first pick, but with a short roster, they would opt for QB Tim Couch. The Philadelphia Eagles then selected QB Donovan McNabb, and the Cincinnati Bengals then took QB Akili Smith. Many Colt fans watching the draft live no doubt anticipated the selection next of the still-available Ricky Williams. But Polian shocked almost everyone by drafting Edgerrin James instead. The New Orleans Saints then traded away all of their draft picks for the entire year to move up high enough to take Williams with the next pick. Williams went on to struggle to live up to expectations, later leaving the NFL altogether. James would win the rushing title in both his rookie and second seasons by nearly 100 yards and 200 yards resepectively, vindicating Polian's choice. Following the 2005 season, Edgerrin became a free agent and the Colts chose not to sign him to a deal or place the franchise tag on him. This left many Colt fans scratching their heads. However, in the 2006 NFL Draft, Polian drafted presumably the next great Colt runner with the 30th pick in LSU's Joseph Addai. While many talented runners were taken ahead of Addai in Reggie Bush, Laurence Maroney, and DeAngelo Williams, Joseph Addai led all rookie runners with 1,081 rushing yards and did so without making a regular season start, playing behind Dominic Rhodes. Many teammates including Peyton Manning have stated that it's not so much Addai's talent but his desire to learn. His running was instrumental in the Colts winning their first Super Bowl with Indianapolis. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Errick Lynne Williams, Jr. ... Browns redirects here. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... Timothy Scott Couch (born July 31, 1977 in Hyden, Kentucky) is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. ... City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Team colors Midnight Green, Black, White, and Silver Head Coach Andy Reid Owner Jeffrey Lurie General manager Tom Heckert (official) Andy Reid (de facto) Fight song Fly, Eagles Fly Mascot Swoop League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1933–present) Eastern Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952... Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. ... City Cincinnati, Ohio Team colors Black, Orange and White Head Coach Marvin Lewis Owner Mike Brown Mascot Who Dey League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1968-1969) Western Division (1968-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC Central (1970-2001) AFC North (2002-present) Team... Kabisa Akili Maradufu Smith (born August 21, 1975 in San Diego, California) is a professional football quarterback for the CFLs Calgary Stampeders who formerly played for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. ... Errick Lynne Williams, Jr. ... Edgerrin Tyree James (born August 1, 1978 in Immokalee, Florida), nicknamed “The Edge” or just “Edge”, is an American football player who currently plays running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. // James was recruited out of Floridas Immokalee High School by the University of Miami. ... City New Orleans, Louisiana Team colors Old Gold, Black, and White Head Coach Sean Payton Owner Tom Benson and Rita Benson LeBlanc General manager Mickey Loomis Mascot Gumbo the dog League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1967–present) Eastern Conference (1967-1969) Capitol Division (1967; 1969) Century Division (1968) National... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... Joseph Addai (born May 23, 1983 in Houston, Texas. ... Reginald Reggie Bush, birth name: Reginald Alfred Bush II (born May 2, 1985 in San Diego, California), nicknamed The Human Highlight Reel and The President, alluding to President Bush, is an American football player who plays for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He has played running back/tailback... Laurence Maroney (born February 5, 1985 in St. ... DeAngelo Williams (born April 25, 1983) is an American football running back who currently plays for the Carolina Panthers. ... Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979 in Waco, Texas) is an American football running back who plays for the Oakland Raiders. ... Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana)[1] is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise. ...

The turnaround

During Polian's second year as president, the Colts finished 13-3 winning the AFC East title. As of 2006, this finish is the biggest turnaround in NFL history, as the Colts were 3-13 the prior season. The Colts would go on to a 10-6 record in 2000 qualifying the playoffs as a wild card. It was obvious the team was moving in the right direction. The AFC East refers to the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference of the National Football League. ...

Drafting

Following the 2000 season, it became clear that the Colts needed to focus on defense as their offense was very productive. Polian opted instead to draft WR Reggie Wayne with their first pick in the '01 draft. Although this choice was infurating to some Colt fans at the time(most people felt the team needed more defense), Wayne has gone on to become one of the premier receivers in the league, complementing Marvin Harrison in an already potent offense. Polian also bolstered the offense with fourth-round pick Ryan Diem. Reginald DeVincey Wayne (born November 17, 1978 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the NFLs Indianapolis Colts. ... Marvin Daniel Harrison (born August 25, 1972, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American football player who played for Syracuse University and is currently playing in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Ryan Diem (born July 1, 1979) is a starting offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. ...

Before the '02 draft, Polian would fire head coach Jim Mora in favor of Tony Dungy. As the '02 draft approached it was clear the Colts desperately needed defense. Polian would draft Dwight Freeney amid much criticism that Freeney was too short to play defensive end. Freeney would go on to be selected to 3 consecutive Pro Bowls following the '03,'04, and '05 seasons. Jim Mora is the former head coach of the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. ... Anthony Kevin Tony Dungy (born October 6, 1955) is a former professional American football player and the current head coach of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. ... Dwight Jason Freeney (born February 19, 1980 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts. ... In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League (NFL). ...

The '03 draft produced 2 late round picks who would become impact players within the Colts defense. Fifth-round pick Robert Mathis has become one of the best pass rushing defensive ends in the AFC, and sixth-round pick Cato June (who played safety in college) would become a Pro Bowl linebacker. Robert Nathan Mathis (born February 26, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He attended Alabama A&M University. ... Cato June (born November 18, 1979 in Riverside, California) is an American football outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. ... In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League (NFL). ...

In the '04 draft, Polian selected strong safety Bob Sanders. Sanders probably would have been a higher pick in the draft, but he had suffered a foot injury which would require surgery and most other teams did not want that liability. However, Polian knew how good Sanders would be once his foot healed. Sanders would only play in 5 games his rookie season, but his second (and first full) season would prove why Polian drafted him as Sanders would go on to the pro bowl. For the coach, see Bob Sanders (American football coach). ... In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League (NFL). ...

Free Agency

Despite his penchant for quality drafts, the key to the Colts success may come from Polian's ability to sign free agents, specifically undrafted rookie free agents who would become key contributors. Under Polian's watch, the Colts have signed undrafted or waived rookies such as Jeff Saturday, Dominic Rhodes, Terrence Wilkins, Raheem Brock, James Mungro, Gary Brackett, Ben Utecht, and Ryan Lilja. Polian also signed Nick Harper and Mike Vanderjagt as free agents from the Canadian Football League. Jeffrey Bryant Saturday (born June 8, 1975) is the Indianapolis Colts starting center. ... Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979 in Waco, Texas) is an American football running back who plays for the Oakland Raiders. ... Terrence Olondo Wilkins (born July 29, 1975 in Washington, DC) is a wide receiver and punt returner for the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL. He signed with the Colts on November 10, 2003. ... Raheem Brock (born June 10, 1978 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts. ... James Mungro is an American football running back who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Gary Brackett is a linebacker in the NFL who plays for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Ben Utecht (born June 30, 1981 in Hastings, Minnesota) is an American football player who currently plays tight end for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Ryan Lilja (born October 15, 1981 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American football player who currently plays guard for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Nick Harper performing at the De Montfort Hall Summer Sundae Nick Harper (born June 22, 1965) is an English singer-songwriter/guitarist who has developed a cult following. ... Michael Mike Vanderjagt (born March 24, 1970 in Oakville, Ontario), is a Canadian professional gridiron football placekicker who has played in both the Canadian Football League and National Football League. ... “CFL” redirects here. ...

Polian has rarely signed established free agents away from other teams through big money contracts. In the offseason of 2004, he signed former pro-bowl DT Corey Simon in a move that mostly has not panned out as planned as Simon is presumably suffering from some "mystery" illness. Another notable exception was following the 2005 season, when he signed kicker Adam Vinatieri to a $12 million contract. The move made Vinatieri the NFL's highest paid kicker, and his clutch play was key in the Colts progression toward becoming Super Bowl XLI champions. Corey Jermaine Simon (born March 2, 1977 in Boynton Beach, Florida, USA) is an American football player who currently plays defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He was drafted in the first round in 2000 by the Philadelphia Eagles. ... Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972 in Yankton, South Dakota) is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Date February 4, 2007 Stadium Dolphin Stadium City Miami Gardens, Florida MVP Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Colts Favorite Colts by 6. ...

Following the retirement of tackle Tarik Glenn prior to the start of the 2007 season, only one player remains from the pre-Polian era, wide receiver Marvin Harrison. This is a testament to Polian's eye for young talent as well as making world-class decisions in the draft and through free agency. Tarik Glenn (born May 25, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a former American football offensive tackle who played for the Indianapolis Colts. ... Marvin Daniel Harrison (born August 25, 1972, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American football player who played for Syracuse University and is currently playing in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts. ...

Playoff woes end

Even though the Colts finished with winning records and looked much better as a franchise, they would suffer playoff losses following the '99 and '00 seasons. Things would only get worse for the 2001 season as Edgerrin James would go down in week 7 with a season ending injury and the Colts would finish 6-10. A humiliating loss at home to the San Francisco 49ers would spark the famous "Playoffs?!" rant by then coach Jim Mora. Their biggest nemesis had been the Patriots, whom the Colts seemed unable to overcome in the playoffs. Two very good Colts teams lost in 2004 and 2005 to the Patriots. However in 2007, the Colts finally overcame their personal "kryptonite", beating the Patriots 38-34 in the biggest comeback in the history of an NFL Conference Championship game. They went on to defeat the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium, vindicating Polian's personnel and team-building decisions over the past decade. City San Francisco, California Other nicknames Niners, The Red And Gold, Bay Bombers Team colors Cardinal red, metallic gold and black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Lal Heneghan Mascot Sourdough Sam League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division... Jim Mora is the former head coach of the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. ... This article is about the fictional substance. ... City Chicago, Illinois Other nicknames Da Bears, The Monsters of the Midway Team colors Navy Blue and Orange Head Coach Lovie Smith Owner Virginia Halas McCaskey Chairman Michael McCaskey General manager Jerry Angelo Fight song Bear Down, Chicago Bears Mascot Staley Da Bear League/Conference affiliations Independent (1919) National Football... Date February 4, 2007 Stadium Dolphin Stadium City Miami Gardens, Florida MVP Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Colts Favorite Colts by 6. ...

External links

• Colts Staff Page

• Partial Executive of the Year List

• Bio

• Polian's draft and signing history