The Saints and Colts met the press at Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday, but not everything was revealed in those interview sessions. Here are a few tidbits on some of the Super Bowl XLIV participants that you might not have known:
Indianapolis Colts
Pierre Garcon, WR: Garcon was the first player drafted from Mount Union College in Ohio. Prior to entering Mount Union as a sophomore, Garcon attended tiny Norwich College in Vermont as a freshman. Norwich had never had a player selected in the draft, either.
Colts offensive line: This is the first Super Bowl team to feature three starting offensive linemen that were undrafted free agents out of college. Center Jeff Saturday was signed by Baltimore, but waived before training camp. Guard Ryan Lilja was signed and waived by Kansas City, while guard Kyle DeVan was signed and waived by Washington. DeVan also spent time with the Boise Burn of the arenafootball2 league before signing with the Colts.
Joseph Addai, RB: Addai was a high school All-American quarterback in Texas before moving to running back at LSU.
Dallas Clark, TE: Clark has broken team records set by Hall of Famer John Mackey for catches, yards and touchdowns by a tight end. He was a walk-on at Iowa in 1999. In high school, he earned 17 letters -– five in baseball, four in basketball, four in football and four in track.
Dwight Freeney, DE: Freeney holds NCAA records for forced fumbles and recovered fumbles in one season -– 11 in 2001. Since entering the NFL in 2002, he has 36 forced fumbles –- the most over that period of time.
Mike Hart, RB: Hart holds national high school records for touchdowns (204), consecutive 100-yard rushing games (47), and points (1,246). During his four-year high school career, he rushed for 11,232 yards.
Peyton Manning, QB: Manning holds the NFL record for most wins. After 20 games as a starting NFL quarterback, Manning's record was 5-15. His record since is 131-61 -- plus-70. The next-best mark is plus-45, by Hall of Fame QB Steve Young.
Adam Vinatieri, K: Vinatieri is the only kicker to play in five Super Bowls, and the only kicker in NFL history to make at least one field goal in four Super Bowls. He has kicked the winning field goal in the final minute of a game or overtime 22 times.
Pat McAfee, P: McAfee holds the record for the longest field goal in Heinz Field -– a 51-yarder while playing for West Virginia. He was also a Punt, Pass & Kick champion in 2003. With Thomas Morstead punting for the Saints, the Super Bowl will feature two rookie punters that have also done kickoff duty.
Kelvin Hayden, CB: Hayden was a high school quarterback in Chicago, and also was an outdoor and indoor sprint champion as a junior and senior in high school.
New Orleans Saints
Sean Payton, coach: In 1987, Payton played three games at quarterback for the Chicago Bears.
Drew Brees, QB: At 12 years of age, Brees won the Texas state tennis championship for his age group. Brees defeated several prominent present-day tour players to win the title, but gave up tennis to concentrate on football. He was a two-year starter at quarterback for Austin-Westlake High School, posting a 28-0-1 record. In the 1996 state championship, he played at Texas Stadium (the then-home of the Dallas Cowboys). Brees' team scored 48 points in the second half to win 55-13. The star of the opposing team, Abilene Cooper High School, was former Colts RB Dominic Rhodes. Since 2006, Brees and Manning have each passed for 122 touchdowns.
Pierre Thomas, RB: In his first start, Thomas became only the second rookie in NFL history to post 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving, in the same game.
Reggie Bush, RB: Bush is the only player in Saints history to score a touchdown rushing, receiving and on a punt return.
Marques Colston, WR: In his first two seasons, Colston caught more passes (168) than any receiver in NFL history over his first two years in the league. He was the first Saints rookie to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
Darren Sharper, FS: Sharper leads all active players in the NFL with 63 interceptions in 183 games. His brother, Jamie, was a linebacker on the 2000 Baltimore Ravens team that won Super Bowl XXXV.
Will Smith, DE: Smith was an all-state high school running back in New York before moving to defense at Ohio State. He led the saints with 13.5 sacks this season.
Jonathan Stinchcomb, OT: Stinchcomb's brother, Matt, started for the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Roman Harper, SS: In high school, Harper was an all-state quarterback in Alabama before becoming a defensive back at the University of Alabama. Harper has started 52 consecutive games for the Saints.
Jeremy Shockey, TE: Shockey was a receiver, linebacker and punt returner in high school in Oklahoma. He returned four kicks for touchdowns his senior year.
