Rocky Boiman was a special teams standout for the Colts during the 2006-07 NFL season. He is shown here during his Notre Dame playing career from 1998-2001.

Rocky Boiman, Hunter Smith Help Colts Win Super Bowl

Feb. 5, 2007

Former Notre Dame linebacker Rocky Boiman and punter Hunter Smith became the 33rd and 34th former Irish football players to earn a Super Bowl title on Sunday, Feb. 4, as the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears, 29-17, in Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Fla. Boiman played primarily on special teams where he registered one tackle against the Bears. Smith averaged 40.5 yards on four punts, landing two punts inside the 20-yardline, and also served as holder on Adam Vinatieri’s field goal attempts.

Boiman and Smith also extends Notre Dame’s streak of at least one alumnus on a Super Bowl Champion to four years (David Givens, New England, 2004-05; Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh, 2006). Also, at least one former Irish player has appeared on six of the last eight Super Bowl champion rosters.

Of the 41 Super Bowls competed, only 13 teams have won the event without an Irish player on the roster. Looking at both participating team rosters, there have only been six Super Bowls that did not feature at least one former Notre Dame player on either team’s roster – Denver vs. Atlanta, 1999; Dallas vs. Pittsburgh, 1996; Dallas vs. Buffalo, 1994; Washington vs. Denver, 1988; Dallas vs. Denver, 1978; and Baltimore vs. Dallas, 1971.

Notre Dame special teams coach Brian Polian also has a connection to the Super Bowl as his father, Bill, is the president of the Colts. Bill is widely considered the architect of this Colts championship team as he is responsible for drafting such players as Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders while signing free agents Gary Brackett, Dominic Rhodes and Jeff Saturday, and re-signing Marvin Harrison.

Former Notre Dame players year-by-year in the Super Bowl –

2007 – Indianapolis – Rocky Boiman, Hunter Smith
2006 – Pittsburgh – Jerome Bettis
2005 – New England – David Givens
2004 – New England – David Givens
2003 – Tampa Bay – None
* – Tim Brown was on the Oakland Raiders team that lost to Tampa Bay
2002 – New England – Marc Edwards, Brock Williams, Jabari Holloway
2001 – Baltimore – None
* – Luke Petigout and Dusty Zeigler were both on the N.Y. Giants team that lost to Baltimore
2000 – St. Louis – Todd Lyght
1999 – Denver – None
1998 – Denver – None
* – Derrick Mayes and Aaron Taylor were on the Green Bay team that lost to Denver
1997 – Green Bay – Derrick Mayes, Aaron Taylor, Lindsay Knapp, Craig Hentrich
1996 – Dallas – None
1995 – San Francisco – Ricky Watters, Junior Bryant, Bryant Young, Anthony Peterson
1994 – Dallas – None
1993 – Dallas – Steve Beuerlein
1992 – Washington – None
* – Mike Brennan was on the Buffalo Bills team that lost to Washington
1991 – N.Y. Giants – Mark Bavaro, Eric Dorsey, Tom Rehder, Dave Duerson
1990 – San Francisco – Joe Montana
1989 – San Francisco – Joe Montana
1988 – Washington – None
1987 – N.Y. Giants – Mark Bavaro, Eric Dorsey
1986 – Chicago – Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer
1985 – San Francisco – Joe Montana
1984 – L. A. Raiders – Steve Sylvester
1983 – Washington – Joe Theismann
1982 – San Francisco – Joe Montana, Bobby Leopold
1981 – Oakland – Steve Sylvester
1980 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier
1979 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier
1978 – Dallas – None
1977 – Oakland – Steve Sylvester, Dave Casper
1976 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier, Terry Hanratty
1975 – Pittsburgh – Rocky Bleier Terry Hanratty
1974 – Miami – Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg
1973 – Miami – Nick Buoniconti, Bob Kuechenberg
1972 – Dallas – None
* – Buoniconti and Kuchenberg were both on the Miami team that lost to Dallas
1971 – Baltimore – None
1970 – Kansas City – Jim Lynch
1969 – N.Y. Jets – None
* – Dick Szymanski was on the Baltimore team that lost to the N.Y. Jets
1968 – Green Bay – None
* – Daryle Lamonica was on the Oakland team that lost to Green Bay
1967 – Paul Hornung, Red Mack

Former Irish Players with Super Bowl Championships –

Mark Bavaro – New York Giants – 1987, 1991
Jerome Bettis – Pittsburgh – 2006
Steve Beuerlein – Dallas – 1993
Rocky Bleier – Pittsburgh – 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980
Rocky Boiman – Indianapolis – 2007
Junior Bryant – San Francisco – 1995
Nick Buoniconti – Miami – 1973, 1974
Dave Casper – Oakland – 1977
Eric Dorsey – New York Giants – 1987, 1991
Dave Duerson – Chicago – 1986
Marc Edwards – New England – 2002
David Givens – New England – 2004, 2005
Terry Hanratty – Pittsburgh – 1975, 1976
Craig Hentrich – Green Bay – 1997
Jabari Holloway – New England – 2002
Paul Hornung – Green Bay – 1967
Lindsay Knapp – Green Bay – 1997
Bob Kuechenberg – Miami – 1973, 1974
Bobby Leopold – San Francisco – 1982
Todd Lyght – St. Louis – 2000
Jim Lynch – Kansas City – 1970
Red Mack – Green Bay – 1967
Derrick Mayes – Green Bay – 1997
Joe Montana – San Francisco – 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990
Anthony Peterson – San Francisco – 1995
Tom Rehder – New York Giants – 1991
Hunter Smith – Indianapolis – 2007
Steve Sylvester – Oakland – 1977, 1981 Los Angeles – 1984
Aaron Taylor – Green Bay – 1997
Tom Thayer – Chicago – 1986
Joe Theismann – Washington – 1983
Ricky Watters – San Francisco – 1995
Brock Williams – New England – 2002
Bryant Young – San Francisco – 1995