It was the first time that Manning had reached the big game in his storied career. He had never had a chance to win a Super Bowl. But now it was his time to shine against one of the most vaunted defenses in the league. He was tasked with beating the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
That Super Bowl in Miami is still the only Super Bowl in which it has rained. Because of the rain, there were a total of 6 turnovers in the game. But Manning was able to persevere through the wet weather. He threw 2 touchdown passes and accumulated 247 yards through the air.
Because of his solid performance, Manning was able to lead the Colts to the Super Bowl victory over the Bears 29-17. He was also named Super Bowl MVP and was finally able to get the monkey off his back. It was one of the crowning moments of his career.
With this win, he showed the rest of the NFL that he can win the big one. This victory put the Colts as one of the perennial title contenders for the next five years. Manning was the biggest reason for that, and his performance in the rain on that great night showed what he can do on the grandest stage in football.
Even though this was his first title as a pro, it wasn’t the finest moment of Manning’s Colts career. That moment actually happened in the game before playing the Bears, in the AFC Championship game. That was where he really cemented his legacy as an all-time great player.