Manning visits soldiers, president

Manning told reporters outside the White House that he and other team members planned the Washington trip both to visit injured soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and to meet with President Bush.

"Having a chance to spend some time with these injured troops, hearing about what they've been through and how they got to that point and also seeing what kind of care they are getting, it kind of made you proud to be an American," said Manning, MVP of the Colts' 29-17 Super Bowl XLI win over Chicago on Feb. 4 in Miami. Later in the afternoon, the entire Colts team and coach Tony Dungy met Bush in his White House office and appeared with him at a lawn ceremony attended by more than 200 from the White House staff, selected members of Congress, various guests and the news media.

Bush honored the Colts for their Super Bowl win, Indy's first since the franchise moved there in 1984.

Bush joked to the crowd that the White House staff was very eager to meet Manning, "a guy who gets more air time than I do."

In the rain-soaked Super Bowl victory, Manning completed 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown and an interception.

The well-respected Dungy also became the first to win a Super Bowl.Bush noted the historical fact and called it "a great honor."

The team presented Bush a large tan cowboy hat with a Colts' horseshoe on the front and "some special dedications" written and left inside.

Manning, on behalf of the team, gave Bush a blue Colts' jersey with the name "Bush" and "43" on it, referring to Bush being the 43rd president.

Dungy was asked by reporters later if the team will repeat as NFL champions.

"That's the plan," Dungy said.

Asked if his White House visit would prompt him later to get involved in he politics, Dungy had a short answer: "No."