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Tar Heel Jeff Saturday gets ready for the Superbowl! http://tarheelsfootball.com/search/jeff+saturday

Colts’ Jeff Saturday is missing a foot? - ESPN.com

MIAMI — Taped to the side of Ryan Lilja’s locker is a newspaper clipping that features the smiling mug of Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday. It’s a bank ad with a Grizzly Adams-looking 295-pound pitchman, and the linemen think that’s kind of funny.

“We joke about him, that he’s kind of a media, uh … I don’t want to say the word,” Lilja said. “We’re offensive linemen. We don’t get a lot of attention, but Jeff seems to. So he’s kind of a playboy.”

Maybe it’s fitting that the man who has snapped the ball to Peyton Manning for the past 11 years should get his cut of the limelight. Saturday has his own action figure, which means some of the linemen had to buy it, just to tease him even more. (Lilja’s Saturday action figure, by the way, is missing a plastic foot). He’s featured in one of Manning’s latest commercials for MasterCard, and he signed a $13 million contract extension with the Colts last year.

And if you ask Manning, Lilja or anyone else on the Colts’ offense, he’s worth all the adulation. Manning might call the plays, but Saturday is clearly the boss of an offensive line that kept the quarterback virtually unscathed in 2009. Manning was sacked just 10 times, and, year after year, is one of the least-touched quarterbacks in the league.

“I’ll always be indebted to what Jeff has done for me, just protecting me as a quarterback,” Manning said. “I feel very comfortable with him right in front of me.

“Every time I make an audible, Jeff kind of has his own audibles after that. He makes those calls and then he has to go block a 320-pound noseguard. So I have never taken him for granted. I stay real close to him.”

So close that their lockers are right next to each other and they sit side by side on plane rides. Manning and Saturday are golf partners in the offseason and communicate constantly in-season. Asked earlier this week whether they’re kind of husband and wife, Saturday cracked, “If he’s the wife, that would be very accurate.”

Teammates say Saturday knows as much about defenses as Manning does, and that’s saying a lot, given the quarterback’s reputation for nonstop preparation. Saturday is the voice of the linemen in meetings, and he tells the coaches what works and what doesn’t. Saturday’s words hold a lot of clout, Lilja says.

And his chemistry with Manning is crucial. The center-and-quarterback relationship, New York Jets center Nick Mangold says, takes time and practice. They have to be in sync and, in Saturday’s case, be able to decipher Manning’s no-huddle shuffle, the flailing arms, the last-second adjustments.

Saturday and Manning have started 154 games together, which is just three shy of the NFL record set by Jim Kelly and Kent Hull of the Buffalo Bills.

“I think you’ve got to have a good relationship,” Mangold said of the center-quarterback relationship. “If you don’t like each other, I think it’d be a rough one. You spend so much time together, and the things you do are so crucial to every play.

“It just seems like [Saturday] has such a grasp of what they’re doing as an offense that he’s able to do things without having to check with anybody. He can just do it on his own.”

It seems funny, now, that Saturday almost ended up doing something else. He went undrafted out of North Carolina in 1998, got signed by the Baltimore Ravens, then cut that summer. He was out of the game that fall but lifted weights just in case a team called. The Colts rang in December.

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For complete coverage of Super Bowl XLIV, go to ESPN’s Super Bowl Central.

Jeff Saturday & Colts return to the Super Bowl!

North Carolina Tar Heel Jeff Saturday, the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl Center for the Indianapolis Colts will return to the Super Bowl this season after the Colts defeated the NY Jets 30-17 in the AFC Championship Game.

Jeff Saturday has been voted into four NFL Pro Bowls (2005, 2006, 2007, & 2009), two time NFL All-Pro First Team (2005 & 2007), two time NFL All-Pro Second Team (2006 & 2009), and was a starter on the Super Bowl XLI Champion Indianapolis Colts.

Jeff Saturday started 37 games for the North Carolina Tar Heels (1995-1998) and earned multiple ACC awards during his college career at UNC.

Best of luck to Jeff Saturday and the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, Tar Heels everywhere will be cheering for you!

Updates on Tar Heels in the NFL from Week 12

TarHeelBlue.com - Posted Nov. 30, 2009

A pair of former Carolina centers helped their respective offenses Sunday. Jeff Saturday helped the undefeated Colts roar back to defeat the Texas 35-27 and improve to 11-0. Jason Brown anchored the Rams offensive line as they fell short to the Seahawks 27-17. Sam Aiken led the Patriots with seven catches for 90 yards, but the Saints proved too much routing the Pats 38-17 in an exciting Monday night game.

Sam Aiken, New England- 7th year wide receiver caught seven passes for 90 yards in 38-17 loss to Saints.

Ethan Albright, Washington- 38-year-old deep snapper helped the Redskins average 46.6 yards per punt in a 27-24 losing effort at Philadelphia.

Kentwan Balmer, San Francisco- Second year defensive tackle recorded one assist to help the 49ers roll past the 6-5 Jaguars 20-3.

Dre’ Bly, San Francisco- Veteran defensive back posted one tackle as San Francisco improved to 5-6 on the year.

Connor Barth, Tampa Bay- Second-year kicker converted a 39-yard field goal and two extra points as the Buccaneers fell to the Falcons 20-17 in the closing minutes.

Jason Brown, St Louis- Starting center anchored the Rams offensive line, allowing quarterback Kyle Boller to compile 282 passing yards in a 27-17 loss to Seattle Sunday.

Alge Crumpler, Tennessee- Nine-year veteran tight end pulled down one catch for eight yards as the Titans squeaked by the defending NFC Champion Cardinals 20-17.

Greg Ellis, Oakland- Pro bowl defensive end posted one tackle and one assist, but it did little to slow Tony Romo and the Dallas offense, who beat the Raiders 24-7 Thursday.

Brooks Foster, St Louis- Rookie wide receiver, who was the Rams’ fifth-round pick this year, is on injured reserve after ankle surgery.

Madison Hedgecock, New York Giants- Fullback and the Giants had a rough day, managing only 57 rushing yards in a 26-6 defeat to the Broncos.

Jesse Holley, Dallas- Wide receiver is listed on the Cowboys’ practice squad.

Vonnie Holliday, Denver- Veteran defensive end helped Denver improve to 7-4 with a three tackle performance against the Giants.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants- Rookie wide receiver, the Giants’ first round pick, compiled four receptions for 66 yards, in addition to one defensive tackle, as New York fell to the Broncos 26-6.

Willie Parker, Pittsburgh- Sixth-year running back rushed five times for 14 yards yet an overtime Baltimore field goal took down the Steelers 20-17 Sunday night.

Julius Peppers, Carolina- Former All-America defensive end recorded three tackles, one assist, 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in a 17-6 losing effort to the New York Jets.

Richard Quinn, Denver- Tight end, who was selected by the Broncos in the second round of the 2009 draft, saw action as the Broncos stayed within one game of the AFC West lead.

Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh- Veteran kicker was perfect, nailing his only field goal from 44 yards and going 2-2 on PATs in a 20-17 loss to Baltimore.

Garrett Reynolds, Atlanta- Rookie offensive tackle was inactive as the Falcons beat Tampa Bay 20-17.

Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis- Three-time Pro Bowl center led the Indianapolis offensive line, as they surged for a 5.0 yard per rush average to outduel the Texans 35-27.

Gerald Sensabaugh, Dallas- Starting safety led the Cowboys secondary in tackles, notching four tackles and two assists, to help Dallas roll 24-7 over Oakland.

Ryan Sims, Tampa Bay- Starting defensive tackle posted two tackles, one for a loss, as the Bucs dropped a close one to the Falcons 20-17.

Brandon Tate, New England- Rookie wide receiver on injured reserve as the Patriots will hope to knock off the NFC South Division leading Saints on Monday Night Football.

Hilee Taylor, Carolina- Second-year defensive end did not play in Carolina’s fall to the New York Jets.

David Thornton, Tennessee- Linebacker was back in the starting lineup despite recent injury issues, recording two tackles in the 20-17 win over Arizona.

Greg Warren, Pittsburgh- Deep snapper helped the Steelers average 44.6 yards per punt in a 20-17 overtime loss to the Ravens.

Wallace Wright, New York Jets- Veteran special teams ace posted two tackles to help the Jets knock off the Panthers 17-6 Sunday.

TarHeelBlue.com - Posted Nov. 30, 2009

NC Tar Heels in the NFL in 2009

As the NFL begins the 2009-2010 Football Season, 23 former North Carolina Tar Heels football players will be on NFL Rosters.

North Carolina Tar Heels in the NFL as of Sept. 5, 2009

Sam Aiken, WR ……………………..New England

Ethan Albright, DS ………………….Washington

Kentwan Balmer, DT ………………..San Francisco

Dre’ Bly, CB …………………………..San Francisco

Jason Brown, C ………………………St. Louis

Alge Crumpler, TE …………………..Tennessee

Greg Ellis, LB …………………………Oakland

Madison Hedgecock, FB …………..NY Giants

Brooks Foster, WR …………………..St. Louis

Hakeem Nicks, WR …………………NY Giants

Willie Parker, TB …………………….Pittsburgh

Julius Peppers, DE …………………..Carolina

Richard Quinn, TE …………………..Denver

Jeff Reed, PK ………………………….Pittsburgh

Garrett Reynolds, OT ……………….Atlanta

Jeff Saturday, C ……………………..Indianapolis

Gerald Sensabaugh, S……………..Dallas

Ryan Sims, DT ………………………..Tampa Bay

Brandon Tate, WR …………………..New England

Hilee Taylor, DE ……………………..Carolina

David Thornton, LB ………………….Tennessee

Greg Warren, DS …………………..Pittsburgh

Wallace Wright, WR ……………….NY Jets