Members
Inductee
POLIAN, BILL
POLIAN, BILL
Born on December 8, 1942
Inducted On
June 12, 2008
Location Inducted
Indianapolis, IN
Region Number
7
Indpls Colts
Merit - Administrato
Mount St. Michael Academy, Bronx, NY
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; New York University
History
Serves as a member of the NFL Competition Committee, Diversity Committee, Management Council Senior Executive Committee, and Chairman of the College Relations Committee; he presented former Buffalo Head Coach, Marv Levy, at Levy's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2001; in 2009, became the first six-time winner of the Executive of the Year award from The Sporting News.
Professional Athletic Background: Served as a pro scout for Kansas City in 1978; helped build Grey Cup title teams with two Canadian Football League franchises (Montreal and Winnipeg); served with the Chicago Blitz of the USFL in 1984; joined Buffalo in 1984 and promoted to general manager in December 1985; worked in the NFL office in 1993; joined Carolina in 1994, his last position before joining the Colts in December 1997; oversaw the hiring of Colt's coach, Tony Dungy, in 2002, and Dungy's successor, Jim Caldwell, in 2009; left the Colts at the end of the 2011 season.
Professional Athletic Honors: In 22 seasons as an NFL general manager or president with Indianapolis, Carolina, and Buffalo, his teams have played in 16 play-off games, eight championship games, and made six Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII, 1993, and XLI, XLII), with one World Championship; his teams have earned a combined regular-season record of 228-139; he has been part of thirteen 11+ victory seasons.
Colts Accomplishments: In 2007, the Colts became the only NFL team with 12+ victories in five consecutive seasons; the club is the only NFL team with 10+ victories and playoff berths annually since the 2002 realignment; won a franchise-record fifth straight AFC South championship; won Super Bowl XLI, 29-17 over Chicago, the club's first title in 36 years; since joining Colts, no NFL team has had more overall playoff appearances; since 1999, Colts are the NFL's winningest regular-season team (.727), winning eight division championships (1999, 2003-2009) and reaching playoffs 10 times in last 11 seasons; Colts produced a 10-game turnaround from 1998, the best one-season improvement in NFL history; working with Coach Dungy, produced six consecutive playoff teams.
Professional Athletic Honors: In 22 seasons as an NFL general manager or president with Indianapolis, Carolina, and Buffalo, his teams have played in 16 play-off games, eight championship games, and made six Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII, 1993, and XLI, XLII), with one World Championship; his teams have earned a combined regular-season record of 228-139; he has been part of thirteen 11+ victory seasons.
Colts Accomplishments: In 2007, the Colts became the only NFL team with 12+ victories in five consecutive seasons; the club is the only NFL team with 10+ victories and playoff berths annually since the 2002 realignment; won a franchise-record fifth straight AFC South championship; won Super Bowl XLI, 29-17 over Chicago, the club's first title in 36 years; since joining Colts, no NFL team has had more overall playoff appearances; since 1999, Colts are the NFL's winningest regular-season team (.727), winning eight division championships (1999, 2003-2009) and reaching playoffs 10 times in last 11 seasons; Colts produced a 10-game turnaround from 1998, the best one-season improvement in NFL history; working with Coach Dungy, produced six consecutive playoff teams.
