Running back Thomas Jones has a chance to fulfill a childhood dream Sunday when the Bears face the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI in Miami.

MIAMI – While Thomas Jones and his teammates know what’s at stake Sunday when the Bears face the Colts in Super Bowl XLI, the running back insists that they won’t be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the game.

“The intensity will go up a notch,” Jones said. “It goes up every game because you’re that much closer to you goal, and that’s winning a world championship. We’re excited about the opportunity.

“It’s a lifelong dream for all of us that haven’t been there, and it’s definitely going to be an intense situation. But once everything kind of settles down, I think it’ll get back to a regular football game and come down to the fundamentals of football.”

A win over the Colts would give the Bears their first Super Bowl title in 21 years.

“It would mean everything,” Jones said. “That’s why you play football, from Pop Warner to high school to college. To make it in the NFL and have an opportunity to be on a team that goes to the Super Bowl and wins it, that’s why you play football.

“Every little kid is watching the Super Bowl every year. That would be something very special, something you could always take with you and something no one could ever take away from you.”