Football season is still a couple of months away, but a couple of Super Bowl heroes attracted large crowds for their book signings yesterday.

For 90 minutes at the Strang Communications booth, David Tyree-the New York Giants wide receiver who became famous for his seemingly miraculous catch that helped defeat the New England Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl-signed more than 450 excerpt copies of More Than Just the Catch, to be released Sept. 2 by Strang's Excel Books imprint, company officials said.

"I'm one of his biggest fans," Orlando, Fla., resident Shawn Cardona, who wore a Giants cap and jersey, told Christian Retailing after Tyree signed a copy of the book excerpt for him. "He's great. He's polite and courteous. It's great that he's a Christian. I'll definitely read the book."

Janet Ek, manager of Heritage House, a Christian bookstore near where the Patriots play in the Boston area, told Christian Retailing that she was a Patriots fan, but she liked Tyree because “we're all on the same team." "He's a brother in Christ," she said. "This book is wonderful. There's more to life than a football game."

Meanwhile, Super Bowl-winning coach of the Indianapolis Colts Tony Dungy-who signed copies of his memoir Quiet Strength (Tyndale House Publishers) and spoke during a Super Session during the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in Atlanta last summer-signed 250 copies of his recently released children's book You Can Do It! (Little Simon Inspirations), at the Howard Books booth, company officials said.

"We've had a lot of people saying that they're not football fans, but Tony Dungy (fans)," Melissa Teutsch, senior publicist for Howard Books, told Christian Retailing. "We saw the success of Tyndale (from last ICRS). We're prepared for this one. We're pleased with the turnout."

Sheri Aspenson, marketing and merchandising coordinator for Journey Books & Music in Rockford, Ill., said she didn't know Dungy until last year when her son-in-law, who is a Colts fan, told her about him. "(His memoir) is the greatest leadership book I've ever read," she said.

Dungy said he enjoyed being at the show. "It's been phenomenal being here for two years," he said. "Usually, we're dealing with sports people. To work in a Christian setting is really amazing."