Play of Week 7

FOR USE AS DESIRED

NFL-PLAY-7 10/17/00

FALCONS’ DARRICK VAUGHN & RAMS’ TONY HORNE
WINNERS OF DIRECTV "NFL PLAY OF THE WEEK" AWARD

Kick returners DARRICK VAUGHN of the Atlanta Falcons and TONY HORNE of the St. Louis Rams are the winners of the DirecTV NFL Play of the Week Award for the seventh week of the 2000 season, the NFL announced today.

In Sunday’s Rams-Falcons game in St. Louis, Vaughn and Horn made history.

The Falcons received the game’s kickoff and Vaughn returned it 96 yards for a touchdown, giving Atlanta a 7-0 lead. Horne then fielded the ensuing kickoff and returned it 103 yards for a score, tying the game at 7-7.

It was the first time in NFL history that a game opened with back-to-back kickoff-return touchdowns. Although technically comprised of two plays, the sequence was memorable and unusual enough to warrant this week’s award.

The last time there were consecutive kickoff-return touchdowns in a game was on December 13, 1998 when Baltimore’s PATRICK JOHNSON scored late in the first quarter, followed by a kickoff return touchdown by Minnesota’s DAVID PALMER.

In honor of their achievement, DirecTV will make a contribution in the names of Vaughn and Horne to the United Way.

Fans can view the DirecTV Play of the Week each Tuesday on nfl.com.

This is the first season of the DirecTV NFL Play of the Week. DirecTV will donate a total of $10,000 in the names of the weekly winners to the United Way.

WEEK	PLAYER(S)	PLAY
1	Buccaneers QB Shaun King & WR Reidel Anthony	Faked spike, 8-yard TD pass.
2	Jets WR Wayne Chrebet	Spectacular game-winning touchdown catch.
3	Jets CB Marcus Coleman	Defender catches first-half Hail Mary TD.
4	Jets RB Curtis Martin & WR Wayne Chrebet	Halfback game-winning TD pass.
5	Redskins PR Deion Sanders	57-yard overtime punt return.
6	Patriots QB Michael Bishop & WR Tony Simmons	44-yard Hail Mary TD to end first half.
7	Falcons KR Darrick Vaughn & Rams KR Tony Horne	Began the game with back-to-back kickoff return touchdowns, first time in NFL history.