FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:
NFL-131                 11/18/03                                                      BRENDAN MOYNIHAN, NFL, 212-450-2246
                                                                                                Moynihanb@nfl.com

DAVE DECECCO, PEPSI-COLA, 914-253-2655
            David.DeCecco@Pepsi.com

PACKERS LB NICK BARNETT, COLTS TE DALLAS CLARK,

TEXANS WR ANDRE JOHNSON, BEARS CB CHARLES TILLMAN

& VIKINGS DE KEVIN WILLIAMS

CANDIDATES FOR PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF WEEK HONORS

Fans To Vote For Winner On NFL.com

Linebacker NICK BARNETT of the Green Bay Packers, tight end DALLAS CLARK of the Indianapolis Colts, wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON of the Houston Texans, cornerback CHARLES TILLMAN of the Chicago Bears, and defensive end KEVIN WILLIAMS of the Minnesota Vikings are the finalists for PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK honors for games played on November 16-17, the NFL announced today. 

Fans can vote for one of these five players on NFL.com from Tuesday morning until 9:00 AM ET Thursday to determine the PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK.  The PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK will be announced Thursday on NFL.com.

After the regular season, five players will be nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year honors.  Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com throughout the month of January.  The winner will be announced at a press conference at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.

A closer look at the finalists:

  • Green Bay’s Nick Barnett recorded a team-high 10 tackles, an interception, recovered a fumble and defensed two passes in the Packers’ 20-13 win over Tampa Bay.  Barnett leads the Packers and ranks second in the NFC with 74 tackles.
     
  • Indianapolis’ Dallas Clark caught five passes for 100 yards, the first 100-yard receiving performance of his career, in the Colts’ 38-31 win over the New York Jets. 
     
  • Houston’s Andre Johnson caught four passes for 122 yards and a touchdown in the Texans’ 12-10 win over Buffalo.  Johnson’s 46-yard touchdown reception was the only touchdown of the game and gave the Texans a 6-5 lead at the end of the first half.   
     
  • Chicago’s Charles Tillman recorded 11 tackles, an interception and defensed two passes in the Bears’ 23-21 loss to St. Louis.  Tillman has three interceptions in the last four games.
     
  • Minnesota’s Kevin Williams recorded four tackles, a sack and forced a fumble in Minnesota’s 28-18 loss to Oakland.  Williams is tied for seventh in the NFC and is second overall among rookies with 5.5 sacks.

This is Pepsi’s second year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL.