FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:
NFL-196                 12/29/03                                                      BRENDAN MOYNIHAN, NFL, 212-450-2246
                                                                                                Moynihanb@nfl.com

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

LIONS LB BOSS BAILEY, TEXANS RB DOMANICK DAVIS,

JETS LB VICTOR HOBSON, BROWNS RB LEE SUGGS

& RAMS LB PISA TINOISAMOA

CANDIDATES FOR PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF WEEK HONORS

Fans To Vote For Winner On NFL.com

Linebacker BOSS BAILEY of the Detroit Lions, running back DOMANICK DAVIS of the Houston Texans, linebacker VICTOR HOBSON of the New York Jets, running back LEE SUGGS of the Cleveland Browns, and linebacker PISA TINOISAMOA of the St. Louis Rams are the finalists for PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK honors for games played on December 27-28, the NFL announced today. 

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

  • Detroit’s Boss Bailey recorded five tackles and an interception in the Lions’ 30-20 win over St. Louis.  Bailey’s first career interception led to a Detroit field goal that extended its lead to 27-20.
     
  • Houston’s Domanick Davis rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries in the Texans’ 20-17 loss to Indianapolis.  Davis, who also caught six passes for 35 yards, became the Texans first-ever 1,000 yard rusher with an NFL rookie-best 1,031 yards.   
     
  • New York’s Victor Hobson had four tackles and an interception in the Jets’ 23-21 loss to Miami.  Hobson recorded his first career interception in the end zone and returned it 26 yards.
     
  • Cleveland’s Lee Suggs rushed for a career-high 186 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, a 7.2 yards per carry average, in the Browns’ 22-14 win over Cincinnati.  Suggs’ 186 rushing yards are the most by a Browns running back since Earnest Byner had 188 on 12/16/84 at Houston. 
     
  • St. Louis’ Pisa Tinoisamoa recorded a team-high 11 tackles, an interception and forced a fumble in the Rams’ 30-20 loss to Detroit.   

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

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