FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:
NFL-76                    10/7/03                                                       BRENDAN MOYNIHAN, NFL, 212-450-2246
                                                                                                Moynihanb@nfl.com

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

PACKERS LB NICK BARNETT; SEAHAWKS K JOSH BROWN;

JAGUARS QB BYRON LEFTWICH; COWBOYS CB TERENCE NEWMAN

& VIKINGS RB ONTERRIO SMITH

CANDIDATES FOR PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF WEEK HONORS

Fans To Vote For Winner On NFL.com

Linebacker NICK BARNETT of the Green Bay Packers, kicker JOSH BROWN of the Seattle Seahawks, quarterback BYRON LEFTWICH of the Jacksonville Jaguars, cornerback TERENCE NEWMAN of the Dallas Cowboys, and running back ONTERRIO SMITH of the Minnesota Vikings are the finalists for PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK honors for games played on October 5-6, 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 12 tackles and 1.0 sack in the Packers’ 35-13 win over Seattle.  Barnett leads the team with 44 tackles and has recorded 2.0 sacks and two interceptions this season.
     
  • Seattle’s Josh Brown made two of two field goal attempts including a 58-yarder in the Seahawks’ 35-13 loss to Green Bay.  Brown also converted a point after touchdown to finish with seven points. 
     
  • Jacksonville’s Byron Leftwich completed 19 of 28 attempts for 336 yards and two touchdowns for a 132.4 passer rating in the Jaguars’ 27-21 win over San Diego.  Leftwich led the Jaguars to their first win of the season in his second career start.
     
  • Dallas’ Terence Newman recorded five tackles, 1.0 sack and a pass defensed in the Cowboys’ 24-7 win over Arizona.  The sack was the first of Newman’s career. 
     
  • Minnesota’s Onterrio Smith rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries in the Vikings’ 39-26 win over Atlanta.  Smith also caught two passes for 23 yards.

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