FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:
NFL-103                 10/28/03                                                      BRENDAN MOYNIHAN, NFL, 212-450-2246
                                                                                                Moynihanb@nfl.com

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

TEXANS RB DOMANICK DAVIS; RAMS RB ARLEN HARRIS;

CARDINALS DE CALVIN PACE; BEARS CB CHARLES TILLMAN

& GIANTS CB FRANK WALKER

CANDIDATES FOR PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF WEEK HONORS

Fans To Vote For Winner On NFL.com

Running back DOMANICK DAVIS of the Houston Texans, running back ARLEN HARRIS of the St. Louis Rams, defensive end CALVIN PACE of the Arizona Cardinals, cornerback CHARLES TILLMAN of the Chicago Bears, and cornerback FRANK WALKER of the New York Giants are the finalists for PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK honors for games played on October 26-27, 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:

  • Houston’s Domanick Davis rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and caught seven passes for 27 yards in the Texans’ 30-21 loss to Indianapolis.  Davis recorded his second consecutive 100-yard game, after becoming the first Texan to rush for 100 yards in a game last week.  
     
  • St. Louis’ Arlen Harris rushed for 81 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries and caught four passes for 15 yards in the Rams’ 33-21 win over Pittsburgh. 
     
  • Arizona’s Calvin Pace recorded a team-high six solo tackles, his first career sack and recovered a fumble in the Cardinals’ 16-13 overtime win over San Francisco.   
     
  • Chicago’s Charles Tillman recorded a team-high eight solo tackles, his first career interception and defensed a pass in Chicago’s 24-16 win over Detroit.  Tillman’s interception and 32-yard return helped set up Chicago’s first touchdown, giving the Bears a 7-0 lead in the second quarter.
     
  • New York’s Frank Walker recorded three tackles, one interception and defensed a pass in the Giants’ 29-17 win over Minnesota.  Walker’s interception, the first of his career, sealed the win and led to the Giants’ final scoring drive of the game.

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