FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:
NFL-106                  11/4/04                                                       MATT HILL, NFL, 212-450-2080
                                                                                                Hillm@NFL.com

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

NFL.COM VOTERS SELECT STEELERS QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER

AS WEEK 8 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Voters on NFL.com have made their choice.  Quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK for games played on October 31-November 1, the NFL announced today.

Roethlisberger completed 18 of 24 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers’ 34-20 victory over the New England Patriots.  He connected with wide receiver Plaxico Burress on touchdown passes of four and 47 yards in the first quarter.  Roethlisberger is 5-0 as an NFL starter and has now collected five Pepsi Rookie of the Week awards.

More than 58,920 fans voted this week on NFL.com.  Roethlisberger was selected from among five finalists.  The other finalists were running back TROY FLEMING of the Tennessee Titans, cornerback NATHAN VASHER of the Chicago Bears, wide receiver DARIUS WATTS of the Denver Broncos and safety MADIEU WILLIAMS of the Cincinnati Bengals.

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 XXXIX in Jacksonville.

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

2004 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      CONTACT:
NFL-105                  11/4/04                                                       Matt Hill, NFL, 212-450-2080
                                                                                                Hillm@NFL.com

Howard Clabo, FedEx, 901-434-7786
            Howard.Clabo@fedex.com       

NFL.COM VOTERS SELECT

CHARGERS QB DREW BREES & CHIEFS RB PRIEST HOLMES
AS WEEK 8 FEDEX AIR & GROUND NFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Quarterback DREW BREES of the San Diego Chargers and running back PRIEST HOLMES of the Kansas City Chiefs are the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week for games played on October 31-November 1, the NFL announced today. 

Brees completed 22 of 25 passes for 281 yards and five touchdowns in the Chargers’ 42-14 victory over the AFC West-rival Oakland Raiders.  He threw touchdown passes of one, five, 13, 17 and 23 yards and had a passer rating of 153.1 in the contest.

Holmes ran for 143 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries in the Chiefs’ 45-35 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.  He scored on runs of one, 11 and 21 yards a week after recording four touchdowns.

Brees and Holmes were selected from among finalists in the air and ground categories through 40,752 fan votes.  The other FedEx Express NFL Player of the Week finalists were quarterbacks TRENT GREEN of the Kansas City Chiefs and PEYTON MANNING of the Indianapolis Colts, while running backs SHAUN ALEXANDER of the Seattle Seahawks and CHRIS BROWN of the Tennessee Titans were the other finalists for FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week.

Fans voted for more than their favorite players.  The weekly FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week Awards are also a win for the local community.  Along with the player awards, FedEx is awarding the Children's Hospital Foundation and Children's Mercy Hospital, the Children’s Hospital in each winning market, a check for $5,000.

The children’s hospitals in the two season-long winner’s markets, announced at this year’s Super Bowl, will be awarded $25,000 each.  That means that FedEx will deliver nearly $250,000 to local children’s hospitals around the country in recognition of the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week Award winners. 

FedEx, the premier global provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply-chain management services, is the Official Delivery Service Sponsor of the NFL, Super Bowl and Pro Bowl.  Through the weekly FedEx Air and Ground awards, FedEx recognizes those NFL players who represent the same speed, precision and teamwork that their customers have come to expect from the full range of FedEx air, ground, freight and international shipping services.

2004 FEDEX AIR & GROUND NFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
 

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Contact:                                                                                                              Contact:
Seth Rubin                                                                                                           Matt Hill
Alan Taylor Communications                                                                                  National Football League
212-714-1280 ext. 353                                                                                           212-450-2080
seth@alantaylor.com                                                                                            hillm@nfl.com

PLAXICO BURRESS’ TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION NAMED
WEEK EIGHT “LEVITRAâ (vardenafil HCI) PLAY OF WEEK”

NEW YORK—NOVEMBER 4, 2004 – Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress’ diving four-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger against the New England Patriots has been voted “LEVITRA^â (vardenafil HCI) PLAY OF THE WEEK” for NFL games played October 31- November 1.  

Burress’ touchdown is now eligible to be selected as the “LEVITRA^â PLAY OF THE YEAR,” awarded this February at Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Florida.   “LEVITRA^â PLAY OF THE WEEK,” which is voted on by fans each week throughout the NFL season from Tuesday at noon ET to Thursday at noon ET on NFL.com, is presented each Thursday and recognizes the single most exciting play that week.

Fans who vote at NFL.com each week can also enter for their chance to win a three-day/two-night trip for two to Jacksonville, Florida to attend Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005, including round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations.

With the Steelers leading the Patriots 7-3, Burress adjusted to a pass from Roethlisberger that was thrown behind him and stretched out for the four-yard touchdown grab. The Pittsburgh receiver finished with three catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers defeated the Patriots 34-20 to snap New England's historic winning streak.

Burress beat out Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee’s 87-yard kick-off return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in fan voting on NFL.com.  For details and video of this week’s nominees and the results of fan voting, please visit www.NFL.com/playoftheweek

In July 2003, Bayer Pharmaceutical Corporation (Bayer) & GlaxoSmithKline(GSK), co-marketers of LEVITRA  (vardenafil HCI), a prescription medicine that is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), announced their groundbreaking sponsorship of the NFL.
 

2004 LEVITRA^â PLAY OF THE WEEK WINNERS