*NFL Network and *The Associated Press
reach agreement for announcement of AP NFL Awards**
Most Valuable Player to be announced on NFL Network on Super Bowl Sunday
Entire slate of AP Awards unveiled on NFL Network during Super Bowl week
NFL Network and The Associated Press announced Tuesday that AP's end-of-season awards will be unveiled on NFL Network during Super Bowl week from North Texas. The 2010 Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award will be announced Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6, on NFL Network.
In addition to the MVP award, the entire slate of AP awards -- Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year -- will be announced on NFL Network throughout Super Bowl week. At least one award will be unveiled each night at 7 p.m. ET on NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl Monday, Jan. 31 - Saturday, Feb. 5, with the MVP being announced on NFL GameDay Morning during the Super Bowl pre-game show Super Bowl Sunday. Additionally, NFL.com will follow the AP and NFL Network's simultaneous announcement with news articles, reaction and video on its front page.
Each award announcement will be distributed by the AP as the awards are simultaneously announced on NFL Network. The AP remains in full control of the award selection process, with NFL Network only serving as the broadcast medium.
"We're elated to announce AP's annual pro football honors on the NFL Network in the run up to the Super Bowl," said Lou Ferrara, AP's vice president and managing editor for sports. "This will provide a showcase for the awards after years of building a strong and credible voting system for picking the winners."
"This is the first time the highly anticipated AP honors will be announced in prime time on national television," said Lawrence Randall, director of programming, NFL Network. "NFL Network is a destination for fans during Super Bowl week and the AP award announcements are an exciting addition to our lineup."
The AP award announcements are another element of the exclusive programming headlining NFL Network's 100+ hours of HD coverage during Super Bowl Week which includes Super Bowl Media Day Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 9:30 a.m. ET from Cowboys Stadium and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011 Announcement Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. ET.
NFL Network's coverage from North Texas also includes original programming such as NFL Total Access, Playbook, The Coaches Show, NFL GameDay Morning and NFL GameDay Final capturing all the sights and sounds from Super Bowl XLV.
NFL Network's coverage from North Texas begins Sunday, Jan. 30 with NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl coverage of Team Arrivals at 1 p.m. ET. The network's 30-plus on-air personalities covering Super Bowl XLV include an array of Super Bowl-winning players and coaches, Emmy-nominated broadcasters and some of the most recognizable names in sports television such as Rich Eisen, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Rod Woodson, Kurt Warner, Joe Theismann, Brian Billick, Jim Mora, Daryl Johnston, Fran Charles, Michael Lombardi, Jamie Dukes, Kara Henderson, Jason La Canfora, and many others, plus special guest appearances.
NFL Award Announcement Schedule on NFL Network During Super Bowl Week:
Monday, Jan. 31 Comeback Player of the Year
Tuesday, Feb. 1 Offensive Player of the Year
Wednesday, Feb. 2 Coach of the Year
Thursday, Feb. 3 Pepsi Rookie of the Year**
Friday, Feb. 4 Offensive & Defensive Rookie of the Year
Saturday, Feb. 5 Defensive Player of the Year
Sunday, Feb. 6 Most Valuable Player
**Pepsi Rookie of the Year is not a part of The Associated Press' slate of NFL awards. However, the winner will be announced exclusively on NFL Network Thursday, Feb. 3 during Super Bowl week.
About NFL Network
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive Internet home of NFL Network.
About The AP
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the Net:www.ap.org
