Washington Redskins fan Hunter Paulin was chosen as this year's NFL Play 60 Super Kid, it was announced today. On Feb. 3, he will hand the game ball to a game official moments before kickoff of Super Bowl XLVII in front of a worldwide television audience on CBS.
The NFL and The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., teamed up for this year's NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Contest. Thousands of young fans nationwide entered the NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Contest online at nflrush.com, the NFL's official website for kids. To be eligible, Paulin pledged to be active for 60 minutes a day and answered questions about his commitment to being healthy, how NFL players inspire him to be fit, how his family stays active and healthy and how eating right helps to power his play.
Paulin's answers focused on Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and how he inspires him to be fit. Because of congenital heart defects and numerous surgeries, Paulin must find creative ways to stay active, and he uses Griffin as an inspiration for his fitness goals. Paulin cited a 26-mile bike ride with his parents and one of his three brothers as a recent fitness achievement.
Paulin, 10, made a special visit to meet Griffin in late December and toured the Redskins facility. He watched practice with head coach Mike Shanahan, met team owner Dan Snyder, and ate lunch with Redskins players including linebacker London Fletcher. Griffin gave Paulin a signed glove during his visit. As Paulin wrote in his contest entry, "Griffin] is a good person on the field and in the community. I hope he takes us to the [Super Bowl!"
During the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVII, Paulin will be a part of NFL Play 60 Kids' Day at the NFL Experience interactive theme park, and will participate in NFL Flag skills and drills as well as a youth football clinic. He will also spend time with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck during Kids' Day at NFL Experience, where Quaker will host an Epic Adventure Course, and provide kids with a whole grain Quaker Oatmeal breakfast. Luck, a member of the judging panel for this year's NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Contest and spokesperson for Quaker, also helped announce the NFL Play 60 contest by motivating families to get active and choose wholesome foods
Thirty-three NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Contest First Prize winners were also announced today. They will receive an NFL Play 60 prize pack and two tickets to a 2013 regular season game in their local NFL-team market. A full list of winners is below.
The NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Contest, in its sixth year, is part of NFL Play 60 which challenges kids across the country to get active for 60 minutes a day. At nflrush.com, the NFL's official website for kids, youngsters can pledge to Play 60, get tips from NFL pros and learn ways to rally their community to get active and healthy.
Families can also visit www.QuakerOats.com/NFLPLAY60 for more information about the NFL Play 60 Super Bowl Contest presented by Quaker, exclusive videos and behind-the-scenes photos with Andrew Luck.
