POSTED: Thursday February 5th 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NFL MVP PEYTON MANNING AND CARDINALS QB KURT WARNER HEADLINE THE NFL STARS AT THE PRO BOWL, SUNDAY ON NBC

Access to Coach/QB Radio Transmissions Highlight NBC’s Production

       First Pro Bowl on NBC in 35 Years

       NEW YORK – Feb. 5, 2009 – The NFL Pro Bowl returns to NBC Sports for the first time in 35 years this Sunday, 4:30-8 p.m. ET as NFL MVP Peyton Manning leads the AFC against Cardinals QB Kurt Warner and the NFC.  Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) and Tiki Barber (sideline reporter) call the action from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

At halftime, Michaels will talk to John Madden from his home in Northern California.

PRO BOWL PRODUCTION ELEMENTS: All six quarterbacks in the game – Manning, Warner, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Jay Cutler and Kerry Collins - will wear microphones during the game as well as two defensive players to be determined.  In addition, NBC will have access to coach-quarterback radio transmission and will deploy its \‘stedi-cam\’ operator into the teams\’ huddles.

NBC AND THE PRO BOWL: Sunday\‘s broadcast marks only the third time ever and the first time in 35 years that NBC has broadcast the Pro Bowl.  The last NBC broadcast of the Pro Bowl was on Jan. 20, 1974 from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City when the AFC, coached by then Raiders coach and current NBC analyst John Madden, defeated the NFC 15-13 on five Garo Yepremian field goals.  Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis called the game for NBC.  The only other time the Pro Bowl was on NBC was two years earlier, on Jan. 23, 1972, when the AFC defeated the NFC 26-13.  That game took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

NFC vs. AFC: In the 38 years of the Pro Bowl, the NFC and the AFC have each won 19 times.  From 1997-2003 the AFC won six out of seven games and the two conferences alternated victories from 2003-2008.  In last year\‘s game, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson ran for 129 yards to capture the game\‘s MVP award.

PRO BOWL STARTERS:
AFC OFFENSE
QB      Peyton Manning  Colts
RB      Thomas Jones            Jets
FB      Le\‘Ron McClain  Ravens
WR      Andre Johnson   Texans
       Brandon Marshall        Broncos
TE      Tony Gonzalez   Chiefs
T       Joe Thomas              Browns
       Michael Roos            Titans
G       Alan Faneca             Jets
       Kris Dielman            Chargers
C       Nick Mangold            Jets

AFC DEFENSE
DE      Mario Williams  Texans
       Dwight Freeney  Colts
DT      Albert Haynesworth      Titans
       Kris Jenkins            Jets
OLB     James Harrison  Steelers
       Joey Porter             Dolphins
ILB     Ray Lewis               Ravens
CB      Nnamdi Asomugha Raiders
       Cortland Finnegan       Titans
FS      Ed Reed         Ravens
SS      Troy Polamalu           Steelers

AFC SPECIAL TEAMS
P       Shane Lechler           Raiders
K       Stephen Gostkowski      Patriots
KR      Leon Washington Jets
ST      Brandon Ayanbadejo      Ravens

NFC OFFENSE
QB      Kurt Warner             Cardinals
RB      Adrian Peterson Vikings
FB      Mike Sellers            Redskins
WR      Larry Fitzgerald        Cardinals
       Anquan Boldin   Cardinals
TE      Jason Witten            Cowboys
T       Jordan Gross            Panthers
       Flozell Adams           Cowboys
G       Steve Hutchinson        Vikings
       Chris Snee              Giants
C       Andre Gurode            Cowboys

NFC DEFENSE
DE      Julius Peppers          Panthers
       Justin Tuck             Giants
DT      Kevin Williams  Vikings
       Jay Ratliff             Cowboys
OLB     DeMarcus Ware   Cowboys
       Lance Briggs            Bears
ILB     Patrick Willis          49ers
CB      Ronde Barber            Buccaneers
       Antonio Winfield        Vikings
FS      Nick Collins            Packers
SS      Adrian Wilson           Cardinals

NFC SPECIAL TEAMS
P       Jeff Feagles            Giants
K       John Carney             Giants
KR      Clifton Smith           Buccaneers
ST      Sean Morey              Cardinals

       Members of the media can get more information about NBC Universal and its programming on the NBC Universal Media Village Web site at www.nbcumv.com.

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Keywords · NBC · NFL · Super Bowl

Name: Adam Freifeld
Organization: NBC
Email:
Phone: +1.212-664-6772

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