11 former NFL players & 1 active player to participate in officiating academy March 14-16 in Baltimore

NFL Player Engagement Enrolls Players at Tom Beard Football Officials Clinic 

Super Bowl XLVII Referee Jerome Boger & NFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino Keynote Speakers 

Twelve NFL players – 11 former players and one active player – will take part in the Tom Beard Football Officials Clinic at Maritime Institute and Morgan State University, March 14-16 in Baltimore, it was announced today.

NFL Player Engagement and the NFL Football Officiating Academy partnered to select the players for the three-day program.

After a customized Officiating 101 orientation developed by the NFL Football Officiating Academy, the players will participate in a program featuring classroom and on-field instruction including breakouts by position group, on-field scrimmage work, and keynotes from Super Bowl XLVII Referee JEROME BOGER and NFL Vice President of Officiating DEAN BLANDINO. Instructors include current and former officials and officiating supervisors at all levels including previous Super Bowl referees SCOTT GREEN and TERRY MC AULAY.

More than 10 NFL officials as well as officials from the CFL, Arena League and college football have participated at the Tom Beard officiating camps and clinics.

“We are excited to continue providing opportunities for former players to explore post-playing careers,” said TROY VINCENT, Senior Vice President of NFL Player Engagement.  “Officiating is a natural extension for players who have an interest in staying close to the game.”

“As a recently retired player, it is important for me to stay involved in the game,” said NATE JONES, who played eight NFL seasons (2004-11) at defensive back for Dallas, Denver, Miami and New England. “Becoming an official is the perfect way to achieve this goal.”

Following are the NFL players participating in the Tom Beard Football Officials Clinic:
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Alberto Riveron Named Senior Director of Officiating

NFL’S FIRST HISPANIC REFEREE TO JOIN NFL OFFICIATING DEPARTMENT 

Alberto Riveron, a nine-year veteran NFL game official and the league’s first Hispanic referee, has been named NFL senior director of officiating. 

Riveron will report to Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino.  As the number-two person in the department, Riveron will supervise multiple aspects of the NFL’s officiating operations. 

Among his responsibilities, Riveron will oversee the NFL Instant Replay Program and assist Blandino in assignment and evaluation of officials, assigning individual officials to crews and crews to games, overseeing the evaluation process of officials and crews, and developing and distributing weekly training videos and other materials to improve accuracy and consistency.  Riveron will join Blandino in working closely with the NFL Competition Committee to develop proper on-field officiating practices for rule changes and “points of emphasis”. 

“Al did a tremendous job as a referee and was quickly able to earn the respect of the players and coaches,” Blandino said.  “His on-field experience will be an asset for us as we strive to improve the consistency and quality of our officiating program.” 

Riveron made his NFL debut as a side judge in 2004 before being promoted to referee in 2008, earning the distinction as the NFL’s first Hispanic referee.  He officiated in six playoff games, including serving as the referee in the AFC Championship Game between the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots following the 2011 season.  Riveron’s final on-field assignment was as the referee for the Wild Card playoff game this past season between the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans. 

A native of Cuba, Riveron moved to Miami at age five with his family and developed a passion for the game.  He began as an official in local youth leagues in 1977.  He made his collegiate officiating debut in 1990, working primarily in the Big East and Conference USA before joining the NFL officiating ranks. 

Since 2004, Riveron has worked as an assistant to the Conference USA supervisor of officials, aiding in the grading, training and evaluation of the conference’s on-field officials.   Riveron, who spent 13 years as a program coordinator in the Miami-Dade County public schools, has been in a managerial position with the Florida Storm Panel Corporation since 1993, coordinating the company’s work force throughout South Florida and overseeing production schedules, installations and marketing. 

Riveron will be based at league headquarters in New York and begin his new role immediately.

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NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy kicks off in Charlotte on Sunday

Carolina Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera to deliver opening night keynote

28 former NFL players to take part

The NFL and NCAA will offer the third annual NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy on February 17-19 in Charlotte, it was announced today.  The program, developed in 2011 by NFL Player Engagement and the NCAA, will provide 60 coaches/coaching prospects – including 28 former NFL players and nine current NFL players (list below) — with tools and networking opportunities for potential careers as football coaches. 

Many of the participants currently have high school or college coaching positions. The NCAA also invited football coaches who have less than eight years of college coaching experience to take part. 

Carolina Panthers head coach RON RIVERA will serve as the opening night keynote speaker.  Additional keynote speakers for the program include Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator MIKE NOLAN, University of Pittsburgh head coach PAUL CHRYST, and NFL Network analyst and former Redskins and Texans general manager CHARLEY CASSERLY.

“This is an excellent opportunity for players who are looking to continue their careers on the football sidelines to learn leadership, management and administrative skills from football coaches at all levels,” said TROY VINCENT, NFL senior vice president of player engagement.

Sessions will include instruction from NFL, college and high school coaches, business leaders and athletic administrators.  Topics include how to build a personal and professional brand; managing budgets; successful networking; health and safety; media messaging; coaching contracts; building relationships in college; effective leadership; understanding the academic landscape; and the interview process.   Participants also will experience mock interview sessions. 

“Our partnership with the NFL provides a broader base of networking and access to essential information and key influencers for football coaches who want to become head coaches,” said ROBERT VOWELS, NCAA vice president of membership and student-athlete affairs. “We look at this Academy as an opportunity that could positively influence the diversity numbers in the collegiate coaching ranks and as a way to get exposure for some of the most talented coaching minds in the football industry. We believe the partnership and the Academy overall will have a positive effect for the NCAA and the NFL immediately and in the future.”

The NFL partners with the NCAA on a number of additional initiatives including:

• The NFL-NCAA Champion Forum for those who have been identified as potential head coaches by college administrators, this program simulates the intercollegiate interview process from researching the position to their first staff meeting after becoming a head coach.
• The NFL-NCAA Future Football Coaches Academy for those who have recently completed their collegiate eligibility, and have a desire to enter the college football coaching profession.
• The NFL-NCAA Life Skills Education and Professional Development Summit shares best practices for the development of student-athletes.
• The NFL-NCAA Life Skills Summit Round-table for Student-Athletes provides student-athletes with a forum to discuss the resources and support that they need in order to meet their personal and professional goals.

Click here for a list of participants in the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy.

2013 National Football League Important Dates

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2013 NFL Draft First Round Order

Following is the 2013 NFL Draft first round order.  The first round will start on Thursday, April 25 with the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26 followed by rounds four through seven on Saturday, April 27.

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Super Bowl XLVII — Records Set and Tied

Compiled By Elias Sports Bureau

SUPER BOWL RECORDS SET IN SUPER BOWL XLVII

Most Combined Yards, Game – 290, Jacoby Jones

Longest Play – 108-yard kickoff return, Jacoby Jones

Longest Kickoff Return – 108 yards, Jacoby Jones

Longest Kickoff Return for Touchdown – 108 yards, Jacoby Jones

Longest Touchdown Run, Quarterback – 15 yards, Colin Kaepernick

Most Kickoff-Return Yards, Both Teams – 312 (Baltimore 206, San Francisco 106)

Longest Time Of Game – 4:14

SUPER BOWL RECORDS TIED IN SUPER BOWL XLVII

Most Touchdowns, Plays of 50-or-More Yards, Game – 2, Jacoby Jones

Most Receiving Yards, Game, Tight End – 104, Vernon Davis

Most Touchdowns, Kickoff Returns, Game – 1, Jacoby Jones

Most Safeties, Game – 1, Chris Culliver

Most Touchdowns, Kickoff Returns, Game, Team – 1, Baltimore

Most Safeties, Game, Team – 1, San Francisco

Most Players, 100-or-More Receiving Yards, Game, Team – 2, San Francisco (Michael Crabtree 109, Vernon Davis 104)

Most Points, Third Quarter, Both Teams – 24 (San Francisco 17, Baltimore 7)

Most Field Goals, Game, Both Teams – 5 (San Francisco 3, Baltimore 2)

Most Field Goals Without Miss, Game, Both Teams – 5 (San Francisco 3, Baltimore 2)

Fewest Rushing Touchdowns, Game, Team – 0, Baltimore

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SUPER  BOWL XLVII

Compiled By Elias Sports Bureau

Joe Flacco threw 11 touchdown passes in the postseason following the 2012 season, tying the NFL single-postseason record shared by Joe Montana (postseason after 1989 season) and Kurt Warner (postseason after 2008 season).  Flacco and Montana did not throw an interception during those respective postseasons.

Ed Reed made the ninth interception of his postseason career, tying the NFL record shared by Charlie Waters, Bill Simpson and Ronnie Lott.

Super Bowl XLVII was only the second league championship game in NFL history (including the pre-Super Bowl era) in which each team scored 30-or-more points.  Pittsburgh defeated Dallas, 35-31, in Super Bowl XIII in January 1979.

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco Wins Pete Rozelle Trophy as Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was voted the winner of the Pete Rozelle Trophy, awarded to the Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player.

The award is chosen by a panel of 16 members of the Pro Football Writers Association of America, selected members of the electronic broadcast media and interactively through the National Football League’s official website, NFL.com. Flacco collected 14 votes of the possible 20 cast in the MVP voting process.

Flacco completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions for a passer rating of 124.2. Flacco led the Ravens to a fast start by becoming the sixth player in NFL history to throw three or more touchdown passes in the first half of a Super Bowl game.

Flacco, in his fifth season, led the Ravens to a 7-0 lead on their first possession of the game when he orchestrated a six-play, 51-yard drive that culminated with a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

His second and third touchdown passes of the first half came in the second quarter. On Baltimore’s first scoring drive of the second quarter, Flacco completed all four of his passes for 45 yards, including a one-yard scoring pass to tight end Dennis Pitta.

Flacco’s third and final touchdown pass was a game-long 56-yard pass to wide receiver Jacoby Jones to put the Ravens ahead, 21-3. In the first half, Flacco completed 13 of 20 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Flacco finished the 2012 playoffs with 11 touchdown passes, tying Joe Montana (1989) and Kurt Warner (2008) for the most by any player in a single postseason.

Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson Named 2012 FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Year at “2nd Annual NFL Honors”

Denver and Minneapolis Junior Achievement Offices to Each Receive $25,000 Grants from FedEx in Honor of Winning Players

NEW ORLEANS, (February 2, 2013) – NFL fans have spoken, selecting Denver Broncos quarterback PEYTON MANNING and Minnesota Vikings running back ADRIAN PETERSON as the FEDEX AIR & GROUND® NFL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR. The 10^th annual awards, announced during the “2nd annual NFL Honors” show tonight in New Orleans, are a culmination of weekly awards presented by FedEx (NYSE: FDX) throughout the NFL season that gives football fans the ability to honor stand-out quarterback and running back performances each week while earning charitable donations for the winning players’ cities.

• Denver’s Peyton Manning registered single-season franchise bests in passing yards (4,659), touchdown passes (37) and passer rating (105.8) in his first season with the Broncos. Manning’s 37 touchdown passes and 105.8 passer rating led the AFC in 2012.  In Week 17, Manning posted his 73rd career game with three or more touchdown passes, moving past BRETT FAVRE (72) for the most in NFL history.  He surpassed the 4,000 yard mark for the 12th time in his career to expand his NFL record for 4,000-yard seasons.  Manning, who was selected as the AFC’s starting quarterback for the 2013 Pro Bowl, led the Broncos to a 13-3 record and an AFC West crown.  He was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week five times, winning once.  Manning has been named FedEx Air Player of the Year twice before (2003, 2004).

• Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson rushed his way into the history books finishing the year with 2,097 yards rushing, second-most in league history and just nine yards shy of breaking Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON’s NFL record (2,105).  Peterson, who was second in the NFL in carries (348), tied EARL CAMPBELL for the most games with at least 150 rushing yards in a single season (seven). He scored 12 touchdowns on the ground and led the NFL in yards per game (131.1).  Peterson accumulated 1,313 yards in eight games (Weeks 7 through 15), the most over any eight-game span in a single season in NFL history.  Selected as the NFC’s starting running back for the 2013 Pro Bowl, Peterson was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week seven times, winning three times.  This is the second time Peterson has been named FedEx Ground Player of the Year (2008).

Manning and Peterson were selected from a panel of three finalists in each of their respective Air and Ground categories. The other FedEx Air NFL Players of the Year finalists were quarterbacks TOM BRADY of the New England Patriots and AARON RODGERS of the Green Bay Packers, while the FedEx Ground NFL Players of the Year finalists included running backs MARSHAWN LYNCH of the Seattle Seahawks and ALFRED MORRIS of the Washington Redskins.

In honor of the winners’ outstanding play, FedEx is donating $50,000 to the Junior Achievement USA offices in Denver and Minneapolis– $25,000 in each player’s market – designated to help educate the next generation of entrepreneurs on how to start and grow their own businesses. In addition, as part of the Air & Ground program, FedEx made weekly donations of $2,000 to Junior Achievement in each of the winning players’ names.

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Super Bowl XLVII: Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers Preview

It all comes down to this.

On Sunday, February 3, the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers will meet in Super Bowl XLVII (6:00 PM ET, CBS) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

The game will mark the first time in any of the four major professional sports (NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL) that brothers – Baltimore’s JOHN and San Francisco’s JIM HARBAUGH – will match up against one another as head coaches in a postseason game.

“I guess it’s pretty neat,” says John Harbaugh, who has eight postseason wins in his first five seasons, tied with TOM FLORES for the most since the 1970 merger. “It’s pretty cool. But it’s really about the team. It’s about the players. That’s what it’s about. It’s about those guys. The more we focus on those guys, the better it is for everybody.”

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What To Look For – 2013 Pro Bowl

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