Former Linebacker Chris Spielman Profiled on NFL Network’s ‘A Football Life’ Wednesday, October 31 at 8:00 PM ET

Emmy-Nominated Series Continues Wednesday, October 31 at 8:00 PM ET

“Football is a direct reflection of life. There are wins, there are losses; you get knocked down, you get back up.” – Chris Spielman

Born and raised in the shadow of the birthplace of professional football, Chris Spielman was destined to become a football player. As a Parade All-American at Massillon High School and Ohio State, and throughout his 10-year NFL career, Spielman’s life was defined by football and the hits he delivered on the field. But the hardest hit of his life, however, came when his high school sweetheart and wife Stefanie Spielman was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 at the age of 30. The focus of his life shifted from the field to off it, and to the biggest challenge he would ever encounter.

NFL Network’s Emmy-nominated series A Football Life continues Wednesday, October 31 at 8:00 PM ET with a profile of Spielman, chronicling his celebrated playing career and his roles as a father of four, college football analyst, inspirational speaker and advocate of cancer awareness. The one-hour documentary features exclusive interviews with Spielman, family members, friends and former teammates, providing an emotional, comprehensive and compelling look at the football player, husband and father.

Read more

NFL Network’s ‘A Football Life’ Explores Life & Legacy of Eddie DeBartolo Wednesday, October 24 at 8:00 PM ET

“The greatest owner in professional sports history is Eddie DeBartolo” – Ronnie Lott

“Owning a football team is the dream of every red-blooded American”  – Eddie DeBartolo

Emmy-Nominated Series Continues Wednesday, October 24 at 8:00 PM ET

Features Interviews with Family Members & Former Players of the Five Time Super Bowl Winning Owner

A 30-year-old Youngstown, Ohio native was the least likely individual to turn the San Francisco 49ers into a model franchise of the National Football League. However, that is what Eddie DeBartolo achieved, winning five Super Bowls with two different coaches and two different quarterbacks during his 23 years as owner of the 49ers, a period of success matched by few other professional sport organizations. 

Airing Wednesday, October 24 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network, Eddie DeBartolo: A Football Life chronicles the career of one of the youngest owners in NFL history beginning in 1977 and through his 2009 induction as the first member of the 49ers Hall of Fame. Eddie DeBartolo: A Football Life showcases the undying loyalty of DeBartolo’s players, which he earned through his dedication to the organization.

Read more

NFL Network’s ‘A Football Life’ Explores Life & Legacy of the Late Steve McNair Wednesday, October 17 at 8:00 PM ET

Emmy-Nominated Series Continues Wednesday, October 17 at 8:00 PM ET

Features Interviews with Family Members & Former Teammates of the MVP

“Nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes, and a mistake cost him his life.” – Lucille McNair

Throughout his 13-year NFL career, Steve McNair was defined by his toughness and his ability to lead. The latest installment of NFL Network’s Emmy-nominated series A Football Life examines the life and legacy of the quarterback who tragically lost his life at the age of 36, told through the words of his family, friends and former teammates.

Airing Wednesday, October 17 at 8:00 PM ET, Steve McNair: A Football Life chronicles the life of the quarterback who electrified NFL fans in Houston, Tennessee and Baltimore with his play on the field, yet lived a subdued life off it. 

Read more

NFL Network’s ‘A Football Life’ Examines Los Angeles Rams’ ‘Fearsome Foursome’ Wednesday, October 10 at 8:00 PM ET

The Most Dominant Defensive Line in NFL History Profiled on Wednesday, October 10 at 8:00 PM ET

Narrated by Jennifer Allen, Daughter of Former Rams Head Coach George Allen

“We were perfect together. A perfect marriage.” – Deacon Jones

In the mid-1960s, the Los Angeles Rams were anchored by “the Fearsome Foursome,” the most feared and famous defensive line in NFL history. On the football field, Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier and Lamar Lundy were an unstoppable force, terrorizing opposing quarterbacks and offenses. Yet it was the unbreakable bond off the field that connected the four men long after their playing careers were over.

NFL Network’s Emmy-nominated series A Football Life continues Wednesday, October 10 at 8:00 PM ET with a look at the life and times of the Los Angeles Rams’ stout defensive line, collectively known as “the Fearsome Foursome.”

Read more

Story of 1995 Cleveland Browns Detailed on NFL Network’s ‘Cleveland ’95: A Football Life’

Emmy-Nominated Series Continues Wednesday, October 3 at 8:00 PM ET

Former Browns Personnel Bill Belichick, Ozzie Newsome, Michael Lombardi, Nick Saban, Scott Pioli Interviewed 

“Those years in Cleveland, those teams, those people impacted the NFL. It impacted a lot of football.” – Scott Pioli

On December 17, 1995, the Cleveland Browns played their final game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium before relocating to Baltimore. The latest installment of NFL Network’s Emmy-nominated series A Football Life chronicles the Browns’ final season in Cleveland under head coach Bill Belichick, looks at the immediate impact the relocation had on both the city and the organization, and discovers the roots of a football lineage seeded during that time which has reverberated throughout the football world in the 21st century.

Airing Wednesday, October 3 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network, Cleveland ’95: A Football Life details the coaching staff and front office executives who took what they learned during their five years under Belichick and applied it throughout their football careers. From current NFL general managers Ozzie Newsome, Scott Pioli, Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Tannenbaum, to three-time national championship head coach Nick Saban, to former NFL head coach Eric Mangini and current Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, the Cleveland Browns under Belichick consisted of football’s next generation of leaders who continue to impact the game today.

Read more

NFL Films President Steve Sabol Dies at Age 69

NFL Films President Steve Sabol, for five decades the creative force behind the unique brand of storytelling and cinematography that brought America closer to the game of football, died today at the age of 69 after an 18-month battle with brain cancer.

“Steve Sabol was the creative genius behind the remarkable work of NFL Films,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Steve’s passion for football was matched by his incredible talent and energy. Steve’s legacy will be part of the NFL forever. He was a major contributor to the success of the NFL, a man who changed the way we look at football and sports, and a great friend.”

###

For Steve Sabol’s final bio, click here.

For the obituary which will air on NFL Network, click here.

For a chronology of NFL Films, click here.

NFL Network’s ‘A Football Life’ Continues with Full-Season Wiring of Ray Lewis Wednesday, September 19 at 8:00 PM ET

Ravens Linebacker First Player to Wear Wireless Microphone for Entire Season

“The game will fade one day. I realize that success is one thing; impact is another. I live to impact people.” – Lewis

As a Super Bowl-winning linebacker and 17-year NFL veteran, Ray Lewis has had an indelible impact on the football field. Yet, the legacy Lewis continues to leave stretches far beyond what happens on Sundays, extending to his teammates, his family, the community of Baltimore and thousands of football fans across the country.

Lewis’ impactful life is detailed and explored in the NFL Films produced Ray Lewis: A Football Life, which premieres Wednesday, September 19 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network. Following in the footsteps of last year’s critically-acclaimed Bill Belichick: A Football Life, Lewis became the first player in NFL history to wear a wireless microphone in every game for an entire season.

Read more

‘The Faces of Tebow’ Kicks off New Season of ‘A Football Life’ Wednesday, September 12 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network

Quarterbacks Joe Namath, Roger Staubach, Steve Young, Doug Flutie & Kordell Stewart Examine Various Aspects of Jets QB Tim Tebow

“When you don’t fit the mold, it messes with their heads.” – Flutie

Emmy-Nominated Series Returns with Expanded 13-Episode Season

Tim Tebow is a football phenomenon. A Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and two-time national champion at the University of Florida, Tebow was a well-known commodity even before he was selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Yet when Tebow became the starting quarterback for the Broncos in 2011, engineering a run in which Denver won seven of eight games and claimed an AFC West division title with an unconventional playing style and several last-minute heroics, he became otherworldly.

On Wednesday, September 12 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network, the NFL Films-produced series A Football Life returns with a profile on Tebow as told by former quarterbacks who embody different aspects of his life on and off the field. Titled The Faces of Tebow: A Football Life, legendary quarterbacks Joe Namath, Roger Staubach, Steve Young, Doug Flutie and Kordell Stewart examine what makes the backup quarterback for the New York Jets so unique, and how each sees a little bit of themselves every time they watch Tebow play.

Featuring sitdown interviews with each quarterback legend, on-field sights and sounds from games and practices, and footage from various media appearances by Tebow, Namath, Staubach, Young, Flutie and Stewart, The Faces of Tebow offers a look at the person on and off the field who has captured the attention of the NFL and today’s society.

Read more

Emmy-Nominated Series ‘A Football Life’ Returns Wednesday, September 12 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network

‘The Faces of Tebow’ Kicks off 13-Episode Season Airing This Fall on Wednesday Nights at 8:00 PM ET

Ray Lewis, Jimmy Johnson, Steve McNair, Tom Coughlin & Marcus Allen Among Iconic Figures Examined

The Emmy-nominated documentary series A Football Life produced by NFL Films returns for a second season Wednesday, September 12 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network. Airing on Wednesday nights throughout the fall, the 13-episode season examines the iconic individuals and subjects that have had an undeniable and profound impact on the history of the National Football League, offering an inside look into their untold stories.

Beginning on September 12 with a unique profile on the immensely popular backup quarterback for the New York Jets, Tim Tebow, A Football Life focuses on the life and career of provocative subjects intertwined in the fabric of NFL history. On September 19, Ray Lewis: A Football Life chronicles the Baltimore Ravens linebacker’s life on and off the football field, providing an unprecedented look into the life of an NFL player. Following in the footsteps of last year’s critically-acclaimed Bill Belichick: A Football Life, Lewis became the first player in NFL history to wear a wireless microphone in every game for an entire season.

Additional subjects profiled this season include:

• Super Bowl-winning head coaches Tom Coughlin & Jimmy Johnson
• Late Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair
• Hall of Fame running backs Marcus Allen & Barry Sanders
• Former owner of the San Francisco 49ers Eddie DeBartolo, Jr.
• Pro Bowl linebacker Chris Spielman
• The Los Angeles Rams’ Fearsome Foursome
• A celebration of “The Immaculate Reception” on its 40th anniversary
• The untold legacy of the 1995 Cleveland Browns

Emmy-nominated actor from CBS’ The Good Wife, Josh Charles, returns as narrator for the series.

Please click on the following link to view the trailer for this season of A Football Life:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0ap2000000055575/A-Football-Life-Sneak-peek

Below is the September and October broadcast schedule for A Football Life, airing on Wednesday nights at 8:00 PM ET:

• September 12 – Tim Tebow
• September 19 – Ray Lewis
• September 26 – Tom Coughlin
• October 3 – Cleveland ‘95
• October 10 – Fearsome Foursome
• October 17 – Steve McNair
• October 24 – Eddie DeBartolo
• October 31 – Chris Spielman

The eight-episode debut season of A Football Life – which earned an Emmy Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Edited Sports Series/Anthology – examined the following prominent and influential individuals: New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick; late Philadelphia Eagles teammates Reggie White and Jerome Brown; Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton and Hall of Fame head coach Mike Ditka; former Super Bowl MVP and current NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner; NFL Films founder Ed Sabol; Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landry; and the late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis.

Every episode of A Football Life and all NFL Network programming is streamed live on NFL Mobile from Verizon, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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.

– NFL MEDIA –

“America’s Game: 2011 New York Giants” debuts exclusively on NFL Network, Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 10 PM ET

Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Victor Cruz & Head Coach Tom Coughlin Recount Winning Franchise’s Fourth Lombardi Trophy

“It probably changes the way I’m viewed. I don’t think it changes the way I view myself.” – Manning on winning second Super Bowl MVP

“I literally sat in the dark for the whole evening. I didn’t talk to anybody.” – Coughlin on 2010 Week 15 loss to Eagles

Emmy Award-Winning Actor Alec Baldwin Narrates

Coughlin’s Preseason Message Rings True 

Which moment does head coach Tom Coughlin believe was the defining moment of the year? What did quarterback Eli Manning do with wide receiver Victor Cruz during the offseason that carried over to the regular season? Find out the answers to these questions and re-live the 2011 season through the words of Coughlin, Manning, Cruz and defensive end Justin Tuck in the latest installment of the NFL Films-produced, Emmy Award-winning series, America’s Game: 2011 New York Giants exclusively on NFL Network.

America’s Game: 2011 New York Giants debuts on Tuesday, September 4 at 10:00 PM ET, one night before the Giants kick off the 2012 regular season at home against the division rival Dallas Cowboys. Featuring exclusive video and sound of the Giants during team meetings, games and inside the locker room, including footage from Coughlin’s speech to the team the night before Super Bowl XLVI, America’s Game offers an all-access look at the Super Bowl champions.

Emmy Award-winning actor of NBC’s 30 Rock, Alec Baldwin lends his voice to this year’s edition.

In the hour-long special, Manning, Coughlin, Tuck and Cruz recount the 2011 season in their own words. In 2009, the Giants lost eight of their last 11 games and failed to make it to the playoffs. In 2010, the Giants allowed 28 unanswered points in the final 7:18 at home against Philadelphia, losing the game and allowing the Eagles to claim possession of first place in the NFC East. Prior to the 2011 season, Coughlin delivered a simple message: “Finish, finish, finish.” After losing four consecutive games, the Giants won three of their final four games to win the NFC East and entered the postseason with a 9-7 record. Four victories later, the Giants finished the season as Super Bowl XLVI champions.

America’s Game,an Emmy Award-winning series, delves deep into the story behind the making of Super Bowl champions. Each episode is a 60-minute documentary in high definition, featuring key members of the winning team telling behind-the-scenes accounts from their championship season. With the signature NFL Films footage, combined with news clips and photos, highlights from team radio broadcasts, inside looks from team meeting rooms, sideline audio and other exclusive features, America’s Game provides an epic and intimate portrait of championship teams.

Below is a sampling of what’s notable and quotable from America’s Game: 2011 New York Giants:
Read more