Quarterbacks TOM BRADY of the New England Patriots, JAY CUTLER of the Chicago Bears and PHILIP RIVERS of the San Diego are the finalists for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week honors for games played on December 25 - 28, while running backs JEROME HARRISON of the Cleveland Browns, JONATHAN STEWART of the Carolina Panthers and CADILLAC WILLIAMS of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the finalists for the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week, the NFL announced today.
Fans can vote for one player in each category on NFL.com/FedEx from 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday through noon EST on Friday to determine the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week. The winners will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com.
Fans will be voting for more than their favorite player. As part of the Air & Ground program, FedEx continues its support of Safe Kids USA - a national non-profit organization that works to prevent accidental injury among children - by making weekly $1,000 donations in the winning players' names. The funding, allocated to local Safe Kids coalitions in that team's city, is used for pedestrian safety improvements throughout the year, from upgraded crosswalks and street signage to traffic barriers and educational training.
For a second season, fans can tune into the "FedEx Air & Ground Lowdown" posted exclusively on NFL.com/FedEx starting Wednesday mornings. The show examines the nominees in the Air & Ground categories through exclusive video highlights and expert analysis. NFL Network's RICH EISEN and MARSHALL FAULK host the weekly five-minute show.
A closer look at the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week finalists:
- New England's TOM BRADY threw four touchdowns completing 23 of 26 passes for 267 yards in the Patriots' 35 - 7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Chicago's JAY CUTLER completed 20 of 35 passes for 273 yards, four touchdowns and an interception against the Vikings on Monday Night Football. Cutler's 39-yard touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu in overtime lifted the Bears to a 36-30 win.
- San Diego's PHILIP RIVERS completed 21 of 27 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers' 42 - 17 win over the Tennessee Titans on NFL Network.
A closer look at the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week finalists:
- Cleveland's JEROME HARRISON rushed 39 times for 148 yards and one touchdown in the Browns' 23 - 9 win over the Oakland Raiders.
- Carolina's JONATHAN STEWART rushed for 206 yards and one touchdown over 28 carries in the Panthers' 41 - 9 win over the New York Giants.
- Tampa Bay's CADILLAC WILLIAMS rushed 24 times for 129 yards and one touchdown in the Buccaneers' 20 - 17 win in overtime over the New Orleans Saints.
As the Official Delivery Service Sponsor of the NFL, Super Bowl and Pro Bowl, FedEx understands the need for a winning game plan, and created the Air & Ground program to highlight superior on-field performance while delivering safe kids off the field. Because FedEx has thousands of delivery trucks out on the roads each day, the company is committed to funding pedestrian safety improvements through its 10-year partnership with Safe Kids USA.
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