Hall of Fame Coach John Madden Kicks Off Voting for Second Annual Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award

NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Football League, Prilosec OTC® and Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach JOHN MADDEN today announced the start of fan voting at www.maddenprotectorsaward.com for the second annual Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award, presented by Prilosec OTC.  The award honors the NFL's best offensive line for the 2010 NFL regular season. Fan voting, which lasts until Friday, January 21, serves as the final piece of the puzzle in determining this season's best protectors in the NFL.  

Throughout the regular season, Coach Madden has been closely tracking the top offensive lines in the NFL, and has narrowed the list to five (5) finalists for the 2010 NFL season: the ATLANTA FALCONS (23 sacks allowed – third fewest in the NFL); the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (averaged 164.2 rushing yards per game – best in the NFL); the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (averaged 32.4 points per game – best in the NFL); the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (33 touchdown passes – tied for second in the NFL); and the NEW YORK GIANTS (tied for fewest sacks allowed – 16).  

These five teams have been selected based on a combination of criteria including offensive line statistics – sacks allowed, rushing and passing yardage, time of possession, O-line penalties, 3rd and 4th down conversion percentages and red zone scoring conversions – plus Madden's own personal observations throughout the season.  Each of the finalists have been recognized at least once this season by Madden as an "O-Line of the Week" for their consistent and reliable protection during the 2010 NFL season.  

Starting today, fans can visit www.maddenprotectorsaward.com for a comprehensive review of each Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award finalist and then cast their votes.  The recipient of this year's Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award presented by Prilosec OTC will be announced on Wednesday, February 2 in North Texas during the week of Super Bowl XLV.  Last year, the offensive line of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints was named the first-ever Madden MVP Award winner.

"I'm excited to once again give this award to the best offensive line of the NFL regular season. I've always said the offensive line does not get enough credit for always providing consistent and powerful protection," said John Madden.  "We saw a lot of talent on the offensive line this year, which made it critical to provide a careful analysis. When it came down to it, these five teams stood out as the best protectors in the league."

As a proud six-year sponsor of the NFL, Prilosec OTC presents the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award to recognize the fundamental role offensive linemen play in their teams' success by providing reliable protection day in and day out, just as Prilosec OTC provides 24-hour frequent heartburn protection while used as directed for 14 days.

NFL fans who want powerful 24-hour protection against frequent heartburn, or heartburn that occurs two or more days a week, can take a 14-day course of Prilosec OTC to maximize game day fun. Fans can go to www.PrilosecOTC.com for more information on the 14-day challenge and to see how two of the league's toughest offensive linemen – Giants' David Diehl and Vikings' Anthony Herrera – protected themselves this season against frequent heartburn.

All player participation will be facilitated by NFL PLAYERS, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.

About PRILOSEC OTC

PRILOSEC OTC® is the #1 physician recommended OTC acid reducer* in the U.S. for the period of April 2009 through March 2010, the #1 Pharmacist recommended OTC Heartburn medicine** and the first of a class of OTC heartburn medicines that treats frequent heartburn with just one pill a day, unlike most over-the-counter heartburn medication. Prilosec OTC® is a leading frequent heartburn medicine that can work for 24 hours with one pill a day by directly shutting down many acid pumps in your stomach when used as directed for 14 days for treating frequent heartburn. PRILOSEC OTC® is the #1 selling OTC heartburn medicine* on the market. For more information about PRILOSEC OTC®, visit www.prilosecotc.com. PRILOSEC OTC® is available over-the-counter through an alliance between P&G and AstraZeneca.

About Procter and Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About NFL PLAYERS

Formed in 1994, NFL PLAYERS is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. Representing more than 1,800 active and many memorable former NFL players, NFL PLAYERS "takes the helmets off" the players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes. Through an exclusive sponsorship agreement between the organization and the NFL, players are integrated into NFL sponsor activation programs. In addition, NFLPLAYERS.COM, the company's official Web site, is part of the NFL Internet Network. Each year, NFL PLAYERS negotiates and facilitates extensive player marketing opportunities for players. NFL PLAYERS activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships and promotions, special events, radio and television projects, publishing and Internet. For more information, please visit NFLPLAYERS.COM.

* Wolters Kluwer: OTC Acid Reducer Category, thru March 2010. Data on file.  

** Based on Pharmacy Times 2010 Survey

SOURCE Procter & Gamble