SNICKERS® Hungers to Give Leon Lett a Taste of Redemption

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SNICKERS® strives for redemption. Mars Chocolate North America announced today that its SNICKERS® Brand, a proud sponsor of the NFL, has teamed with NFL Films to release a new documentary chronicling former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett's epic blunder that occurred on Thanksgiving Day in 1993.  

The film, titled "The Man Who Played Literally Hungry: Leon Lett and the True Story Behind His Infamous Thanksgiving Blunder" sheds new light on the potential cause of Lett's uncharacteristic play that fateful night, which still haunts him 18 years later.  The film is available at www.nfl.com/snickers.

The blunder occurred during a rare snow and sleet storm In Dallas.  Leading the Miami Dolphins 14-13 with 15 seconds remaining in the game, the Dolphins lined-up for a 41-yard field goal attempt.  The Cowboys blocked the field goal, but while his teammates began to celebrate, Lett attempted to recover the ball, slipped on the ice and allowed Miami to recover the muff on the Dallas one-yard-line.  By touching the ball and then failing to hold onto it, Lett enabled the Dolphins to take possession and try another field goal with three seconds left on the clock, which they subsequently made to win the game.

"I have three rings, but I still wake-up in the middle of the night because of that play," said Lett, who was a two-time Pro Bowler for the Cowboys.  "Miami was 8-2, so Coach kept riding me all week about the need to play hungry.  I thought he meant literally!"

After watching the film, viewers will have the opportunity to "forgive Leon" for playing literally hungry at www.nfl.com/snickers.  If Leon can reach a total of 25,000 "forgives," SNICKERS will honor him on the day of this year's rematch between the Cowboys and Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day.

For more information about "The Man Who Played Literally Hungry: Leon Lett and the True Story Behind His Infamous Thanksgiving Blunder," visit www.nfl.com/snickers.

© 2011 NFL Properties LLC. Team names/logos/indicia are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.

About Mars Chocolate North America:

Mars Chocolate North America is the North American chocolate operations of Mars, Incorporated.  In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar.  In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of  building a business based on the philosophy of a "mutuality of benefits" for all stakeholders – this vision serves as the foundation of the Mars, Incorporated we are today.  Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion and six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience.  More than 65,000 Associates worldwide are putting our Mars Principles in action every day to make a difference for people and the planet through our performance.

Mars brands include: Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Petcare – PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA®, CESAR® and ROYAL CANIN®; Wrigley – ORBIT®, EXTRA®, STARBURST®, DOUBLEMINT® and SKITTLES®; Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience –SERAMIS®, CIRKU™ and COCOAVIA™.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America