Flag football: It’s a game for girls, too

MAGAZINEOCTOBER 2011ISSUE #20

Want to be a quarterback?

Aaron Rodgers is a great example to follow

Flag football: It’s a game for girls, too

KIDS

http://www.riddell.com

USA Football Magazine 3

Hard work, perseverance got Percy Harvin to the topPAGE 11

Quick tips: pass blocking in the backfieldPAGE 12

Football helps victims of Texas wildfires overcome tragedyPAGE 13

Las Vegas girl has no problem playing with the boys PAGE 15

NFL FLAG powered by USA Football regional tournaments

under wayPAGE 16

Improve your speed during the

offseasonPAGE 18

Fueling up for the fall doesn’t have to

weigh you downPAGE 19

High school students introduced to officiatingPAGE 20

Find a USA Football Regional Manager near youPAGE 17

Picture pagePAGE 23

Puzzle PagePAGE 24

CONTENTSISSUE 20 OCT 2011

Kickoffwith USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck PAGE 4

FEATURES Packers QB Aaron Rodgers offers advice to young signal-callersPAGE 6

How the Pros Do It: Covering man-to-manPAGE 8

Eagles wideout DeSean Jackson was small for his age growing upPAGE 9

Percy Harvin

NFL FLAG powered by USA Football

4 USA Football Magazine

Dear players,

I hope that this season has been a fun and memorable one for you and your family. Little else seems to make weeks on the calendar move by faster than a football schedule.

By competing in games, you likely encountered peaks of accomplishment and valleys of second-guessing. However, through it all, you contributed to America’s football community – a community bound together by the game’s fun, excitement and values.

Wearing smiles and looks of determination, exchanging handshakes and a spirit of sportsmanship with your opponents after a game or the pat on the back from your coach following a successful play are all part of what makes football our favorite sport.

Whether your season is still under way or complete, it is always a good time to read, talk and learn about our game. And that’s precisely what your USA Football Kids Magazine issue does in the pages to follow.

This issue covers more than one dozen stories filled with football insight, including:

● Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers talking about the quarterback position;

● Words from the mom of Philadelphia Eagles standout WR DeSean Jackson;

● News about NFL FLAG powered by USA Football Regional Tournaments taking place across the United States through December;

● Training tips on how to increase your speed in preparation for the 2012 season.

If you are a USA Football Player Member, fuel your football knowledge throughout the year with exciting resources made just for you, including a Drills Library with computer animation to sharpen your skills, the latest in player health and fitness, your own myPLAYERS web page with fun social networking and information most important to you and more. And if you’re not a member, check us out at usafootball.com – what you find there will make you a better player.

If your season is over, congratulations on a terrific year. And if you’re still playing, best of luck through your final snap.

Sincerely,

Scott HallenbeckUSA Football Executive Director

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SCOTT HALLENBECK

USA FOOTBALL EDITORIAL STAFF

Managing Editor: JOE FROLLO

Contributors: STEVE ALIC, BLAKE FOLDEN,

WILL FRASURE, MARY KAMINSKI, RETT LARSON, JOSH WEINFUSS

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6 USA Football Magazine

Aaron Rodgers: Success is years in the makingBy Joe Frollo

Some NFL quarterbacks make it look so easy. Take the snap, drop back, look off one

receiver and throw to another. The pass is right on target, avoiding a defender’s arms and hitting the receiver in stride to get extra yards.

Ask any quarterback, though, and they will tell you it’s not easy. It never is. Years of practice and repetition combined with countless hours of film study is the difference between a talented QB and a great one. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers earned the ultimate prize in February, when he led his team to a Super

Bowl championship and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

He also was named USA Football’s All-Fundamentals Team quarterback last season.

Rodgers’ road to the Super Bowl didn’t start in 2005 when he was drafted or even during his years at the University of California.

He grew up playing football, getting better every fall thanks to the help of his family and the numerous youth coaches who guided him along the way.

Rodgers recently spoke with USA Football Kids Magazine, sharing insights to help young quarterbacks learning the position and giving an

inside look at how he prepares to play every Sunday.

What fundamentals are most important to work on as a young QB?The fundamentals that are most important are balance and timing. Everyone throws a little bit differently, everyone holds the ball a little bit differently, and whatever works for you is the most important thing.

When it comes to balance and timing, when you’re throwing the football, that is how you’re going to be accurate.

The better your timing is with getting your feet in the right position

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– getting your hips in the right position, getting your shoulders in the right position, the ball being in the right position – the timing of all that, the mechanism of throwing paired with your balance, the more accurate you’ll be and the better a quarterback you’re going to be.

Do you have a routine on game day to mentally prepare?I like to listen to a selected playlist

of songs that puts me in the right mood. It’s usually very soft, calming guitar, just very melodic acoustic rock. Other than that, I like to get to the stadium about three hours early – that’s after I call my grandparents who live in California, which I do before every game.

Hot tub, shower and then get into my game day routine of going onto the field two hours early, dress and then into the regular routine.

What do you eat on game day mornings?I don’t like eating a whole lot on game day. It’s kind of something I’ve done my entire sporting career.

But I do enjoy something simple like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if they’re available.

What advice do you have for young quarterbacks who are just starting out?Play a number of sports. All of the sports correlate in some way. They all have a relation to each other.

A good quarterback can learn a lot by being a point guard on the basketball court; a pitcher, a shortstop, a center fielder in baseball; or a goalie in soccer. Too many kids specialize in just one sport, and I was in three sports all the way up until high school. The more sports you play, the more you learn about competition and the better you’ll be at those individual sports once you decide to focus on one.

USA Football Magazine 7

8 USA Football Magazine

By Will Frasure

A lockdown cornerback takes pride in his work.

It’s his job to stop receivers from making catches, to make offensive coordinators want to avoid him.

The ability doesn’t come naturally, and preparation is key. It takes work on the practice field and in the film room to be the best.

“I watch how the ball is delivered (on film). I watch when the receiver gets in and out of his breaks,” said Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, a 10-time Pro Bowler and member of the 2010 USA Football All-Fundamentals Team.

“When I was younger, I didn’t look at enough film. Now, I watch more of it and notice a lot more things. I think that comes with learning how to watch it.”

Jacksonville’s Rashean Mathis wants to know receivers – from speed to route-running to toughness. On Sundays, he implements what he saw on film.

“When I’m at the line, if I’m pressed, I’m concentrating on getting my hands on the receiver,” Mathis said.

“If I’m ‘off,’ then I’m staying down in my backpedal and pacing myself, because I know if I’m in a good place then I have a great chance of getting my hands on the ball.”

USA Football’s Player Progression Development Model offers numerous drills to help young corners guard receivers, including ones to improve route-reading and bump coverage.

Buffalo’s Terrence McGee takes note of the quarterback’s steps to read the play. By looking at a QB’s feet, McGee can see if it’s a quick

pass and break or if he needs to start backpedaling and focus on the receiver.

For Pittsburgh’s Ike Taylor, it’s about details.

“Is he coming out with a pep in his step for a pass or is he jogging because it’s a run?” Taylor said.

“That’s what my coaches tell me: ‘Look at the little things,’ and you’d be surprised what you find.”

How the Pros Do it: Man-to-man coverage

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey is one of the best in the NFL at separating players from the ball.

“That’s what my coaches tell me: ‘Look at the little things,’ and you’d be surprised what you find.”– Ike Taylor

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DeSean Jackson grew up as the little guy. Whether alongside his father, his

older brother or friends from the neighborhood, Jackson looked up to bigger, taller people.

At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Jackson still isn’t the biggest player on the football field for the Philadelphia Eagles. His heart, his energy and his speed, though, help make him one of the top young wide receivers in the NFL.

DeSean’s mother, Gayle Jackson, has watched her son grow on and off the football field. She remembers an energetic, eager child who loved sports and his family. Gayle recently talked to USA Football Kids Magazine about what DeSean was like as a child.

ON SPORTS: DeSean played “anything with a ball,” his mother said, especially football, basketball, baseball. With his speed, he also was a natural at track and field.

“Anything you told him to do, he did it fast,” Gayle said.

“He was always playing something somewhere. It seemed he never had a week off.”

ON SCHOOL: DeSean’s favorite subjects were science and math. He liked studying about animals the most.

DeSean was antsy growing up and had a hard time sitting still at school, his mother said.

“As a kid, he had boundless energy. He wasn’t being mischievous. He just needed a place to channel that energy. His father found that place in sports.”

ON HEIGHT: Always short for his age, DeSean

constantly had to prove himself to new coaches. It didn’t take them long, though, to see his talent.

“People doubted him because he was so small,” Gayle said. “At 15, he still weighed just 130 pounds. And he played a lot (of pickup games) with his older brother,

so it made him look even smaller.”

ON FOOD: Mexican food was DeSean’s favorite. Soul food, too. The Jacksons didn’t eat out much, so DeSean grew up on his mama’s cooking.

“Boy did he like tacos, still does,” Gayle said. “He loves to eat, but he never wanted to do the cooking.”

Eagles receiver was short in stature, big in desireBy Joe Frollo

10 USA Football Magazine

WHEN THEY WERE KIDS: DeSEAN JACKSON

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USA Football Magazine 11

An explosive, dynamic playmaker with the Minnesota Vikings, Percy Harvin knows

there’s no slowing down in the NFL if he wants to enjoy success.

A first-round pick out of the University of Florida in 2009, Harvin helped the Gators to win two national championships and is now looking to lead the Vikings to their first Super Bowl crown. As a player capable of scoring a touchdown every time he touches the ball, opposing defenses have to account for him every time he lines up.

With 131 catches for 1,658 yards (12.7 average) through his first two full seasons, Harvin has scored 15 total touchdowns – coming on runs and returns as well as catches.

A spokesman for USA Football partner Shock Doctor, Harvin recently discussed his career and his life out of football.

How did you get started in football?I started playing flag football as a kid and just gradually moved up from there. My mom was an athlete (track), and I always wanted to be an athlete just like her.

When did you realize you had the potential to be a pro football player?Coming out of high school and going to play in the SEC at Florida was a big step.

Being able to perform on that stage proved to me that I belonged.

A lot of hard work and sacrifice got me to where I am today.

What challenges have you encountered along the way?In football, there are many ups and downs both physically and mentally.

The key is to keep a positive outlook and keep working

towards your goals.

What do you tell young athletes about wearing the proper equipment?In sports, safety is extremely important, and that begins with the proper equipment. There is no substitute

for good equipment.

What advice do you have for young

athletes?It is important to set goals and to

work hard every day to attain them.A good support system is

important as there will be struggles along the way.

Having people close to you to keep you motivated and focused is key.

What are some of the challenges being a NFL player?Many people only see us on Sunday and don’t realize the hard work we put in year round.

Football is a 12-month sport and takes a high level of commitment to keep in shape and study the mental aspects of the game to be able to execute on game day.

Hard work, dedication help Harvin succeedVikings receiver says to keep working toward goals

By Will Frasure

It’s the least glamorous part of being a running back.

When they aren’t in the spotlight breaking long runs, backs play a pivotal role in protecting the quarterback.

Before the play, the back scans the defense for his assignment. Once the ball is snapped, he takes on the blitzing linebacker by stepping up and in with his inside foot and rotating to face the sideline.

His body must be positioned slightly inside the rusher. Now, the running back is engaged in the block. Extending both arms and striking the center of the pass rusher’s chest will heed the progress of the linebacker.

This can be done effectively if he aims one of his palms at the chest and the other on the outside of the shoulder pad. While re-setting the strikes, he slides in the direction of the rusher. Based on how the

linebacker is rushing, the back must push him either away or past the quarterback. If his work is complete, his quarterback should have the time to complete his pass. It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done.

Quick tips: Pass blocking as a running back

12 USA Football Magazine

It was as close to the backyard dream as a boy can get

Two touchdowns. Team wins the game. But add in that it was William

Pahlow’s first two touchdowns of his football career and the win was the Cedar Creek Eagles juniors’ first since 2009.

And if that wasn’t enough, it all happened in the first game after the Cedar Creek and Bastrop youth football leagues were interrupted in September because of a raging wildfire that destroyed more than 1,650 homes and 34,000 acres in Central Texas.

“It felt good winning, but making the touchdowns felt even better after everything I went through,” Pahlow said. Pahlow might as well have just won the Super Bowl.

William, 11, and his brother, Zachary, 9, were among hundreds

of young football players affected by the wildfires, which started Sept. 4 when dead trees fell on a power line and ignited sparks.

Football practices and games were canceled the week after, and teams were finally allowed to play again on Sept. 17. Most families were given less than a couple of

hours to collect their most important personal belongings.

While parents collected photos and clothing, children ran for their school bags and their football equipment.

“That’s the first thing my kids grabbed,” said Jerome Ramirez, president of the Bastrop Youth Football Organization.

Many players lost their cleats and pants to the fires, but thanks to the generosity of friends, family and neighboring youth football leagues, those were replaced

in time for the games to get under way.

Both leagues lost coolers, tables, footballs and flags, among other equipment.

But donations poured in to help teams and families.

“There’s been an overwhelming amount of support,” said Jessica Brown, president of the Cedar Creek Eagles Youth Football League.

USA Football Magazine 13

Texas wildfires destroy homes, not spiritsPlayers rush to save equipment before fleeing towns

By Josh Weinfuss

Click here to read more about how Texas football families overcame wildfires

Zach (left) and William Pahlow

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USA Football Magazine 15

Sometimes begging really does work.

When Shestan Lynam was 9 years old, she spent most of her free time playing competitive soccer and watching her brothers play football.

But watching wasn’t enough.

She wanted to play football, too.

It took Shestan a while, however, to convince her father, Andy, to let her join the boys.

“He always told me, ‘Stick to soccer, stick to soccer,’” Shestan said.

“And one year I begged him so much, he let me play.

“It just looked like so much fun, just being out there, being competitive, playing sports, throwing the ball around. It caught my eye.”

At 13, Shestan has become a veteran of the Las Vegas flag football circuit.

She played with boys until she was 11, a stretch that included a regional championship with the WASUP Flag Football League, located near Las Vegas, in 2009 and a berth in the NFL FLAG national championships in Florida.

Shestan was the secret weapon that season – because she was a girl. Boys didn’t want to cover her, so she was often left wide open.

“Nobody gave her any respect, and you could throw it to her, and she always caught it,” Andy said.

This year, she’s playing for the Steelers in the girls 12-14 age group of the Henderson Flag Football League but will be playing in the Arizona regional for the WASUP Cardinals.

Shestan is multi-dimensional, playing quarterback and wide receiver on offense, on the line and safety on defense. She briefly

entertained the idea of playing tackle football,

but she’s happy playing flag

football, and even happier when a boy questions her

talent.“They ask ’You

play football? But you’re a girl,’”

Shestan said. “I say, ‘Yeah, I know.

We can do it, too.’ I guess it’s just another unique thing.

“It makes me feel good, especially when I

play with boys. They underestimate you. After a few times, they

think, ‘Oh, we should pick up the girl.’”

Football is not just a boy thingBy Josh Weinfuss

Shestan Lynam of Henderson, Nev., likes playing football against boys.

They often underestimate her talent, leading to some early scoring

opportunities and a newfound respect for girls in the sport.

“They underestimate you. After a few times, they think, ‘Oh, we should pick up the girl.’”

– Shestan Lynam

By Joe Frollo

As youth football leagues across the nation are wrapping up their seasons, flag football

competitions are just starting to heat up.

NFL FLAG powered by USA Football is hosting regional tournaments in eight cities for the chance to compete in the National Tournament of Champions on Feb. 24 in Kissimmee, Fla. Boys and girls in Phoenix, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Houston, New Orleans, Oakland and Connecticut

join winners from Dallas – a tournament held in September – for the chance to have fun, exercise, compete and possibly call themselves national champions.

NFL FLAG powered by USA Football promotes physical fitness and teaches the sport’s values and life skills on and off the field to more than 150,000 young people.

A non-contact version of traditional football offered for boys

and girls ages 5-17 in cities

across the country, the program emphasizes safety,

teamwork, self-esteem, discipline and goal-setting.

NFL FLAG tournaments offer fun, competition

16 USA Football Magazine

GIVING IT YOUR ALL ON THE FIELD

We’re committed to helping student athletes become stronger and more determined achievers. That’s why PNC is proud to be the official bank of USA Football.

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To learn more about NFL FLAG powered by USA Football, visit

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NFL FLAG regional sitesDallas (held Sept. 24)

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USA FOOTBALL REGIONAL MANAGERSAmerica’s favorite sport is powered by you – dedicated youth league commissioners, coaches, game officials, players, parents and volunteers. For each of you, there is a face and name to place in your football Rolodex: your USA Football Regional Manager.

USA Football regional managers are equipped and trained to work for you. Each has the experience needed to help you make your league or team even stronger with USA Football resources.

Contact your USA Football regional manager to learn about League affiliation, the nearest USA Football Coaching School, Player Academy or State Leadership Forum. Stay in touch with your regional manager, whether it is to share news about your league or team or to ask about member resources. You may also contact our office – through usafootball.com or by phone at (877) 5-FOOTBALL. Let us know how we can serve you better. Together, we’ll ensure that teamwork and leadership continue to serve as the laces binding our favorite game.

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USA Football Magazine 17

Speed rules the gridiron, and how players train during the offseason can help give them

extra quickness once the season starts. The key is to train three crucial areas: leg power, lower body quickness and core control.

Most of the power used to drive off the line comes from the glutes, so players need to use an exercise that targets them. The single-leg box squat is great because it works each leg individually, which prevents muscle imbalances. Stand in front of a chair and sit the hips back until you feel your butt hit the seat, then

stand back up. The key is to keep the weight in the heel with the back flat and see how low a chair you can squat into and successfully get back up. Do five sets of five on each leg.

For lower body quickness, use single-footed jump rope. Do these on two feet or without the rope if need be. Concentrate on getting your heel off the ground as quickly as possible by pretending there is a nail under it. Do five sets of 30 jumps on each foot.

Kneeling arm-action drills will help make sure the upper body is helping the legs fly down the field during sprints. It is essential to attempt to

move the hands as fast as possible – from pocket to chin – without letting the movement affect your torso. Ideally, the individual will look like a statue from the neck down, so keep the abdominal muscles really tight. Do 10 sets of five-second all-out bursts.

Rett Larson is the director of coaching at Velocity Sports Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. He also is a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Community and serves as USA Football’s expert in sports performance training.

Offseason speed training you can do at home

18 USA Football Magazine

By Rett Larson

By Kim Schwabenbauer

Speed, agility and power are essential in football. Athletes know this.

Players also need to understand how proper nutrition and hydration as the weather turns colder can either fuel their team to victory or leave them on the sidelines.

As the temperature drops, it’s easier to forget about staying hydrated before, during and after competition.

Hydration is just as important in cool, fall weather as it is in the heat of summer.

Cold temperatures blunt the body’s thirst mechanism, leaving athletes feeling less thirsty despite significant sweat loss.

No matter the season, athletes need to consume fluids to replace water. When you breathe in cold, dry air, your body warms and humidifies that air. As you exhale, you lose significant amounts of water.

Dehydration can diminish energy and impair performance.

Even a 2 percent loss of body weight through sweat – 3 pounds for a 150-pound player – can put athletes at a disadvantage.

The same rules apply to hydration in the summer and winter.

Drink fluids throughout the day by using water fountains, coolers and cafeteria beverages such as water and milk to stay hydrated. Two to three hours before practice

or a game is a key time to focus on hydration by aiming for at least 16 ounces (2 cups) of fluid and an additional 8 ounces 10 to 20 minutes prior to getting on the field.

If the practice or game lasts more than an hour and includes heavy aerobic activity, sports drinks with sodium and potassium may be necessary to prevent dehydration and cramping.

Likewise, food choices aid or impair performance.

As the weather cools, it may be tempting to eat a large helping of mom’s chicken pot pie with gravy right before the big game.

However, large meals can make your body expend too much energy digesting food and divert blood away from arm and leg muscles.

Foods high in protein and/or fat slow digestion and don’t fuel the muscles with the quick acting carbohydrates needed to produce short bursts of energy.

Big steaks, high-fat sauces and full fat cheeses can cause bloating, stomach pains and other adverse reactions in athletes.

Stick to high-energy carbohydrate-based foods such as breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables along with lean sources of protein before a practice or game.

Athletes should fill two-thirds of their plates with high-

USA Football Magazine 19

How to fuel up for fall

The right foods can give an athlete that extra step that is needed to win.

20 USA Football Magazine

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carbohydrate options. Large meals should be consumed four hours before a practice or game – small meals approximately three hours before you play.

Protein shakes are suitable for two hours prior. Very light snacks, such as a cereal bar, can be eaten less than

an hour before playing to provide the final fuel.

Just like your playbook, make sure all foods before a game day have been tested during practice.

By incorporating these ideas before and during practice, fall athletes can stay hydrated, fueled and ready to

run straight to the goal line.

Kim Schwabenbauer, a nutrition expert and corporate dietitian with Super Bakery as well as a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee, has some valuable advice on the matter.

Menu No. 1 Menu No. 2 Menu No. 3● Ravioli with meat sauce

● Italian bread

● Steamed vegetables

● Salad with lowfat

dressing

● Canned fruit

● Low-fat/nonfat milk

● Ham/veggie sandwich on

whole grain bread

● Fresh fruit salad

● Fig bars

● Sports drink

● Baked chicken

breast

● Rice pilaf

● Steamed

broccoli

● Fruit yogurt

● Fruit juice

Pre-workout meal ideas (from “Foods & Fluid for Team Sports” by Susan Kundrat)

USA Football Magazine 21

Players and coaches get all the attention on a football field, but they are not alone out

there. Officials are needed to enforce the rules.

The Greenfield (Ind.) Youth Football League (GYFL) takes an educational approach to officiating, teaching that it’s never too early to start on a career in stripes.

The league, which serves as a feeder program for Greenfield-Central High School, enlists high school football players to officiate Saturday games, pairing one licensed football official with two high school players on each field.

“Our youth players look up to our high school players,” said Phil Morris, GYFL referee coordinator. “They go to the games on Friday nights, attend the games for free if they wear their jerseys and watch these guys play. Then the guys are out the next day refereeing the youth games.”

The league encourages the high school player-officials to direct the youth players on technique and fundamentals while on the field.

“Part of our league charter is to teach football fundamental and teamwork to youth players,” Morris said.

“These high school players have that foundation, and we encourage them to share it.”

Seniors Matthew Dickerson and Tyler Colclazier, both in their fourth year as player-officials, are benefiting from the experience as well. “It gives us the chance to work

with the youth of our area, but it also allows us to acquire new knowledge of how the game works and the different perspectives that can be given to you from the same sport,” Dickerson said, a wide receiver, running back and defensive back for Greenfield-Central.

Colclazier, who plays quarterback, said it’s rewarding to help young players learn the game.

“They look to us as role models, and we are happy to be able to make an impact on their lives,” Colclazier said.

Friends on and off the field, Dickerson and Colclazier hope to coach one day. For now, they value

officiating, which gives them another way to celebrate their love of the game.

“We are like brothers … Officiating just gives us one more way to work together as a team and to have fun,” Colclazier said.

Dickerson said officiating will help him continue his involvement with football after his playing days are over.

“I now have new doors that are available to me outside of just playing the game whether it be officiating or coaching,” Dickerson said.

“I am sure that somehow I will stay involved with the greatest game ever created.”

The Greenfield (Ind.) Youth Football League mixes high school students with adult referees to train the next generation of officials.

Officiating allows high school players to enjoy football on another levelBy Mary Kaminski

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USA Football Magazine 23

The Golden Empire Northeast Knights in Bakersfield, Calif., is one of 1,772 youth leagues and high schools to receive a 2011 USA Football Equipment Grant.

See your pics in this magazine!Email us your football photos, and we might publish them in USA Football Kids Magazine.

Send a JPEG image to magazine@usafootball.com. We will look through the submissions and post some in the magazine as well as some at www.usafootball.com.

The Whitmore Lake (Mich.) Junior Football third- and fourth-graders wore pink socks during games in October to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Zachary Connell of Higley, Ariz., gives the thumbs up to football.

Keissac Hill helped the Mighty Dolphins Youth Football Club of Miami win the 2011 Under-12 AAU Youth Flag Football national championship in Orlando, Fla.

S A O R W Q L E D F P P S Q P H U P I L F N I O C I L U V C E W P T C E Z O X U H A M B M T M E E D P T S S M S Y B G O V Q I X R B Q U Q L N O Y P T D S C T A B D N A B O F H V C J N W L F A O I W K I F P E M P E L E T L C W A N P S O O N I V C W T R A O L D M I R V F Z O Z J E T W H Q A A G T F D C L M M G L T U T S H Y K J U F M M X I G I P Y Z C U Y A T V O D I S N E Y W O R L D C D C F E U C O V D K U X T A Q Q D J J K E O C E Z B G E A F D

Can you find these words in the grid?superbowlchampionshipplayoffsfootballcoinflip

mvphalftimecommercialstrophydisneyworld

ACROSS3, Only special-teams player to earn MVP honors4, NFL All-time leading rusher was MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII7, Three-time winner for 49ers. His name also is a state.8, Saints QB was a gust of fresh air for New Orleans in Super Bowl XLIV10, Steelers WR and MVP of Super Bowl X was never an ugly duckling11, Long before Aaron Rodgers, he was MVP of Super Bowls I and II

DOWN1, Team of Harvey Martin and Randy White, co-MVPs of Super Bowl XII2, Patriots QB with two MVPs5, This wide receiver made the catch to clinch the Steelers’ win in Super Bowl XLIII6, These brothers won back-to-back MVP honors in Super Bowls XLI and XLII9, Broncos QB who played in five Super Bowls, earning MVP in Super Bowl XXXIII

Match the Super Bowl MVP with the following clues...

24 USA Football Magazine

Answers are on page 25!

1, What team

has played in

four Super Bowls

but has never

led at any point

of a game?

2, The Super

Bowl trophy is

named after

Vince Lombardi.

What team did he

coach?

3, Who are the

four current NFL

teams who have

not played in a

Super Bowl?

4, Where will

Super Bowl XLVI be

played?

5,What city has hosted the most Super Bowls?

6, Who is the only team to go undefeated in the regular

season and win the Super

Bowl?

7, What team

has won the

most Super Bowls without

ever losing one?

Super Bowl trivia

USA Football Magazine 25

Everyone loves a winner – even at NFLShop.com.

After winning Super Bowl XLV, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Mathews had the top two selling jerseys this past offseason.

Losing in the Super Bowl isn’t bad for sales, either. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost, 31-25, but have three of the top eight among jersey sales: safety Troy Polamalu, QB Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver

Hines Ward. Here are the top 10 jerseys being sold at NFLShop.com:

1 Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers2 Clay Matthews, LB, Packers3 Troy Polamalu, S, Steelers4 Michael Vick, QB, Eagles5 Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers6 Tom Brady, QB, Patriots7 Drew Brees, QB, Saints8 Hines Ward, WR, Steelers9 Peyton Manning, QB, Colts10 Tim Tebow, QB, Broncos

USA FOOTBALL’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ray AndersonExecutive V.P. Football Operations

National Football League

Joe BrowneSenior Advisor to the

CommissionerNational Football League

Tom CovePresident and CEOSGMA International

Alexia GallagherDirector, NFL Charities and Youth

Football FundNational Football League

Bob GardnerExecutive Director

National Federation of State High School Associations

Roger GoodellCommissioner

National Football League

Merril HogeNFL Alumnus and ESPN NFL Analyst

Desmond HowardNFL Alumnus and

ESPN College Football Analyst

Mark MeanaChairman

Fairfax County (Va.) Youth Football League

Carl PetersonChairman

USA Football

Grant TeaffExecutive Director

American Football Coaches Association

The shirts on your back

Super Bowl trivia: 1, Minnesota Vikings; 2, Green Bay Packers; 3, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars; 4, Indianapolis; 5, Miami; 6, Miami Dolphins; 7, San Francisco 49ers.

Crossword: Across 3, Howard; 4, Smith; 7, Montana; 8, Brees; 10, Swann; 11, Starr.Down: 1, Cowboys; 2, Brady; 5, Holmes; 6, Manning; 9, Elway.

ANSWERS FROM PUZZLE PAGE

Michael Vick

http://www.spiritcups.com

Marriott® is a proud new sponsor of USA Football.Tournaments, training, tryouts. When your passion for the game means you’ll be hitting the road, we’ve got over 3,400 locations—offering a complete range of hotel experiences—for all of your football travel needs. And whether you’re playing, coaching or cheering for your team, Marriott makes sure every stay is a winning one.

Visit Marriott.com/usafootball or call 877.MARRIOTT to book your stay.

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