“NFL Honors” ceremony awards NFL’s best

Alec Baldwin (provided he’s not kicked off of his flight) hosts NFL Honors, a new awards show saluting the best players and plays from the 2011 season, featuring luminaries from football and entertainment at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis. Held the night before Super Bowl XLVI, NBC will air the awards show with a two-hour prime-time special on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 9pm ET.  The NFL and the Associated Press will announce the recipients of their annuals awards during this ceremony, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Press release with more details from the NFL:

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE CELEBRATES SEASON WITH “NFL HONORS” SUPER BOWL EVE

FIRST-EVER 2-HOUR PRIMETIME AWARDS SHOW ON NBC SALUTES TOP PLAYERS & PERFORMANCES FROM 2011 SEASON

ALEC BALDWIN Hosts Show From Murat Theatre in Indianapolis with Performance by LENNY KRAVITZ and Appearances by Hall of Famers JERRY RICE, BARRY SANDERS & STEVE YOUNG

The night before the two top teams kick off Super Bowl XLVI, the National Football League will salute its best players and plays from the 2011 season with a star-studded football and entertainment  event – “NFL Honors” – a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on February 4, 9-11 p.m. (ET)  on NBC.

Current and former players such as JERRY RICE, BARRY SANDERS, DEION SANDERS, SHANNON SHARPE &STEVE YOUNG will be in attendance as the NFL and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS announce their annual accolades in an awards show format for the first time. “NFL Honors” will become an annual event from the Super Bowl city.  The winners will be on hand to accept their awards.

ALEC BALDWIN will host the show from the Murat Theater in Indianapolis. The show will feature a live performance fromLENNY KRAVITZ.

Kicking off the night will be a red carpet show on NFL Network from 8 – 9 p.m. (ET) featuring the sights and sounds of Super Bowl week and many of the stars that will be celebrating the best of the NFL later that evening.

Among the awards that will be announced will be the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.

Seven of the awards will be from the AP. Those awards, which include AP Most Valuable Player and AP Coach of the Year, are voted on at the end of the regular NFL season by a nationwide media panel of 50 people who regularly cover the league. The ballots are tabulated solely by the AP.

The AP is providing the list of honorees to the NFL for the program, and any advertising or sponsorship on the broadcast is being handled separately and independently by the NFL.

The full list of awards that will be presented will be:
AP Most Valuable Player
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
AP Coach of the Year presented by XFINITY, only from Comcast
AP Comeback Player of the Year presented by Van Heusen
AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by Castrol
AP Defensive Player of the Year
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year presented by Pepsi Max
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year presented by Pepsi Max
Pepsi Rookie of the Year
Fantastic Finish of the Year
NFL .com Fantasy Player of the Year presented by Papa John’s
Play of the Year presented by Bridgestone
Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award presented by Prilosec OTC
Salute To Service Award Presented by USAA
Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award

Top-Tier Sponsors of “NFL Honors” include Pepsi, Castrol, Van Heusen and Disney’s “The Avengers” and “John Carter”.

Associate Sponsors include USAA, Prilosec, Vicks, Bridgestone, Papa John’s and XFINITY, from Comcast.

“NFL Honors” is an NFL Network production in association with Dick Clark Productions.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.