The TOP 100: Players of 2012 Premieres

SUPER BOWL MVP ELI MANNING MAKES HIS DEBUT – THE TOP 100: PLAYERS OF 2012 PREMIERES SATURDAY, APRIL 28 AT 8:00 PM ET ON NFL NETWORK

Weekly Series Counts Down Top Players in Today’s Game as Voted on by Current NFL Players -- Airs Every Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET Following April 28 Debut

‘The Top 100: Players of 2012 – Reactions’ Follows Each Episode at 9:00 PM ET, Featuring Commentary from NFL Network Analysts, NFL Players & Fans

39 New Players Crack the 2012 List

The votes are in and the players have spoken. For the second year, current NFL players have weighed in to determine the top players in today’s game on the new season of the returning series, The Top 100: Players of 2012 Presented by Buffalo Wild Wings debuting Saturday, April 28 at 8:00 PM ET immediately following NFL Network’s live coverage of the 2012 NFL Draft. After the season debut, the NFL Films-produced series continues at its regular time on Wednesdays at 8:00 PM ET, beginning May 2.

Immediately following each episode LIVE at 9:00 PM ET will be The Top 100: Players of 2012 – Reactions Presented by Buffalo Wild Wings. Host Lindsay Rhodes and a rotating roster of NFL Network analysts and current NFL players discuss and debate the latest group of players to be unveiled from NFL Network’s Los Angeles studios. Fans have the opportunity to join in the debate and voice their own opinions and reactions on Facebook and Twitter, and vote for their own Top 100 on NFL.com/Top100.

After failing to make the Top 100 last year, where does Super Bowl XLVI MVP quarterback Eli Manning debut? Will new Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning make this year’s list? New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was named today to Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” list…will he rank among the NFL’s Top 100? Which player fell more than 80 spots this year from last? The answers to these questions and more will be answered in the 11-part series which counts down from 100 to 1, unveiling 10 players in each one-hour episode. The season-finale unveiling the top 10 is split into two special one-hour episodes on Wednesday, June 27 at 8:00 PM & 9:00 PM ET.

A wide range of current NFL players present each selection and discuss the qualities which makes each player deserving of his ranking.

Tonight at 8:00 PM ET, The Top 100: Players of 2012 Preview Show offers a sneak preview of this year’s list.

In the new Huddle page on NFL.com, fans can discuss The Top 100 list and voice their opinions on whether or not NFL players got it right. Huddle, a Top 100-specifc social media content page, allows viewers to share Top 100 content, and communicate across social media platforms. Additionally, fans can discuss and debate the players revealed during each episode using the hashtag #NFLTop100.

On NFL.com, viewers can vote on each player ranking and whether it should be higher or lower. Voting results from viewers will be revealed starting halfway through the list on Wednesday, May 30. Viewers can also pose questions for NFL Network analysts and player guests by tweeting their questions to @nflnetwork. An on-air social media crawl will display selected questions and the analysts will answer questions in every episode.

Provided below are some facts regarding The Top 100: Players of 2012 list:

·For the first time, all 32 teams are represented with at least one player on the list. Seattle and Buffalo players were not represented in 2011.

·The Top 100: Players of 2012 features 39 new players

·Twenty-three players with a combined 30 Super Bowl rings.

·For the second consecutive year, the University of Miami, Fla. is the most-represented university (9 players).

Provided below are video links to the two promotional spots for The Top 100: Players of 2012:

http://www.lastudios.com/cmrmm/NFLNetwork/QTs/NFL_Top100_2012_Critic_30_Sat_April_28.mov

http://www.lastudios.com/cmrmm/NFLNetwork/QTs/NFLN_Top100_30_033012_Premieres_Sat_April_28.mov

The Top 100: Players of 2012 Episode Schedule

*‘The Top 100: Players of 2012 – Reactions’ immediately follows each episode at 9:00 PM ET*

Preview Show - Wednesday, April 18 - 8:00 PM ET

Episode #1 - Saturday, April 28 - 8:00 PM ET
(100-91) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #2 - Wednesday, May 2 - 8:00 PM ET
(90-81) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #3 - Wednesday, May 9 - 8:00 PM ET
(80-71) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #4 - Wednesday, May 16 - 8:00 PM ET
(70-61) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #5 - Wednesday, May 23 - 8:00 PM ET
(60-51) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Halfway Recap - Tuesday, May 29 - 8:00 PM ET

Episode #6 - Wednesday, May 30 - 8:00 PM ET
(50-41) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #7 - Wednesday, June 6 - 8:00 PM ET
(40-31) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #8 - Wednesday, June 13 - 8:00 PM ET
(30-21) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Episode #9 - Wednesday, June 20 - 8:00 PM ET
(20-11) - 9:00 PM ET – Reactions

Finale Recap - Tuesday, June 26 - 8:00 PM ET

Episode #10 - Wednesday, June 27 - 8:00 PM ET & 9:00 PM ET
(10-1) - 10:00 PM ET – Reactions

Below is The Top 100: Players of 2011 list in its entirety:

100. Donovan McNabb
99. Chad Clifton
98. Darren McFadden
97. Shaun Phillips
96. Nick Collins
95. Jon Beason
94. Frank Gore
93. Eric Berry
92. Lance Briggs
91. Terrell Owens
90. Joe Flacco
89. Adrian Wilson
88. Vernon Davis
87. Jordan Gross
86. Josh Freeman
85. Jason Babin
84. Josh Cribbs
83. Mike Williams
82. LaMarr Woodley
81. B.J. Raji
80. Jared Allen
79. D’Brickashaw Ferguson
78. Dallas Clark
77. Chris Snee
76. Santonio Holmes
75. Jay Ratliff
74. Greg Jennings
73. Trent Cole
72. Tony Romo
71. Mario Williams
70. Miles Austin
69. John Abraham
68. Antrel Rolle
67. Brian Waters
66. Richard Seymour
65. Vonta Leach
64. Tamba Hali
63. Cameron Wake
62. Jerod Mayo
61. Brandon Marshall
60. Justin Tuck
59. Jeff Saturday
58. Brandon Lloyd
57. Andre Gurode
56. Ray Rice
55. Carl Nicks
54. Asante Samuel
53. Marques Colston
52. Matt Ryan
51. Ndamukong Suh
50. Wes Welker
49. Brian Urlacher
48. Champ Bailey
47. Nick Mangold
46. Tony Gonzalez
45. Dwayne Bowe
44. Robert Mathis
43. Joe Thomas
42. Michael Turner
41. Ben Roethlisberger
40. Terrell Suggs
39. Logan Mankins
38. Steven Jackson
37. Jonathan Vilma
36. Jason Witten
35. Vince Wilfork
34. Jahri Evans
33. Jamaal Charles
32. Devin Hester
31. Reggie Wayne
30. Maurice Jones-Drew
29. DeSean Jackson
28. Jake Long
27. Calvin Johnson
26. Philip Rivers
25. Arian Foster
24. Roddy White
23. Patrick Willis
22. Antonio Gates
21. James Harrison
20. Michael Vick
19. Clay Matthews
18. Nnamdi Asomugha
17. Haloti Ngata
16. Charles Woodson
15. Dwight Freeney
14. Larry Fitzgerald
13. Chris Johnson
12. DeMarcus Ware
11. Aaron Rodgers
10. Julius Peppers
9. Drew Brees
8. Darrelle Revis
7. Andre Johnson
6. Troy Polamalu
5. Ed Reed
4. Ray Lewis
3. Adrian Peterson
2. Peyton Manning
1. Tom Brady

Winner of 105 Emmy awards, NFL Films is widely recognized as the most honored filmmaker in sports. Under the vision of Ed and Steve Sabol, NFL Films has revolutionized the way America watches football and set the standard in sports filmmaking. The Top 100: Players of 2012 is just a part of the long list of successful NFL Films productions, along with the Emmy-nominated A Football Life, The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players, Hard Knocks and America’s Game.

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.