Afc News 'N' Notes
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573 WWW.NFLMedia.com Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES FOR USE AS DESIRED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AFC-N-4 9/5/06 CONTACT: STEVE ALIC (212/450-2066) QBs AT FOREFRONT AS STEELERS & DOLPHINS KICK OFF NFL SEASON THURSDAY NIGHT Quarterbacks DAUNTE CULPEPPER and CHARLIE BATCH will drop back to throw the 2006 NFL season into motion Thursday night when Batch and the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers host Culpepper and the Miami Dolphins in Pittsburgh (NBC, 8:30 PM ET). Batch, a nine-year NFL veteran and Pittsburgh-area native, starts in place of BEN ROETHLISBERGER, who underwent an emergency appendectomy on Sunday. Batch aims to lead the Steelers to their fourth consecutive Kickoff Weekend victory in the club’s first game following its Super Bowl XL championship. Culpepper, making his first start as a member of the Dolphins, can make history in 2006 by being the first player to lead both the AFC and NFC in touchdown passes for a season. Below is a team-by-team look at the men who will play quarterback in the AFC in 2006: BALTIMORE: Acquired in a June trade with Tennessee, STEVE MC NAIR leads the Ravens’ offense. In the past 10 seasons, McNair (153) stands second among active AFC starting quarterbacks in touchdown passes (PEYTON MANNING, 244). The three-time All-Star needs 2,859 passing yards and 61 rushing yards to become only the third player in history to throw for 30,000 yards and rush for 3,500, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers FRAN TARKENTON and STEVE YOUNG.
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