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Home , Antonio Brown, Bill Belichick, Jason Gildon, Lawrence Timmons, NFL Head Coach, Rob Gronkowski

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9/7/15 http://twitter.com/nfl345

NFL KICKOFF 2015 PREVIEW: AT

It’s time to get “Back to Football!”

The 2015 season begins with the NFL’s annual primetime kickoff game. The opener on Thursday, September 10 on NBC (8:30 PM ET) will feature the champion NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS hosting the PITTSBURGH STEELERS at .

Thursday’s matchup features two of the NFL’s three winningest teams over past 10 seasons (2005-14). New England (122-38, .763) has the best regular-season winning percentage during that span, while Pittsburgh ranks third (101-59, .631). The Patriots and Steelers combined for 15 playoff berths, six AFC Championship wins and three Super Bowl titles over the past decade.

The Patriots have a 15-1 regular-season record at Gillette Stadium over the past two seasons. New England has an 11-2 career record (.846) in season openers, the highest winning percentage among Super Bowl- era (minimum 10 starts).

Patriots is 13-7 (.650) on Kickoff Weekend and his 13 wins are the most among active head coaches. Belichick is one of only three active head coaches who have won at least 10 Kickoff Weekend games and own an opening weekend winning percentage above .500.

“We have to move on pretty quickly to get to Pittsburgh,” says Belichick. “We feel like we have improved over the course of the preseason, but we will find out for sure during Kickoff Weekend.”

Entering his 21st season as an NFL head coach, Belichick has amassed 233 wins, the fourth-most total victories by a head coach in league history.

The head coaches with the most total wins in NFL history:

HEAD COACH TEAM(S) WINS LOSSES TIES Colts, Dolphins 347 173 6 324 151 31 270 178 6 Bill Belichick* , New England Patriots 233 118 0 , Chicago Cardinals, Washington Redskins 229 134 22 *Active

The 2014 AFC North champion Steelers travel to New England with the most wins (41) among AFC teams on Kickoff Weekend while the Patriots rank fifth in the AFC with 30.

“We are excited about the quick transition and for our opener on Thursday night,” says Pittsburgh head coach . “We are ready to play ball Thursday night and to get this season going.”

Pittsburgh enters 2015 after leading the league with 129 receptions last year, the second-most in a season in NFL history. It marked the first time a Steeler has led the league in receptions in a season.

Brown, who ranked second in the league in 2013 with 110 catches, is one of four players in NFL history with back-to-back 110-catch seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers (1994-95) and (1994-95) and (2007-09, 2011-12).

The four players in NFL history with consecutive 110-reception seasons:

PLAYER CONSECUTIVE 110-CATCH SEASONS Wes Welker 2007-09, 2011-12 Jerry Rice 1994-95 Cris Carter 1994-95 Antonio Brown 2013-14* *Active streak

A rundown of the NFL primetime kickoff games since 2002:

DATE SITE RESULT (HOME TEAM IN CAPS) RECAP Sept. 5, 2002 Giants Stadium San Francisco 16, NY GIANTS 13 San Francisco’s Jose Cortez kicks a 36-yard with six seconds remaining to lead the 49ers to victory in the NFL’s first Thursday-night opener since 1949. Sept. 4, 2003 FedExField WASHINGTON 16, NY Jets 13 Washington kicker John Hall converts a game- winning 50-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to lift the Redskins. Sept. 9, 2004 Gillette Stadium NEW ENGLAND 27, Indianapolis 24 New England quarterback Tom Brady passes for 335 yards and three TDs as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Colts. Sept. 8, 2005 Gillette Stadium NEW ENGLAND 30, Oakland 20 New England quarterback Tom Brady throws for 306 yards and two TDs while adds two scores for the defending Super Bowl champions. Sept. 7, 2006 PITTSBURGH 28, Miami 17 Pittsburgh quarterback passes for three TDs and running back adds 115 rushing yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Miami. Sept. 6, 2007 RCA Dome INDIANAPOLIS 41, New Orleans 10 The Super Bowl champion Colts rack up 452 yards of offense as quarterback passes for 288 yards and three TDs. Sept. 4, 2008 Giants Stadium NY GIANTS 16, Washington 7 Quarterback scores a TD and the Giants’ defense allows just 209 total yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat division-rival Washington. Sept. 10, 2009 Heinz Field PITTSBURGH 13, Tennessee 10 (OT) Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed kicks a 33-yard game- winning field goal in overtime as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Tennessee. Sept. 9, 2010 Louisiana Superdome NEW ORLEANS 14, Minnesota 9 New Orleans quarterback throws for 237 yards and a TD to lead the Saints past the Vikings in a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game. Sept. 8, 2011 GREEN BAY 42, New Orleans 34 Green Bay quarterback passes for 312 yards and three TDs and the Packers’ defense makes a goal-line stand on the game’s final play as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Saints. Sept. 5, 2012 MetLife Stadium Dallas 24, NY GIANTS 17 Dallas quarterback Tony Romo throws for 307 yards and three TDs, including two to Kevin Ogletree, as the Cowboys defeat the defending Super Bowl champion Giants. Sept. 5, 2013 Sports Authority Field at DENVER 49, Baltimore 27 Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ties an Mile High NFL single-game record with seven TD passes as the Broncos knock off the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens. Sept. 4, 2014 CenturyLink Field SEATTLE 36, Green Bay 16 Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson throws two TDs while running back rushes for 110 yards and two scores as the defending champion Seahawks win at home.

NFL KICKOFF WEEKEND 2015 – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

STEELERS PATRIOTS THURS. RECORD 10-14 8-5 SERIES LEADER 14-9 STREAKS 4 of past 6 COACHES VS. OPP. Mike Tomlin: 2-3 Bill Belichick: 10-11

LAST GAME 11/3/13: Steelers 31 at Patriots 55. New England TE has 143 receiving yards & TD. RB rushes for 2 TDs. LAST GAME AT SITE 11/3/13 REFEREE Carl Cheffers BROADCAST NBC (8:30 PM ET): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (Field reporter). Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Ross Tucker (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 83 (Pit), 93 (NE). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (Pit), 226 (NE). 2014 STATS PASSING Roethlisberger: 408-608-4952 (T1L)-32-9-103.3 (1C) Brady: 373-582-4109-33 (3C)-9-97.4 (3C) RUSHING Williams (Car): 62-219-3.5-0 Bolden: 28-89-3.2-1 RECEIVING Brown: 129 (1L)-1698 (1L)-13.2-13 (1C) Edelman: 92-972-10.6-4 OFFENSE 411.1 (1C) 365.5 TAKE/GIVE 0 +12 (T1C) DEFENSE 353.4 344.1 SACKS Heyward: 7.5 Ninkovich: 8 INTs Gay: 3 3 tied: 2 PUNTING Berry (R) (2015 Pre.): 49.8 Allen: 46.4 KICKING Scobee (Jax.): 83 (23/23 PAT; 20/26 FG) Gostkowski: 156 (1L) (51/51 PAT; 35/37 FG) NOTES GAME FEATURES 2 of 3 winningest teams over past 10 seasons (2005-2014) – NE (122-38, .763) has best regular- season win pct. during span; Pit. ranks 3rd (101-59, .631). Clubs combined for 15 playoff berths, 6 AFC Champ wins & 3 SB titles over past decade…STEELERS: QB has led Pit to 5 division titles, 3 AFC Championships & 2 SB wins. In 2014, passed for single-season club record 4,952 yards & 32 TDs, which tied his own Steelers mark (2007). All-time franchise passing leader in yards (39,057), TDs (251), comp (3,157) & rating (93.9)… RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS makes Pit debut. Played 9 seasons with Car. & is Panthers’ all-time leading rusher (6,846)…WR ANTONIO BROWN led NFL in catches (129) & rec. yards (1,698) in 2014, both single-season club records, & became 4th player in NFL history with back-to-back 110+ catch seasons…LB JAMES HARRISON (69.5) needs half sack to join JASON GILDON (77) as only Steelers with 70+ career. Has 5.5 sacks in past 7. LB led team with 132 tackles in 2014…PATRIOTS: Have won 6 consec division titles, tied for 2nd-longest streak in NFL annals…QB TOM BRADY has 11-2 career record (.846) in season openers, highest win pct. among SB-era QBs (min. 10 starts). In 2014, guided NE to fourth SB title in 14 years & became 1st starting QB in NFL history to win 12 division championships.…In 4 career starts, RB averages 6.3 yards/ & has 175 total scrimmage yards (119 rush, 56 rec.) with 2 rush TDs…In past 5 (incl. playoffs), WR has 41 catches for 510 yards (102/game) & 3 TD catches. In 2014, TE ROB GRONKOWSKI led Pats with 12 TD catches, tied for most among NFL TEs. 1 of 2 TEs in NFL history with 4 10-TD seasons (). In 3 career meetings, has 21 catches for 309 yards & 4 TDs…LB JAMIE COLLINS has 4 sacks in past 5. S DEVIN MC COURTY had INT in last meeting.