NFL, NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION AND  MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING (MADD) PARTNER ON COMPREHENSIVE INITIATIVE AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING

The NFL and NFL Players Association will partner with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) on programs designed to prevent drunk driving, it was announced today.

The announcement was made in Dallas at the NFL's spring meeting by NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL, NFL Vice President of Labor Policy and Player Development ADOLPHO BIRCH, and MADD's incoming CEO KIMBERLY EARLE.

The NFL and MADD will work together on player and employee programs, game day initiatives, and community relations and awareness programs to promote MADD's "Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving."

Among the programs:

· MADD will serve in an advisory role to the NFL in its initiatives to promote responsible behavior and prevent drunk driving. MADD representatives will attend and talk to incoming NFL players at next month's NFL Rookie Symposium. One of MADD's victim impact speakers, who lost a family member to a drunk driver, will address the rookies and discuss how drunk driving affected her family. NFL and MADD will also explore having players and personnel participate in "ride-alongs" with law enforcement to witness first-hand the effects of drunk driving.

· MADD and the NFL will pilot game day programs this season at stadiums in Buffalo and Oakland. MADD will develop ways to support its campaign to prevent drunk driving. Elements will include distribution of MADD brochures at stadiums, enhanced designated driver programs, and point-of-sale messaging at concession stands.

· The NFL and NFL Players Association also will help promote MADD's "Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving." NFL clubs and players will participate in "WALK LIKE MADD" community fund-raising events, and be featured in PSAs and other messages. Clubs will air PSAs on game day in stadiums and include messages in printed game day programs to promote responsible alcohol consumption and the dangers of driving while impaired. The clubs also will promote "WALK LIKE MADD" and other community events on game day and in their club programming.