NFL Celebrates Four Decades of Greatness At Super Bowl XLIII

Swann, Craig & Elway to Participate in Coin Toss;

Namath in Vince Lombardi Trophy Presentation

The NFL will salute four decades of champions during Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay on Feb. 1, it was announced today.

The Super Bowl coin toss ceremony moments before the start of the game will include greats from Super Bowls 10, 20 and 30 years ago -- LYNN SWANN (Super Bowl XIII, 1979), ROGER CRAIG (Super Bowl XXIII, 1989) and JOHN ELWAY (Super Bowl XXXIII, 1999). JOE NAMATH (Super Bowl III, 1969) will participate in the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation following the game. Both will be televised live by NBC

Viewed by more than 148 million people in the U.S. last year, the Super Bowl is annually the nation’s most-watched TV program. The game also will be broadcast in more than 230 countries and territories.

Swann, Craig and Elway join an esteemed list of Super Bowl coin toss participants, including MARIE LOMBARDI, wife of Vince Lombardi; and Pro Football Hall of Famers EARL CAMPBELL, FRANK GIFFORD, RED GRANGE, GEORGE HALAS, DON HUTSON, TOM LANDRY, DAN MARINO, BRONKO NAGURSKI, ALAN PAGE, ART SHELL, and GENE UPSHAW (see below for complete list of past coin toss participants).

The two-tone commemorative flip coin is silver with 24kt gold highlights and is minted by The Highland Mint Company. The coin will feature the Super Bowl XLIII logo on one side and the Lombardi Trophy and competing team logos on the other.

Namath will continue the tradition of Super Bowl legends in the Lombardi Trophy ceremony, which began with Bart Starr’s participation in Super Bowl XL. Previous participants include Coach Don Shula (Super Bowl XLI) and Doug Williams (Super Bowl XLII).

Namath led the New York Jets to a 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III and claimed the Most Valuable Player award. Namath became the first player ever to pass for 4,000 yards, posting 4,007 in 1967, and finished his Hall of Fame career with 27,663 passing yards and 173 touchdowns.

Swann earned four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers and claimed the game’s MVP award in Super Bowl X. The Hall of Fame member received All-Pro recognition in 1975, 1977 and 1978 notching 336 receptions, 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns throughout his career.

The first player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, Craig earned three Super Bowl rings during his career, including the 49ers’ Super Bowl XXIII victory. Craig made four Pro Bowl appearances and rushed for 13,143 yards and 73 career touchdowns.

The Super Bowl XXXIII MVP, Elway led the Denver Broncos in their five Super Bowl appearances during his tenure. Voted the NFL’s MVP in 1987, Elway, also a member of the Hall of Fame, passed for 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns during his career.

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HISTORY OF SUPER BOWL COIN TOSS

SUPER BOWL	COIN TOSS
I	Game Official
II	Game Official
III	Game Official
IV	Game Official
V	Game Official
VI	Game Official
VII	Game Official
VIII	Game Official
IX	Game Official
X	Game Official
XI	Game Official
XII	Red Grange
XIII	George Halas
XIV	Art Rooney
XV	Marie Lombardi
XVI	Bobby Layne
XVII	Elroy Hirsch
XVIII	Bronko Nagurski
XIX	Hugh McElhenny (with President Ronald Reagan on video)
XX	Bart Starr, representing 17 MVPs present
XXI	Willie Davis
XXII	Don Hutson
XXIII	Nick Buoniconti, Bob Griese and Larry Little
XXIV	Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Art Shell and Willie Wood
XXV	Pete Rozelle
XXVI	Chuck Noll
XXVII	O.J. Simpson
XXVIII	Joe Namath
XXIX	Otto Graham, Joe Greene, Ray Nitschke and Gale Sayers
XXX	Joe Montana, representing 25 MVPs present
XXXI	Mike Ditka, Tom Flores, Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, George Seifert and Hank Stram
XXXII	Joe Gibbs, Eddie Robinson and Doug Williams
XXXIII	Raymond Berry, Sam Huff, Roosevelt Brown, Art Donovan, Frank Gifford, Tom Landry, Gino Marchetti, Don Maynard, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker and Andy Robustelli
XXXIV	Bud Grant, Lamar Hunt, Bobby Bell, Paul Krause, Willie Lanier, Alan Page and Jan Stenerud
XXXV	Marcus Allen, Ottis Anderson, Tom Flores and Bill Parcells
XXXVI	Former President George H.W. Bush and Roger Staubach
XXXVII	Miami Dolphins Hall of Famers from Undefeated ’72 Team: Don Shula, Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Larry Little, Jim Langer, Nick Buoniconti and Paul Warfield
XXXVIII	Hall of Famers from Texas—Earl Campbell, Ollie Matson, Don Maynard, Y.A. Tittle, Mike Singletary and Gene Upshaw
XXXIX	Four young players, ages 7-10, from Jacksonville’s Pop Warner and Police Athletic League teams and two coaches from New Orleans and Hyattsville, Maryland (2004 NFL HS COY)
XL	Tom Brady, representing the 31 Super Bowl MVPs in attendance.
XLI	Dan Marino and Norma Hunt
XLII	Craig Walsh (son of Bill Walsh), Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Steve Young
XLIII	Lynn Swann, Roger Craig and John Elway

HISTORY OF VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY PRESENTATION

SUPER BOWL	TROPHY PRESENTATION
XL	Bart Starr
XLI	Coach Don Shula
XLII	Doug Williams
XLIII	Joe Namath