FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, November 16th, 2014

RODNEY HARRISON TRIES TO COVER PATRIOTS TE ROB GRONKOWSKI & JOSH ELLIOTT INTERVIEWS COLTS WRs T. Y. HILTON & REGGIE WAYNE ON NBC’S FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA

Harrison Gets On-Field Demonstration at Gillette Stadium from Gronkowski on How he Shakes Off Defenders

 “It was very hard…that’s when I grew up quick.” – Colts WR T. Y. Hilton on Seeing Reggie Wayne Hurt

“I’m practicing as hard as I possibly can, and if he [Hilton] is trying to top that, we’re going to be awesome” – Colts WR Reggie Wayne

Transcript Available to Tony Dungy & Rodney Harrison Patriots-Colts Conference Call

STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 16, 2014 – For tonight’s Week 11 edition of NBC’s Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, Rodney Harrison talks with New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski on the field at Gillette Stadium and gets a hands-on demonstration on how Gronkowski derails defenders’ attempts to cover him. In addition, Josh Elliott speaks with Indianapolis Colts WRs T. Y. Hilton and Reggie Wayne. Football Night will also preview NBC’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Patriots and Colts, and include highlights, analysis and reaction to earlier Week 11 games.

Football Night airs each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, with Costas hosting the program live from inside the stadium. He will be joined on site by Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth, sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, NBC NFL analyst Hines Ward, and Elliott.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1, and is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl-winner Harrison,  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and NBCSN; and NFL insider Peter King. Carolyn Manno will report from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on the Eagles-Packers game.

INTERVIEWS: Below are excerpts from Harrison’s interview with Gronkowski, and Elliott’s interview with Hilton and Wayne. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing tonight on Football Night in America.”

ROB GRONKOWSKI WITH RODNEY HARRISON

Harrison, a former New England Patriots safety, joined Gronkowski on the field at Gillette Stadium to discuss how he shakes off defenders who try to cover him. The two went through several scenarios, including when Gronkowski faced Broncos LB Von Miller during New England’s 43-21 victory over Denver in Week 9.  

On his one-handed catch during the Broncos-Patriots game, which Patriots QB Tom Brady said was “the best” catch he has ever seen: “[Tom Brady] told me he was just throwing the ball to get rid of it so he didn’t get sacked. So, he just threw it up in the air and I was running that way. It was just a natural reaction. I wasn’t thinking ‘I’m going to one-hand that.’ I was just running and saw the ball and stuck my hand in the air and caught it.”

T. Y. HILTON AND REGGIE WAYNE WITH JOSH ELLIOTT

Wayne on having a teammate take his job for the greater good of the team: “That’s the way it goes. That’s part of the process. It’s my business to make it a hard decision. When guys come in, I don’t mind giving them my two cents. I don’t mind sharing the wealth. In my mind, I’m giving it everything. I’m practicing as hard as I possibly can, and if he [Hilton] is trying to top that, we’re going to be awesome.”

Hilton on how hard it was to see Wayne hurt last season: “It was very hard. Coach always said, ‘Prepare like you’re a starter.’ When he went down, all of that went out the window. I thought, ‘Oh, no. Oh, no. 87 is down!’ I saw him go into the locker room, and that’s when I grew up quick. I thought, ‘you’re prepared, you’re ready.’ But at the same time, that really hurt, to see your big brother go down. But, I had to step up and become a man.”

Wayne on watching Hilton start: “I enjoyed watching him progress. He made it exciting for me. That’s also one of the main reasons why I wanted to make sure I was on the sidelines for every game. I wanted T. Y. to see that, ‘I’m still here with you.’ If he needed to come to the sideline and ask a question, nothing changed. I’m still there.”

Hilton on Wayne: “I’m blessed to have him. A big brother like this, what more can I ask for? I’m not going to let him leave [laughs]… Whatever it takes, I need him with me.”

TONY DUNGY AND RODNEY HARRISON PREVIEW PATRIOTS-COLTS ON CONFERENCE CALL

Football Night In America analysts Dungy and Harrison previewed this week’s Patriots-Colts Sunday Night Football matchup on a media conference call on Tuesday. Dungy spent seven seasons as the Colts’ head coach, leading Indianapolis to an 85-27 regular-season record during his tenure, and a Super Bowl XLI victory over Chicago in 2007. Harrison played six seasons with New England, and won back-to-back Super Bowls in 2004 and 2005 as a member of the Patriots.

Following are excerpts from Tuesday’s conference call:

Dungy on defenses creating turnovers: “It’s going to come down to pass rush.  I don’t think the secondary is going to create turnovers.  These quarterbacks are too accurate.  They’re too smart.  They’re not going to throw into covered guys.”

Harrison on Patriots’ and Bill Belichick’s approach to Sunday’s game: “He’s treating this like it’s a playoff game because it’s a very difficult place.  They play with a different speed when they’re on that turf, and it’s just something about the fans and just how excited they get when they’re playing against Belichick and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. I wanted to have a conversation with Bill, and he declined to have a conversation with me. I know how important this game is because he’s really focused on this game.  So I think he approaches it like it’s a playoff game.”

Dungy on playoff implications of Patriots-Colts: “If (the Colts) win this game, both teams will have three losses.  The Colts will have the head‑to‑head tie breaker.  So the Patriots have to be feeling, ‘Hey, if we win this game, we’re not going to go to Indy again this year.’  That’s the way you’re looking at it.”

Click here for the full transcript of the call: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2014/11/11/transcript-tony-dungy-rodney-harrison-preview-patriots-colts-sunday-night-football-matchup-on-conference-call/

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA