FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 26th, 2014

BOB COSTAS INTERVIEWS SAINTS QB DREW BREES; JOSH ELLIOTT TALKS WITH PACKERS WR JORDY NELSON ON NBC’S “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”

“That’s one of the five worst feelings I’ve had after a football game.” – Saints QB Drew Brees on last week’s loss to Lions

“Growing up in the country, Green Bay is a rather large city for us…It’s just perfect.” – Packers WR Jordy Nelson on living in Green Bay with his wife

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 26, 2014 – For tonight’s Week 8 edition of NBC’s Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, Bob Costas interviews New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees and Josh Elliott talks with Green Bay Packers WR Jordy Nelson. Football Night will also preview NBC’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Saints and Packers, and include highlights, analysis and reaction to earlier Week 8 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 Rodney Harrison; Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and NBCSN, and NFL insider Peter King. Kathryn Tappen will report from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on the Eagles-Cardinals game.

INTERVIEWS: Below are excerpts from Costas’ interview with Drew Brees, and Elliott’s interview with Jordy Nelson. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing tonight on Football Night in America.”

DREW BREES WITH BOB COSTAS

Brees on Saints’ loss last week in Detroit, where he threw an interception late in the game: “I’m fine with taking responsibility and accountability…that’s one of the five worst feelings I’ve had after a football game. The other thing you have to have as a veteran quarterback is the ability to flip the switch, and move on to the next opportunity.”

Brees on QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense: “He’s playing as well as you can play the position…there’s a tremendous amount of respect for him and that offense. It makes you feel like we have to be as sharp as we can possibly be.”

Brees on his comments during training camp about playing until he’s 45 years old: “I understand that there’s a lot that goes into that. As the season begins, it becomes all about that season, this team, and about what we’re setting out to accomplish. At this point, now sitting at 2-4, it becomes about what we’re going to need to overcome.”

Costas: “Drug testing in the NFL is entirely random. After you said you thought you could play until you were 45, you were drug tested two days in a row. Were they testing for PEDs or for hallucinogens? (laughing)”

Brees: “Probably both. I threw that out there to be funny, but it was the truth. Supposedly they’re random, but I guess you’ve got to watch what you say (laughing).”

JORDY NELSON WITH JOSH ELLIOTT

Nelson on growing up in a small farming community in Manhattan, Kansas: “It was a lot of hard work and very time consuming. If it wasn’t school or sports, it was farming…it was a huge part of our life. It was how we made a living, and everyone pitched in.”

Nelson on how Green Bay is a great fit for him and his wife: “Coming from an extremely small hometown, growing up in the country, Green Bay is a rather large city for us. It’s not the case for many people who play in the NFL. It’s just perfect.”

Nelson on Aaron Rodgers’ ‘R-E-L-A-X’ comments: “We were relaxed. Offensively we didn’t do anything. We were calm. We just knew we needed to execute.”

Nelson on his fan interactions on social media regarding fantasy football: “I’m asked daily, especially with social media. Mainly it comes down to scoring a touchdown, if your owner is happy with you or not. They might trade you, then the next week you’ll have a good game and they’ll be mad that they traded you. It’s pretty entertaining.”

—FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA—