Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn appears prominently in a new NFL advertising campaign designed to show a warm and friendly side of football players.
The campaign features five players, including two of Quinn's current teammates on the Cleveland Browns.
According to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, the ads were designed to show aspects of players that fans don't necessarily see at games. Quinn was selected, McCarthy said, because he was well-spoken and a good role model.
Quinn focused on academics during his 30-second appearance in the commercial. He mentioned his degree in finance and said he plans to attend law school. He also mentioned the academic rigor he found at Notre Dame.
"I studied every hour of every day," Quinn said with a smile on the commercial. "That's how it works in Notre Dame."
McCarthy said Notre Dame was included in the ad because the University appeals to a diverse national audience and is generally held "in high esteem, academically and athletically." Notre Dame is the only University mentioned in the ad campaign.
Other players mentioned how playing football brought a significant mental and physical workload.
In the commercial, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck tried reading his encyclopedia-sized playbook to his daughters and explaining what sort of codes the players had to learn. He joked that it was a great way to make his children fall asleep.
Quinn also mentioned how complicated his playbook was, particularly at the professional level.
The ad also focused on the importance of family to the players. Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young described tattoos as a way to demonstrate his love for his mother and grandmother. Browns linebacker Willie McGinest recalled how his mother encouraged him to pursue success in football, even when living in a poor area.
McCarthy said the ad campaign was not related to the highly publicized prosecution of Atlanta Hawks quarterback Michael Vick. He said the ads were first conceived in January 2007, before Bad Newz Kennels came into the public eye.
McCarthy said the NFL has been historically committed to the values of its fans. The NFL has aired over a 1,000 commercials to promote the United Way charity since 1974, he added.
McCarthy said the most recent ad campaign is stylistically distinct. The ads were done in black and white and "the music is a bit edgier than what has been done in the past," he said.
