IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE CHOSEN AS A CAPTAIN - Ingles

Some have been reappointed. Others are new this year. They are all proud to be NFL captains.

In the third year of an NFL program that promotes the importance of team leadership through the role of captains, 25 teams have appointed season-long captains on offense, defense and special teams for 2009.

“It is always an honor to be chosen as a captain,” says Arizona Cardinals quarterback KURT WARNER, who was selected as a captain for the second consecutive season. “It means even more when you’re voted to be a captain by the guys in the locker room because they respect what you do, how you go about your job and they believe that you’re a guy that solicits respect from everyone in that locker room. It’s always a tremendous honor to be chosen in that manner and I will do my best to live up to that.”

Captains traditionally serve as a link between players, coaches and management to help foster cohesion within teams.

“I’ve been on teams with a lot of great captains,” says Cleveland Browns running back JAMAL LEWIS, who was named a captain for the first time this year. “It plays a major role in where you’re trying to go as a team.”

Teams appointing season-long captains – 81 have been chosen captains before, including 43 who have been captains for all three seasons with their present team under this program – have the option to select up to six captains to wear the letter “C” on the upper right chest of their jerseys. Gold stars under the “C” indicate the number of seasons a player has been a captain for his present team (a PDF of the one-, two- and three-star “C” is attached to this release).

The captains’ initiative originated with the NFL Player Advisory Council that was established in 2007 by NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL in conjunction with the NFL Players Association. The idea also has been strongly endorsed by NFL head coaches.

“I’m very proud of our captains,” says Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach RAHEEM MORRIS. “When you’re voting on captains, you pick the guys who have been doing the right things. The right things on and off the field. The right things with the media. The right things in the classroom. To be named a captain, you need to earn the respect of your teammates.”

While the emphasis is on the naming of season-long captains, seven teams have elected to appoint their captains on a weekly basis.

Following are the players appointed as team captains for this season:

2009 NFL TEAM CAPTAINS

TEAM/NUMBER OF CAPTAINS - CAPTAINS
(*Two-time captain with present team; **Three-time captain with present team)

ARIZONA CARDINALS (6)
Offense: QB Kurt Warner*, WR Larry Fitzgerald
Defense: LB Karlos Dansby*, DT Darnell Dockett, S Adrian Wilson*
Special Teams: WR Sean Morey*.

ATLANTA FALCONS
Appointed weekly.

BALTIMORE RAVENS
Appointed weekly.

BUFFALO BILLS (6)
Offense: QB Trent Edwards*, WR Lee Evans**
Defense: LB Kawika Mitchell, LB Paul Posluszny
Special Teams: P Brian Moorman**, S George Wilson*.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (5)
Offense: QB Jake Delhomme**, T Jordan Gross*
Defense: LB Jon Beason*, DE Julius Peppers**
Special Teams: K John Kasay**.

CHICAGO BEARS (5)
Offense: QB Jay Cutler, C Olin Kreutz**
Defense: DE Adewale Ogunleye*, LB Brian Urlacher**
Special Teams: LS Patrick Mannelly*.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (5)
Offense: QB Carson Palmer**, G Andrew Whitworth
Defense: LB Dhani Jones**, DT Domata Peko
Special Teams: S Kyries Hebert.

CLEVELAND BROWNS (6)
Offense: RB Jamal Lewis, T Joe Thomas
Defense: LB Eric Barton, LB D’Qwell Jackson
Special Teams: WR-KR Joshua Cribbs*, K Phil Dawson**.

DALLAS COWBOYS (4)
Offense: QB Tony Romo**, TE Jason Witten**
Defense: LB Bradie James**, LB DeMarcus Ware
Special Teams: Appointed weekly.

DENVER BRONCOS (7)
Offense: TE Daniel Graham*, QB Kyle Orton, C Casey Wiegmann
Defense: CB Champ Bailey**, S Brian Dawkins, LB Mario Haggan, LB Wesley Woodyard.

DETROIT LIONS (3)
Offense: C Dominic Raiola**
Defense: LB Larry Foote
Special Teams: K Jason Hanson**.

GREEN BAY PACKERS
Appointed weekly.

HOUSTON TEXANS (6)
Offense: WR Andre Johnson**, QB Matt Schaub*
Defense: LB DeMeco Ryans**, DE Mario Williams*
Special Teams: LB Kevin Bentley, K Kris Brown**.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4)
Offense: QB Peyton Manning**
Defense: LB Gary Brackett**
Special Teams: S Melvin Bullitt; K Adam Vinatieri.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (5)
Offense: QB David Garrard**, RB Maurice Jones-Drew
Defense: DE Reggie Hayward, CB Rashean Mathis*
Special Teams: FB Montell Owens.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5)
Offense: QB Matt Cassel, G Brian Waters**
Defense: S Mike Brown, LB Mike Vrabel
Special Teams: S Jon McGraw**.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (4)
Offense: QB Chad Pennington*
Defense: DT Jason Ferguson*, LB Joey Porter, LB Jason Taylor*
Special Teams: Appointed weekly.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5)
Offense: QB Brett Favre, G Steve Hutchinson*
Defense: LB E.J. Henderson*, DT Kevin Williams*
Special Teams: K Ryan Longwell*.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5)
Offense: QB Tom Brady**, WR Randy Moss*
Defense: LB Jerod Mayo, DT Vince Wilfork*
Special Teams: WR Sam Aiken.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3)
Offense: QB Drew Brees**
Defense: LB Jonathan Vilma
Special Teams: LB Troy Evans*.

NEW YORK GIANTS (3)
Offense: QB Eli Manning**
Defense: LB Antonio Pierce**
Special Teams: P Jeff Feagles**.

NEW YORK JETS
Appointed weekly.

OAKLAND RAIDERS
Appointed weekly.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Appointed weekly.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6)
Offense: QB Ben Roethlisberger*, WR Hines Ward**
Defense: LB James Farrior**, LB James Harrison
Special Teams: LB Keyaron Fox, K Jeff Reed*.

ST. LOUIS RAMS
Appointed weekly.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (5)
Offense: QB Philip Rivers**, RB LaDainian Tomlinson**
Defense: LB Stephen Cooper, DT Jamal Williams**
Special Teams: WR Kassim Osgood**.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6)
Offense: C Eric Heitmann**, TE Vernon Davis
Defense: DE Justin Smith, LB Takeo Spikes, LB Patrick Willis*
Special Teams: RB Michael Robinson*.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6)
Offense: QB Matt Hasselbeck**, T Walter Jones*
Defense: S Deon Grant**, LB Lofa Tatupu**
Special Teams: LB Lance Laury*, K Olindo Mare.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5)
Offense: C Jeff Faine*, QB Byron Leftwich
Defense: CB Ronde Barber**, DT Chris Hovan**
Special Teams: S Will Allen*.

TENNESSEE TITANS (4)
Offense: QB Kerry Collins
Defense: DE Kyle Vanden Bosch**
Special Teams: P Craig Hentrich**, S Donnie Nickey.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6)
Offense: QB Jason Campbell*, T Chris Samuels*
Defense: LB London Fletcher*, DT Cornelius Griffin*
Special Teams: RB Rock Cartwright*, FB Mike Sellers.