STATELINE, Nev. -- Former Super Bowl XXXV Champion quarterback Trent Dilfer has been named recipient of the 2009 "Brodie Award," recognizing an individual's accomplishments in both a chosen profession and in the sport of golf. It's given each year by organizers of the American Century Championship (http://www.TahoeCelebrityGolf.com) celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.
The award is named for former National Football League Most Valuable Player (1970) John Brodie, the one-time San Francisco 49ers quarterback and Senior PGA Tour player. Previous winners include Mario Lemieux, Rick Rhoden and John Elway.
The "Brodie Award" is selected by a panel of tournament officials and is presented at the event, scheduled this year for July 14-19. The tournament is nationally televised by NBC Sports and ESPN2.
The "Brodie Award" is especially meaningful to Dilfer, who has a longtime relationship with the former Stanford All American, who took a special interest in the young signal caller from Northern California early in his career. When Dilfer joined the 49ers as a quarterback in 2006, he was granted a special request to wear No. 12 (Brodie's retired number) as a tribute to his mentor and friend.
Now an NFL analyst for ESPN, Dilfer has made a name for himself in the American Century Championship by registering five top-ten finishes, including a second place in the 2005 tournament.
Dilfer also uses his golf prowess and affinity to raise money for charity, including the TD4HIM Foundation, which he established in 2003 in memory of his late son, Trevin, who passed away from a heart ailment at the age of five. TD4HIM contributes to and supports the growth of community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, cancer research groups and religious organizations in Northern California. A graduate of Fresno State, Dilfer resides in Saratoga, CA, and is a part-time resident of Lake Tahoe.
Dilfer reached great heights in his 14-year NFL playing career, which launched when he was drafted sixth overall in 1994 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While with the Bucs, Dilfer won more games than any quarterback in franchise history, took the team to its first playoff game in 15 years and became the first Tampa Bay quarterback to ever go to the Pro Bowl. He later signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, leading his team to a Super Bowl victory over the New York Giants. After one season with the Ravens, Dilfer spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns before finishing his career with the San Francisco 49ers.
He was honored in 2006 when the 49ers named him their Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award that recognizes a player's excellent football skills, as well as outstanding community service activities. Over the course of his career, Dilfer's hard work and down-to-earth attitude has gained him deep respect both in the NFL and among fans.
An accomplished golfer for decades, Brodie famously switched his focus from football to golf after retirement and qualified for the Senior PGA Tour in the mid-1980s. He found success among the best competitive players over the age of 50 and captured the title at the 1991 Senior Pacific Championship, defeating Chi Chi Rodriguez and George Archer in a playoff.
For the fourth year in a row, the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) is the official charity of the American Century Championship. The tournament will help build awareness of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, while raising funds for the LAF's cancer survivorship initiatives. Collaborating with the LAF on the 2009 tournament is a natural fit for American Century Investments, given the fact that more than 40 percent of the asset management firm's profits go to fund research for the prevention and cure of gene-based diseases such as cancer.
For further information, contact:
Steve Griffith Phil Weidinger
Vizion Group PR Weidinger Public Relations
(484) 433-7757 (775) 588-2412
sgriffith@viziongroup.net dinger@weidingerpr.com
