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MILWAUKEE, WI - New England Patriots' wide receiver David Patten has been named the **Miller Lite NFL Player of the Week for Week Six** following his four-touchdown performance over the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday in Indianapolis. Patten became only the sixth player in NFL history to pass, rush and catch a touchdown pass in the same game, and the first since Walter Payton achieved the offensive trifecta 22 years ago to the day.
Patten edged out the St. Louis Ram's Trung Canidate and the Chicago Bears' Anthony Thomas in voting by a panel of national journalists and broadcasters to earn his first Miller Lite NFL Player of the Week honor. Each week, a player from each of the 31 teams is nominated for the award by the team or local media. The Millder Lite NFL Player of the Week is then selected by a national panel of veteran NFL media representatives coordinated by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Patten ran 29 yards for a touchdown on the Patriots' first offensive play, threw a 60-yard TD pass to Troy Brown and caught two touchdown passes himself, including a 91-yarder, the longest pass play for a touchdown in team history. Patten's four-touchdown explosion helped the upstart Patriots complete a sweep of the season series against the Colts, improving to 3-3 overall on the season to remain in contention for the AFC East title.
At the conclusion of the regular season, six Miller Lite NFL Player of the Year candidates will be chosen from among the weekly nominees. From the six finalists, a committee of media representatives from each NFL Market will elect the Miller Lite NFL Player of the Year. The voting program is coordinated by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As part of the 2001 program, Miller has pledged more than $130,000 to local charities and as the culmination to the weekly program, Miller Lite will name the NFL Player of the Year during the week prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. Miller Lite will donate $30,000 in the NFL Player of the Year's name to the charity of his choice. Miller Lite has donated more than $1.5 million through the thirteen-year NFL Player of the Year program.
