Voters on NFL.com and via Sprint wireless service have made their choice. Linebacker Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers is the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for games played Sept. 16-17, the NFL announced.
Willis posted a game-high eight tackles in the 49ers' 17-16 victory over the St. Louis Rams. Willis had five solo tackles and three assists and was part of a stiff San Francisco run defense that limited Steven Jackson to 60 yards on 21 carries.
More than 117,150 fans voted this week on NFL.com and via Sprint wireless service. Willis was selected from among five finalists. The other finalists were wide receiver Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye of the Houston Texans, defensive tackle Marcus Thomas of the Denver Broncos and running back DeShawn Wynn of the Green Bay Packers.
After the regular season, five players will be nominated for Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year honors. Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com and via Sprint wireless service throughout the month of January. The winner will be announced at a press conference at Super Bowl XLII in Arizona.
This is Pepsi's sixth year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL and the third year that Diet Pepsi will present the NFL Rookie of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Year awards.
| !Calvin Johnson | | Caught four passes for 61 yards and scored a touchdown, a 7-yard reception, in his second consecutive game in the Lions 20-17 overtime win over the Vikings. Johnson touched the ball five times (four receptions and a rushing attempt), good for a touchdown or first down each time. |
| !Amobi Okoye | | Recorded four tackles, a pair of sacks and forced a fumble in the Texans, 34-21 win over the Panthers. Okoye's two sacks occurred on third-downs (for a loss of 8 and 10 yards) to end the Panthers drive and forcing them to punt each time. |
! | | | !Marcus Thomas | | Had one solo tackle and intercepted Raiders quarterback Josh McCown in the second quarter of the Broncos 23-20 overtime victory over the Raiders. Thomas' interception came on third-and-nine from the Broncos 44-yard line, which thwarted a protectional Raiders scoring drive. |
| !Patrick Willis | | Had his second consecutive impressive performance as he notched a game-high eight tackles in the 49ers, 17-16, victory over St. Louis. Willis had five solo tackles and really seems to be thriving under coach and Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary. |
! | | | !DeShawn Wynn | | Rushed for a pair of touchdowns in the Packer' dominating, 35-13, victory over the New York Giants. The most impressive was a 38-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Wynn finished with 50 rushing yards on only 10 rushing attempts. |
