THE NFL ON CBS, broadcasting its 52^nd year of the NFL, kicks off its 2011 NFL season on Sunday, Sept. 11 (1:00-4:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY (12:00 Noon-1:00 PM, ET).

THE NFL TODAY's Lesley Visser sits down with former New England Patriots offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi and his brothers Billy and Marc, New York City firefighters on September 11, 2001, to relive their memories of the events that happened 10 years ago.

On the morning of September 11, 2001 Andruzzi, an offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, was at the dentist's office in Foxborough when the first plane hit the World Trade Center.  Joe's three brothers, Billy, Jimmy and Marc, all New York City firefighters, were on the scene.  It would be five hours before Joe would know that they were physically safe.  In the days that followed, the three firefighting brothers divided their time between working at Ground Zero and attending funerals of their fellow firefighters.  On Sunday, September 23 when the NFL resumed play, Patriots owner Robert Kraft asked Joe's three brothers to be honorary captains when the New York Jets played New England.  Joe led his team by running out of the tunnel with the United States flag - forever one of the iconic moments of the NFL's return after 9/11.  On February 3, 2002, the brothers all gathered again, this time when they were guests of Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to watch Joe play in Super Bowl XXXVI. 

Visser sits down with the brothers to talk about their memories of that day.  Jimmy was on the 27^th floor of the north tower when he was ordered to evacuate.  He still can't discuss getting out minutes before the tower collapsed.  Three-hundred-and-forty-three firemen died that day and the Andruzzi's estimate they knew 200 of them.  Deb Gelman is the producer. 

James Brown hosts THE NFL TODAY along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, NFL TODAY "General Manager" Charley Casserly, as well as Visser reporting.

Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE NFL TODAY.

Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports and serves as the Executive Producer for THE NFL ON CBS.  Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

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