NFL employees typically are in a pleasant mood when they stop in for breakfast at the Huddle Café — the 12th-floor cafeteria at league headquarters in New York. Those who showed up Monday morning experienced a little more of a buzz in the air. You could say things were “hopping.”

That’s because folks from IHOP were on hand to debut their new NFL-themed menu items, part of a new partnership between the NFL and IHOP. The “IHOP’s Gone Totally NFL” promotion starts today and runs through Oct. 25. During that time, at participating IHOPs, fans can enjoy these new menu items that were sampled this morning by NFL staffers:

• AFC and NFL Stuffed French Toast

• AFC and NFC Banana Blitz

• MVP Quarterback Scramble

• Veteran Quarterback Scramble

• Rookie Quarterback Scramble

• Draft Pick Quarterback Scramble

(For the record, the difference between AFC and NFC versions of the French toast and banana blitz: AFC versions have strawberries; NFC versions have blueberries.)

As part of the promotion, “IHOP’s Gone Totally NFL” campaign also features two new television commercials, one featuring Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and the other starring Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. In addition, fans can visit www.ihop.com/nfl for a chance to win IHOP gift cards and NFLShop.com gift cards.

“We are pleased to kick off the NFL season with this exciting promotion,” said Mark Waller, NFL senior vice president for sales and marketing. “IHOP offers a unique sponsorship opportunity with its one-of-a-kind menu items that provide our fans a taste of the game like never before.”

One question: Where is IHOP’s tribute to the great Atlanta Falcons defense of the early ’80s — the Grits Blitz?

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