"NCIS: LOS ANGELES" STAR LL COOL J TO HOST THE NEW ONE-HOUR SPECIAL "MVP: MOST VALUABLE PERFORMER," LIVE THURSDAY, JAN. 25 ON CBS

An Interactive Talent Show to Find the Current Professional Football Player with the Best Talent off the Field

Voting Is Open Online at si.com/mvp for the 32 Participating Players

Finalists Will Be Matched with Celebrity Mentors Who Specialize in Their Talent

During the Jan. 25 Broadcast, Viewers Can Vote for the Final Three on CBS.com, with the Winner Revealed Live

CBS announced today NCIS: LOS ANGELES star and two-time Grammy Award winner LL COOL J will host the new one-hour special MVP: MOST VALUABLE PERFORMER, an interactive talent show to find the current pro football player with the best off-the-field talent. The special will broadcast live from the Avalon Hollywood, Thursday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

"LL COOL J is one of the most successful cross-platform talents in entertainment today," said Robert Horowitz, JUMA Entertainment President. "From rapping, to acting, to hosting, to entrepreneurship, he has dominated so many arenas. I can think of no one better equipped to referee as these players showcase their off-the-field skills."

The MVP contest began Dec. 1 with the first videos of the 32 participating players available online at si.com/mvp for fans to watch and vote for their favorite performer. The videos showcase various unique talents, such as Irish step dancing, rapping and archery, among others. Each week, a new group of players' auditions will be available online for fan voting during December. The finalists will be announced in January.

The top finalists from professional football teams that have been eliminated from postseason will advance to the live show emceed by LL COOL J and will be assisted by a mentor to help enhance their performances. During the show, a panel of celebrity judges will critique each player's performance before viewers vote live online at CBS.com to determine the MVP: Most Valuable Performer. The winner will be revealed at the end of the show.

LL COOL J is an entertainment icon who has found great success into multiple mediums. A two-time Grammy Award winner, recording artist, talented actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur and philanthropist, LL continues to display his wide range of talents with every project. Currently, he stars in NCIS: LOS ANGELES on the Network, hosts and produces the Emmy-nominated "Lip Sync Battle" on Spike, and received his star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame last year for his achievement in music. LL, who recently became the first rapper and youngest to earn the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor, just announced he will launch in early 2018 his own classic hip-hop channel on SiriusXM: "Rock the Bells Radio."

Additional information will be available closer to air.

MVP: MOST VALUABLE PERFORMER is produced by JUMA Entertainment in conjunction with ACE Media, the content arm of the NFL Players Association. Robert Horowitz and Josh Greenberg of JUMA are the executive producers along with Scott Langerman of ACE. Michael Simon will direct.

RATING: To Be Announced