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SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS AGAIN HOME TO THE BEST & BRIGHTEST IN 2022 – TOM BRADY VS. PATRICK MAHOMES, AARON RODGERS VS. JOSH ALLEN, BEARS VS. PACKERS, COWBOYS VS. EAGLES AND MORE ON NBC & PEACOCK

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Buccaneers, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Packers Make SNF-High 3 Appearances Apiece

 Primetime TV’s #1 Show for Unprecedented 11 Consecutive Years Features 15 Games With At Least 1 Super Bowl Starting QB, Including:

  • Josh Allen vs. Matthew Stafford (NFL Kickoff)
  • Tom Brady vs. Dak Prescott (Opening Sunday)
  • Brady vs. Mahomes VI (Oct. 2)
  • Joe Burrow vs. Lamar Jackson (Oct. 9)
  • Aaron Rodgers vs. Josh Allen (Oct. 30)
  • Patrick Mahomes vs. Russell Wilson (Dec. 11)
  • Tom Brady vs. Kyler Murray (Dec. 25)

 Storied Rivalries: Bears-Packers in Most-Played Matchup in NFL History (Sept. 18); Cowboys-Eagles on NBC SNF for Record 15th Time (Oct. 16)

Star QBs in New Places: New Denver QB Russell Wilson and Broncos Host 49ers (Sept. 25) and Chiefs (Dec. 11); New Indy QB Matt Ryan and Colts Visit Cowboys (Dec. 4)

“Happy Holidays”: First-Ever NFL Thanksgiving Game in Minnesota (Patriots-Vikings); Tom Brady vs. Kyler Murray on Christmas Night (Bucs-Cardinals); Matthew Stafford vs. Justin Herbert in New Year’s Night Battle for Los Angeles (Rams-Chargers)

New SNF Broadcast Team – Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth & Melissa Stark – to Debut at Hall of Fame Game on Thurs., Aug. 4

Peacock to Stream Every Sunday Night Football Game & Football Night in America Studio Show in 2022 Season Plus Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Returns

Telemundo Deportes to Present Every NBC Sports NFL Game in Spanish

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 12, 2022 – NBC Sunday Night Football, America’s No. 1 primetime television show for an unprecedented 11 consecutive years, is the home to the best and the brightest in 2022: from Matthew Stafford and the Rams raising their Super Bowl banner at SoFi Stadium before hosting Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in NFL Kickoff 2022, to Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes facing off for the sixth time (Week 4), to the pressure-packed season finale in Week 18 (see: unforgettable 2021 Chargers-Raiders OT #Game272). Then it’s on to the postseason, where NBC Sports will showcase three games across the first two weekends of the NFL Playoffs.

Peacock will stream all NBC Sunday Night Football games, including the playoffs, and the Football Night in America studio show. The exclusive Peacock Sunday Night Football Final returns with expanded postgame coverage following SNF each week.

This season’s SNF schedule is jam-packed with the league’s star signal callers: 15 regular-season games in the SNF package feature at least one quarterback to start in a Super Bowl.

All 2021 NFL playoff teams are on the NBC SNF schedule, including three games each for the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys, NFC North champion Green Bay Packers, AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs, and NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The new SNF announce team of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark will work its first game together at the Hall of Fame Game in primetime on Thursday, Aug. 4 on NBC and Peacock.

Highlights of the 2022 NBC Sunday Night Football schedule:

    • All 19 scheduled NBC SNF games feature at least one 2021 playoff team (Week 18 game TBD) – up from 18 such matchups last year. In addition, 10 contests feature two postseason clubs (vs. nine last year).
    • The season begins with NFL Kickoff 2022 on Thursday, Sept. 8 at SoFi Stadium, as Matthew Stafford and the Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen, who has passed for nearly 9,000 yards and led the Bills to a 24-9 record (.727) over the past two seasons.
    • In the season opener of Sunday Night Football on Sunday, Sept. 11, seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit Dak Prescott and the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. In last season’s NFL Kickoff Game, the Buccaneers won a two-point thriller in the final minutes at home against the Cowboys.
    • Matchup milestones: The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears renew the NFL’s most-played rivalry on SNF, with the 205th meeting in the series in Week 2 (Sept. 18) at Lambeau Field. In addition, Cowboys-Eagles on Oct. 16 is the 15th meeting between the clubs on SNF – ranking as the most-played matchup in NBC SNF history (since 2006).
    • New (QB) Faces in New Places: Star quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan are with new teams this season and highlight three SNF games against 2021 Playoff teams. Wilson and the Denver Broncos host the 49ers (Sept. 25) and Chiefs (Dec. 11), while Ryan and the Indianapolis Colts visit the Cowboys (Dec. 4).
    • The eagerly anticipated Brady-Mahomes VI takes center stage on Oct. 2 as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs visit Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth matchup of the former NFL and Super Bowl MVPs. The first meeting between the star signal callers was on NBC’s SNF on Oct. 14, 2018, with the duo combining for nearly 700 passing yards and six total touchdowns. Brady and the Patriots won 43-40 on a field goal as time expired.
    • Following Brady-Mahomes, the October slate of star-studded QB matchups continues one week later (Oct. 9) with a divisional battle as Joe Burrow and the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals visit Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Then to close out the month, back-to-back NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers visit Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 30 in a matchup of 2021 division winners.
    • Holiday Helpings: SNF will showcase a trio of holiday matchups. Kirk Cousins and the Vikings host the first-ever Thanksgiving game in Minnesota, against the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick, who has a 3-1 record on the holiday. Then on Christmas Day, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers visit the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray, who is only player in NFL history with 70+ passing touchdowns and 20+ rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons. And on New Year’s night, Matthew Stafford and the Rams face the Chargers and AFC passing yards leader Justin Herbert, in a battle for Los Angeles bragging rights.

 

NBC SPORTS TO PRESENT 24 NFL GAMES IN 2022: On NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports will present 20 regular-season games, including 18 regular-season Sunday Night Football games, NFL Kickoff 2022, and the annual Thanksgiving night game. NBC’s original Sunday Night Football agreement, which began in 2006, included 17 regular-season games. It was increased to 18 games in 2010, 19 games in 2012, and 20 games in 2021. NBC Sports will present three postseason games on NBC and Peacock – with a Divisional Playoff game and two Wild Card Playoff games. In the preseason, NBC and Peacock will be home to the Hall of Fame Game (Las Vegas Raiders vs. Jacksonville Jaguars) in primetime on Thurs., Aug. 4.

TELEMUNDO DEPORTES TO PRESENT ENTIRE NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS: Telemundo Deportes will again provide exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package with 20 regular season games, including 18 regular-season Sunday Night Football games, NFL Kickoff 2022, and the annual Thanksgiving night game, which will air on Telemundo and wrap up a full day of futbol and football. Telemundo Deportes will present three playoff matchups, including a Divisional Playoff game and two Wild Card Playoff games. All 23 NFL games this season will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE ON NBC, PEACOCK & TELEMUNDO DEPORTES: On the weekend of January 14-15, NBC and Peacock deliver a pair of Wild Card Playoff games, including the primetime Sunday Wild Card playoff game, followed by a Divisional Playoff game on the weekend of January 21-22. Telemundo will broadcast the primetime Sunday Wild Card playoff game, with Universo televising NBC Sports’ second Wild Card Playoff game and the Divisional Playoff game.

NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES: NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via authentication, giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts.

SNF ON PACE TO BE TELEVISION’S NO. 1 PRIMETIME SHOW FOR RECORD 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR: Sunday Night Football topped all primetime television series in the fall and is once again pacing to finish as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 11th consecutive year. NBC’s SNF extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen.

Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950

11 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2021-22; on pace)

6 years in a row – American Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11)

5 years in a row – The Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)…tied Cheers in ‘89-90

5 years in a row – All in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76)

4 years in a row – Gunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61)

 

2022 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thurs. Sept. 8 NFL Kickoff  Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams
Sun. Sept. 11 Week 1   Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys
Sun. Sept. 18 Week 2   Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Sun. Sept. 25 Week 3   San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos
Sun. Oct. 2 Week 4 Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
*Sun. Oct. 9 Week 5   Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
*Sun. Oct. 16 Week 6 Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
*Sun. Oct. 23 Week 7 Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
*Sun. Oct. 30 Week 8 Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills
*Sun. Nov. 6 Week 9 Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs
*Sun. Nov. 13 Week 10 Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers
*Sun. Nov. 20 Week 11  Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
**Thurs. Nov. 24 Week 12 New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings
*Sun. Nov. 27 Week 12 Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles
*Sun. Dec. 4 Week 13 Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys
*Sun. Dec. 11 Week 14 Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
*Sun. Dec. 18 Week 15 New England Patriots at Las Vegas Raiders
Sun. Dec. 25 Week 16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals
*Sun. Jan. 1 Week 17 Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers
*Sun. Jan. 8 Week 18 TBD

 

*Flex Week

** Thanksgiving Night Game

 

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING: This season, “flexible scheduling” for Sunday night may be used twice between Weeks 5-10, and during Weeks 11-15 and Week 17. In weeks of the season eligible for “flexible scheduling,” the games listed for Sunday Night Football are tentative and subject to change. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to a Sunday afternoon.  

Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.

 For more information about NBC Sports shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com

—SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL—

ROB HYLAND NAMED COORDINATING PRODUCER OF NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

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Hyland to Continue as NBC Olympics Primetime Producer; Previously Led NBC Sports’ Production of Football Night in America, Notre Dame Football and Triple Crown Horse Racing

NFL Kickoff Game is Thursday, Sept. 8, in Primetime on NBC, Universo & Peacock

NBC’s Sunday Night Football is Primetime TV’s #1 Show for Unprecedented 11 Consecutive Years

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 10, 2022 – Rob Hyland, who joined NBC Sports in 1997 and has produced many of the network’s biggest events, has been named the coordinating producer of NBC Sunday Night Football, primetime TV’s #1 show for an unprecedented 11 consecutive years.

Hyland’s first game in the role will be the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in primetime on Thursday, Aug. 4, alongside director Drew Esocoff and featuring the new SNF announce team of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark. On Thursday, Sept. 8, NBC Sports presents the NFL Kickoff Game on NBC, Universo and Peacock.

“Working on a wide range of sports and properties throughout his NBC Sports career, Rob has consistently excelled, producing dynamic and compelling coverage,” said Pete Bevacqua, NBC Sports Chairman. “We are excited to have Rob in the chair for Sunday Night Football, to carry on the legacy of best-in-class game presentation and storytelling that have made SNF destination viewing as primetime’s #1 show for a historic 11 years running.”

An 18-time Sports Emmy winner, Hyland will continue as the producer of NBC’s primetime Olympics coverage – an assignment he began with last summer’s Tokyo Olympics and continued in February with the Winter Olympics in Beijing. For the past four NFL seasons (2018-21), he served as the coordinating producer of Football Night in America – sports’ most-watched weekly studio show. In addition, Hyland led the network’s Notre Dame Football coverage for the last 13 seasons, and oversaw two Triple Crowns during his 10 years as coordinating producer of horse racing.

Hyland joined NBC Sports in 1997 from Williams College, where he started as an offensive lineman on the football team.

– SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL –

MIKE TIRICO, CRIS COLLINSWORTH & MELISSA STARK TO CALL NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

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Tirico and Collinsworth – Who Have Called 21 NFL Games Together – and Stark to Kick Off Season at Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock

NFL Kickoff Game is Thursday, Sept. 8, in Primetime on NBC, Universo & Peacock

NBC’s Sunday Night Football is Primetime TV’s #1 Show for Unprecedented 11 Consecutive Years

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 19, 2022 – NBC Sports today announced its new Sunday Night Football announce team, featuring Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth in the booth and Melissa Stark on the sidelines.

Tirico and Collinsworth have teamed to call 21 NFL games (19 regular season, two preseason) since Tirico joined NBC Sports in 2016. Stark, NBC Sports’ newest team member, served as sideline reporter for ABC’s Monday Night Football for three seasons (2000-02), and has been a host and reporter for NFL Network since 2011.

“Sunday Night Football is destination viewing and we are thrilled to have Mike, Cris and Melissa call the action and tell the stories that football fans have come to expect from primetime TV’s #1 show,” said Pete Bevacqua, NBC Sports Chairman.

The trio will work its first game together at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in primetime on Thursday, Aug. 4 on NBC and Peacock. On Thursday, Sept. 8, Tirico, Collinsworth and Stark will call the NFL Kickoff Game on NBC and Peacock.

Following is a look at the NBC Sunday Night Football announce team:

Mike Tirico (Play-by-Play)

    • Calls primetime NFL games for his 17th consecutive season this fall
    • Recently nominated for a Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Sports Personality–Host category for the third consecutive year following a stretch in which he anchored the Tokyo Olympics in primetime, the Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show, Football Night in America, horse racing’s Triple Crown, golf’s U.S. Open, and the Indianapolis 500
    • One of only four play-by-play announcers to work primetime NFL package for at least 10 seasons (ESPN Monday Night Football, 2006-15)
    • Served as on-site and studio host of NBC’s Football Night in America – the most-watched studio show in sports – since 2016.
    • Serves as NBC’s primetime Olympics host

 

Cris Collinsworth (Analyst)

    • Begins 14th season in NBC Sunday Night Football booth this fall, following three seasons on NBC’s Football Night in America (2006-08)
    • Previously called NFL games on NFL Network from 2006-08, FOX from 2002-04 and NBC from 1990-95, and served as a studio analyst for NBC, FOX and HBO
    • A 16-time Sports Emmy Award-winner for his work on games and in-studio, has been a finalist for Outstanding Event Analyst in 15 of the last 16 years (including 2021 NFL season)
    • Majority owner of Pro Football Focus, which utilizes an exclusive and proprietary grading system to analyze the performance of every NFL and college player on each snap
    • In eight-year NFL career as wide receiver with Cincinnati Bengals (1981-88), earned three Pro Bowl trips and played in two Super Bowls

 

Melissa Stark (Sideline Reporter)

    • Spent three seasons as sideline reporter for ABC’s Monday Night Football (2000-02)
    • Host and reporter with NFL Network since 2011 (including host of Sports Emmy Award-winning NFL 360), and will continue select assignments
    • After MNF role, spent four years (2003-07) with NBC News, serving as TODAY show national correspondent and newsreader, and MSNBC anchor
    • Worked three Olympics with NBC Sports (2004, 2006 and 2008)
    • Prior to joining MNF, served as an ESPN reporter/correspondent on a range of properties and shows, including NFL Countdown

 

NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by coordinating producer Rob Hyland and director Drew Esocoff. Sam Flood is Executive Producer & President, NBC Sports Production. Fred Gaudelli is executive producer of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football has been primetime TV’s #1 show for an unprecedented 11 consecutive years.

– NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL –

NBC Sports Conference Call Transcript: Super Bowl LVI with Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya, Kathryn Tappen, Terry McAulay, Executive Producer Fred Gaudelli and Director Drew Esocoff

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Monday, Feb. 7

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to our Super Bowl 56 conference call. NBC Sports ‘Super Gold Sunday,’ this Sunday, February 13 begins with Beijing Olympic coverage at 8:00 a.m. eastern. At Noon eastern, the football begins with Road to the Super Bowl, followed at 1:00 p.m. eastern by Super Bowl 56 pregame.

Then the team on this call will work Super Bowl 56 beginning at 6:30 p.m. eastern. We’re joined today by Al Michaels, who on Sunday calls his 11th Super Bowl, tying Pat Summerall for the most ever by a TV play-by-play voice and our analyst is Cris Collinsworth, who calls his fifth Super Bowl, and fourth in the booth with Al. Chris is one of six players who played in both Cincinnati Bengals’ prior Super Bowls following the 1981 and ’88 seasons.

Our sideline reporters are Michele Tafoya, who works her fifth Super Bowl, and Kathryn Tappen, who makes her Super Bowl debut on the game side. Our rules analyst is Terry McAulay, referee for three Super Bowls. Our team is lead by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff, who will work their seventh Super Bowl together.

We’ll begin with comments from the whole team and then we will take your questions. We’ll kick it off with our executive producer, Fred Gaudelli.

FRED GAUDELLI: Thanks, Dan. This will be the fifth Super Bowl for NBC since we acquired the Sunday Night Football package. We’ve had four beauties leading into this, and we’re hoping Sunday will make it a fifth.

Either Al or the LA Chamber of Commerce dialed up a week of weather that is going to be unbelievable out here. Ideal playing conditions on Sunday, so we’re just excited for a great game.

DREW ESOCOFF: I’m just happy to be here for our seventh Super Bowl that Freddie and I are doing together. It’s a great honor. I think we have a great plan. It’s a great venue. It’s an event with tremendous scope and great athleticism. We hope to cover both.

It should be a terrific game. The Rams as the home team and the Bengals have made it — they’ve been clawing their way back ever since Collinsworth retired — and they finally made it. (Laughter)

AL MICHAELS: I can’t remember a time when the NFL has been hotter. These last six playoff games have been so fabulous. It’s a big part of the national conversation, and they know our gang is ready to go.

We’ve worked together for a lot of years. We’ve treated every Sunday night game like a mini–Super Bowl. We’re always overprepared, but then the game starts, and we just fold ourselves into what’s happening on the field.

As Fred mentioned, I live in LA. Supposed to be in the 80s all week, so it’s a home game for me. But I have all the bases covered. Cris and I both have Cincinnati connections. I broadcast the Reds games in the early ’70s and did the Reds-As World Series on NBC in 1972. Now ready to do the Bengals in the Super Bowl on NBC in 2022, which is crazy.

That was a dramatic seven-game World Series. I just hope the Super Bowl provides that sort of drama on Sunday. Now over to the real Cincinnati kid with, roots in Florida, of course. Partner, take it away.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: I hadn’t really thought about clawing my way back for the last 33 years, but you’ve been clawing your way back longer than I have. That’s right, mid-70s, there you go.

I’m obviously excited. I’m human. I can’t help myself. It’s going to be fun. I would have bought a ticket regardless to go watch this game. I just happened to get the best seat in the house and sit next to my partner, and what could be better.

I love the quarterback match-up in this game. I think it’s arguably the best collection of wide receivers that you’ll see on the field all season long. Terrific talent at the running back, and maybe the best stories in this game are all on the defensive side of the ball.

That makes for a fun broadcast, and I’m really looking forward to being a part of it with my partner, Ms. Michele Tafoya.

MICHELE TAFOYA: Well, thank you for that. I’m excited for you, too, Cris. No one would confirm nor deny if tears were shed in the Collinsworth household once they won the AFC Championship Game.

I’m excited about this game because I talk to so many people who are excited about this game — people not associated with television, who are just friends, family, who are excited about Joe Burrow and excited about Matthew Stafford and all the other storylines that Cris just mentioned.

I just think it’s intriguing. Some people have used the word ‘refreshing’ to see a couple of different quarterbacks than we’re used to seeing at this stage of the game. I’m originally form the Los Angeles-area. It’s a neat way to finish up the season for me, and I’m just looking forward to a good game. Kathryn Tappen?

KATHRYN TAPPEN: Thanks, Michele. I’m very excited to broadcast my first Super Bowl on the sideline, and with this broadcast team, the best in the game, it’s just a pinch-me moment for me. I’ve long admired and respected Michele, and to be sharing those sidelines with her, it’s a true honor. Having the opportunity to cover both of these teams in recent weeks – the Bengals in the Wild Card game we did, and then the Rams in the NFC Divisional game, I mean I’ve had extensive time to spend with these two teams, and I just love these storylines. I think we’re going to have a great game on Sunday. No shortage of things to talk about, and I’m super pumped for kickoff.

TERRY MCAULAY: Let me just say I’m thrilled to once again be part of the greatest single event in sports. This will actually be my second time working the Super Bowl with Al, Cris, Fred, and Drew, albeit in quite a different capacity, and I can honestly say I’m every bit as excited to work the game as a broadcaster as I was referring the game on the field. It is truly an honor to be part of this terrific team.

Q. Drew and Fred, just wondering technically how many cameras on Sunday and anything new coming?

FRED GAUDELLI: You know, we’ll probably have — in terms of cameras that shoot the game, that actually shoot the field and the play and the players — we’ll probably have 40 cameras.

Obviously, all those cameras will be recorded and be able to use for replay. We’ll be debuting a brand-new graphic look, a new score bug, a lot of virtual reality and augmented reality.

Obviously, when Drew and I do the Super Bowl, we just try to have all the angles that will provide answers to were his feet inbounds? Was his knee down before the ball came out? The kinds of questions that coaches need answers to to challenge or replay needs answers to to stop the game and review.

So those will probably be the highlights of the camera coverage.

Q. Cris, I wanted to ask you about the Bengals and the way they’ve built their roster. There was some question over who they should draft this year, and a lot of people felt they should take the offensive tackle because you’ve got to protect Joe Burrow, and that’s the general line of thinking in the NFL. You’ve got to beef up your offensive line to protect the quarterback. But the Bengals and Zac Taylor said they wanted to draft another receiver just because it gave Joe Burrow so many weapons, that it almost doesn’t matter necessarily who’s blocking, he can get rid of the ball so quickly. What do you think of that, and what do you think of the way the Bengals built around their wide receivers?

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: Yeah, Penei Sewell is a really good player, but he’s not been what Ja’Marr Chase has been this year. Ja’Marr Chase, in my estimation, is already the best receiver that I’ve ever seen play with a Cincinnati Bengals uniform on, and I don’t say that lightly.

Isaac Curtis is a dear friend of mine, and Chad Ochocinco was phenomenal during his run here.

But the number of times I’ve seen Ja’Marr Chase catch the football, five or ten yards down the field, and score a touchdown without anybody tackling him obviously, first of all, but usually nobody touching him, his catch-and-run skills have just been so much fun to watch this season.

I had a chance — the bizarre part about this game is I think for all of us to be doing a team in the Super Bowl that we did not do on Sunday Night Football. The odds of that are not very good at all, so I literally went back and watched all the throws, all the catches, all the plays.

This group of receivers is really phenomenal, and they are a balanced bunch, with Chase obviously being the explosive guy. Tee Higgins is a monster on the field; big, strong, contested catches. And Tyler Boyd is somebody that is just a bit of a street fighter, and all the big moments and all those clutch third-down conversions he’s been making for this team all season long.

It was really a joy for me to go back and really get familiar with this group of receivers and this quarterback who I’ve told a couple of our guys already that I think he’s followed by angels. Joe Burrow has escaped some moments this year that you just can’t imagine, and you saw a little bit of it against the Chiefs and Chris Jones in that Championship Game.

They’re a fun watch. I don’t know how much America is familiar with them because there haven’t been that many sort of primetime games, but they are definitely a fun watch.

Q. Cris, aside from the — you mentioned the personal meaning of this for you. Over this past week, has this been kind of a chance to reconnect with former teammates, some of you guys on text chains sort of talking about what this is going to be like? What’s that part of it been like for you?

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: Yeah, I’ll tell you, I’ve been kind of holed up getting ready for this game. I don’t leave the basement very often.

But I did go to the Bengals’ practice, and it was tremendous. Mike Brown is a guy that in many ways I feel like gets the short end of the stick sometimes because he’s not Jerry Jones, he’s not a big PR guy, he’s not out front and center all the time.

But I went away to go play in the USFL — or sign a contract, never actually played — and when the league wasn’t ready or was nearing an end, I went back to the Bengals. He welcomes me with open arms in 1988. I was sort of at the end of my career. Started law school.

He let me miss morning meetings to go to law school classes and could not have been more warm and gracious when I walked into that practice the other day. I really appreciate him. I always have. I’m happy for them.

But the bizarre part about this game is that we probably, or I probably, had more relationships with the Rams than I did the Bengals. I had never met the offensive or defensive coordinator before. I had only met Zac Taylor a couple of times before. We hadn’t done one of their games.

It was a weird week for me that I had to do almost all my preparation with the Bengals because I knew so much more about the Rams.

Q. For Cris and Al, because you both live there, can you speak to what the Bengals’ success and specifically this run would mean to that city, because they haven’t had a major championship since the Reds won the World Series in ’91? What do you think it would mean to them if they actually got this done?

AL MICHAELS: It’s a great sports town. I don’t have to tell you. When I was 26 years old, I’d go in to do the Cincinnati Reds. It’s the original Major League team. I mean, Cincinnati is baseball.

And then when the Bengals came in in 1968 as an expansion team, had a lot of early success, and when I was there I got to go to a number of Bengals games.

The town was very excited with football, with professional football. The fact that they went to two Super Bowls in the ’80s was tremendous, and then through the years it’s been rough, even though they’ve made a lot of playoff appearances, and finally they get over the hump.

Having spent three years there, I loved every moment of it. A fantastic sports town. Here’s the man who can answer that best of all.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: Well, I don’t live in Los Angeles, but I do know that this is a big story in Los Angeles, as well.

But in a few weeks or months or whatever, you’re going to have the Academy Awards and you’re going to have the Grammy Awards and you’re going to have — there’s always the Lakers, the Dodgers, there’s always something. There’s always the next story.

In Cincinnati, you can’t imagine what it’s like right here right now. The town is lit up in all the orange imaginable. You turn on the nightly news and it’s the only story in some ways that is happening in this town.

I think for a Midwestern city, when they get this kind of opportunity, when they get the chance to go on the world stage in many ways for the first time in over 30 years, that there’s a buzz and an excitement and a coming together for a city that can only happen when these sort of moments come along.

As happy as I am for the Cincinnati Bengals and their organization, I feel like I’m even happier for the town of Cincinnati, because it really has galvanized this place.

Q. Last time we saw Von Miller in a Super Bowl we saw him take over and basically put rings on everybody’s hands in Denver. I know he’s not in his prime, but do either of you think that Von is still a guy that can take over a game and is going to demand sort of special attention from Zac and his coaching staff?

AL MICHAELS: Obviously he’s still a really good player, and the great thing about where he is right now are some of the other guys he’s playing with. When you’re along a defensive front and you’ve got Aaron Donald there, that can only be very helpful to everybody. And the rest of the team obviously with Jalen Ramsey and Eric Weddle is back there right now, which is a story unto itself.

It’s funny. We had a meeting before the Tampa Bay divisional game with the Rams, and we talked to Von about playing alongside Donald in effect, and Cris was in on the meeting, too.

He said, ‘I just move him away. I give him all the space he needs.’ It’s a great two-pronged situation for the Rams’ defense.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: The basic question was can he still disrupt a game and do what he did in that first Super Bowl, and one of Al’s favorite answers that I give him all the time is, “Hell, yeah.”

I go back to the game that we did against Tampa that basically they were trying to help so much against Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd and the other guys they have up there that Von Miller got a lot of one-on-ones, and he won, and he made big plays coming off the edge.

It’s a pick-your-poison kind of situation for the Cincinnati Bengals in this one. You have to pay attention to Aaron Donald. Typically he’s inside, and that’s the shortest path to the quarterback, so you do have to settle that first.

But regardless of who Von Miller lines up against in one-on-one pass-blocking situations, that’s a problem and a big problem to deal with.

Q. What’s it been like working with Mike Tirico as he’s juggled the Olympics and the Super Bowl this year?

FRED GAUDELLI: I’ve known Mike since the mid-‘ 80s. We were both at ESPN at the same time, and the one thing I would say about Mike, his capacity to work is remarkable. You really can’t throw too many things on his plate, and he handles each of them with great aplomb. He’s just a real professional.

Obviously this is a rare occurrence where you’re hosting the Olympics and the Super Bowl pregame on the same day, over the same weekend. Working with Mike has just been great.

Like I said, it’s been a long time for me, and it’s no easy feat what he’s pulling off here.

DREW ESOCOFF: Working with Mike, as Fred said, is very easy. I worked with him on horse racing, and hosting those shows is no easy task, especially the Kentucky Derby. He does it like nobody else can.

When we have to switch over, it’s not a problem. He and Cris work well together. I mean what he does is incredible.

Q. Drew, some of your technical folks, I know you have a new augmented reality camera with Steadicam, which allows you to do some different looks on the move for some of your AR graphics, and I was curious how you think you’ll use that as well as any other new looks that you’re looking forward to using through the game?

DREW ESOCOFF: Yeah, it is new for us. We have a virtual configuration on several other cameras throughout the course of the year. We have a very experienced Steadicam operator doing these kinds of things, and it’s going to be something that we’ll play with during the course of the week.

If it makes things better, we’ll use it. If things are better the way we’ve been doing it, we’ll stick with that. These things are enhancements to the show. We’re not going to let it drive the broadcast.

We spoke earlier about additional cameras. Most of those cameras are there to get better looks or more intimate looks than some traditional angles, and like Fred said, to make sure we have defining looks of critical plays throughout the game.

The biggest trap I’ve found doing Super Bowls or really any event of this magnitude is the more you can stick with what got you to where you are, the better off you are.

It’s cool to have all these new gadgets, and we’ll work them in when applicable and if it makes things better. And I think in the case of virtual graphics off the Steadicam, I think it will make certain things better, and I hope to be able to work that into the telecast.

Q. Terry, were you bothered or even offended by the frequency of flags that were picked up or thrown after the fact all season after getting help from above or afar? And Al and Cris, with all the coach and player retirements, Brady, Ben, maybe Rodgers, and this game with the young coaches and Burrow and Chase sort of representing the new superstars, does this game have a genuine changing of the guard feel in the NFL?

TERRY McAULAY: You know, obviously it’s speculation as we watch to see whether there was help from above for a lot of those flags. It seemed like, yes, there were a lot of conversations that were involving not as much talk on the field as listening.

I think it’s something the NFL competition committee is going to have to work on and decide what are the exact parameters, because what the crews are doing, they want to get it right. That’s their ultimate goal.

Sometimes we’ve seen it happen in the past. They may stretch it to look at the board or listen from above to get the play exactly right, and it’s understandable.

But I think what has to happen is the committee has to decide what the exact parameters are, and we’ll all adjust. Every one of us will adjust if we know what it is going forward — coaches, players, fans, announcers will adjust.

It’s the unknown that is making me and a lot of others a little concerned at this point to see how it plays out. I will say this: I think after about week 8, we saw a lot less of it than I think we saw in the beginning of the season.

I don’t recall much at all even in the playoffs, so it may be a non-issue at this particular moment, and hopefully it won’t be an issue this coming weekend.

AL MICHAELS: In relation to the changing of the guard, there’s a changing of the guard every few years in the National Football League. Who’s going to replace Johnny Unitas? Who’s going to replay Joe Montana and John Elway and Dan Marino? Then along comes the 2000s with Tom Brady.

We all know that the new guys come into the mix. It’s really always been the case. There’s always a little bit of handwringing when there are a bunch of good guys getting older and people say, What’s next?

But we now know what’s next, and certainly Joe Burrow is right at the top of that list right now along with somebody like Kyler Murray, along with Lamar Jackson. So you have all of these guys who are getting older and/or retiring, and yet there’s always a new pipeline, and especially the way college football is these days with so much of a pro look and a lot of what the pros have taken from college just folds in perfectly to these guys coming in and being as successful as they have been early on in their career.

To me, it’s just an evolving process and the National Football League is very fortunate, that I think it will continue for a long, long time.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: It’s interesting for me, the question, because certainly with Mahomes and Herbert and Burrow and Josh Allen, and go down the list of these young quarterbacks, we’re in great shape in the National Football League as far as our broadcasts are concerned with the stars that are out there.

But this is the first Super Bowl, and this is my fifth, that didn’t have Tom Brady and didn’t have Bill Belichick, which speaks loud and clear about exactly what those two have meant to the National Football League.

The idea that we’re not going to see Tom Brady again, and we did end up calling that last game. So it is a bit reflective with Ben and with Drew Brees last year and you go right down the list. It’s different, but it’s just as exciting.

Q. Al and Cris, how much is the Brian Flores situation overshadowing this game? And Michele, your thoughts about this being your last game?

AL MICHAELS: Obviously there are a ton of stories out there, and there’s plenty of time to engage the audience in those stories. I think Fred can speak to the fact of how this will be handled.

FRED GAUDELLI: It’s going to be handled in our pregame show somewhat significantly and thoughtfully. I’m not sure how this comes up in the game unless the game was a really one-sided rout or something like that.

But I know that we’ve been discussing and planning for the pregame show, and that’s the primary place it’s going to happen, and probably the only place it’s going to happen on Super Bowl Sunday.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: I was happy personally that Roger addressed…you know, when you have Leslie Frazier and Todd Bowles…go down the list, it’s frustrating.

I think as broadcasters, sometimes I think we get to know these great coaches more so than the other owners in the league because they are assistants and they’re hard to get to know.

We get a lot of calls from owners about these guys and what are they like and what do you think and all that sort of stuff. Yeah, I know that those coaches are frustrated. I know a lot of players are frustrated. It sounds like the commissioner is frustrated, and I think I am, too, because those are very deserving people.

MICHELE TAFOYA: Thanks for the question. I don’t want to be part of the story necessarily, but I do appreciate, more than ever this opportunity to do a fifth Super Bowl, to do it with this crew. I’ve worked a lot with this crew, and they are a family of mine.

That’s the hard part for me, knowing that the family is going to get a little shake-up here. When people ask me what I’m going to miss, it’s that. It’s my family, this second family of mine. While I’m overjoyed to have the opportunity to spend more time with my own immediate family, and I’m so, so excited about that, I will miss these people.

Oh, shoot, I don’t want to get emotional here.

I think that’s the biggest part, and talking to players every week, I’ve been talking to guys this week that I’ve known for so long and sharing stories and just talking about how that’s going to be the hard part.

We were all talking about how you get to a certain point, and you’ve chased what you wanted to chase, a particular arena in your life, and there are other things you want to chase, and that’s how I feel, and I feel strongly about that. It’s going to be hard walking out of there leaving these folks.

I thank God for Zoom and phones and all the accessible ways we have to access each other that I will be using because I can’t say it enough, I love this group. I love these guys, and that’s going to be the hard part.

Q. Michele and Kathryn, how does being on the sidelines for a Super Bowl and your prep ahead of Sunday differ from a regular season Sunday night game?

KATHRYN TAPPEN: I think the biggest difference for us is that the storytelling becomes less about the players and their lives and things behind the scenes that maybe we bring throughout the regular season a little bit more.

We become hypersensitive to what’s happening right on the field there, right on the sidelines, and something as basic as maybe a guy is getting an ankle taped, and it might not be an injury at that point in time, but it might be something that’s significant in two or three more plays that we have to circle back to.

We want to know, we talked to the backup quarterback. Things like that become more and more important that typically during the week we might not do. I’ll let Michele chime in here, as well — but less and less about the storytelling and more about what we’re seeing on that football field at that point in time.

MICHELE TAFOYA: I think that’s a fair way of summarizing it. The game is the thing. The game is always the thing, and it dictates how we get paced in there — you really got to pick your spots, and that becomes more important.

I like this stepping back macro approach we get to take this week and really just kind of look at this whole big event. It’s just kind of like a wait-and-see, what’s going to be important, where are we going to fit in.

I’m excited about it. Honestly, my hope is just we have a hell of a game, because the playoffs have been so good and you just want it to continue. My prediction is that we will, and I hope I didn’t just put the kibosh on it.

AL MICHAELS: Michele and I have worked on about 300 shows together. I met her three hours before we went on the air in an NBA game Christmas day 2003 in LA between the Lakers and the Houston Rockets. Yao Ming was a rookie. She always hits the mark.

I’ve never had more confidence in anybody, leading to them knowing that they will be right there. Michele talks about the family, and we’re going to miss her desperately and dearly. She is as good a reporter as there is print or electronic as far as I’m concerned in the business. Just a joy to work with, and, sis, we’re going to miss you, too. That’s all I can say.

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: I am with you. I’m jumping on that, too. I never had a sister, but if you ever had the sister that was in the room with a roomful of boys that could more than hold her own, and in many ways lead that roomful of boys, that’s who we had and have in Michele Tafoya.

She keeps us entertained. She keeps us laughing. She brings great joy not only on the broadcast, but in all the prep work and the behind-the-scenes. Some of the best memories that I’m going to have of working with this group of NBC people are just the bus rides and the car rides and just laughing hysterically, and so many times Michele Tafoya has been front and center of those discussions.

We’re going to miss you, but I’m not treating it like that because we’re going to be harassing you forever.

AL MICHAELS: Amen.

MICHELE TAFOYA: I’m so glad this is not on a Zoom where people can see me right now. That’s all I’ve gotta say.

Q. Fred and Al, just generally, why do you think NFL ratings have been up this season?

FRED GAUDELLI: Look, like everything else in life, ratings are cyclical. Obviously the last two years we’ve been in a place in our country we haven’t been in over 100 years with the pandemic, and that had a great effect last year.

The quality of play, especially in the playoffs, has been unbelievable. It’s probably as exciting a playoffs as I can remember, and this is my 32nd year doing the NFL. The games were amazing. They were high scoring, and even the defensive battle in Green Bay between San Francisco and the Packers was just so compelling.

When you have events like that that more than live up to the hype, you’re going to get people in the tent and you’re going to get more people in the tent. They tell more people, and before you know it, you have increased ratings.

During the regular season I just think it was a combination of the country was coming back, people are learning to, unfortunately, live with what we’re living with right now, but not letting it stop your traditional routines.

We’ve been able to adjust, and I think that played a big reason and was a big reason as to why the ratings were up this year.

AL MICHAELS: I’ll piggy-back a lot of what Fred just said. I think it’s unscripted television. There’s a lot of good television out there these days, and there’s a lot of pretty terrible television, scripted. Once in a while you’ll find a good show.

The unscripted live presentation of the National Football League and sports in general, it’s something different than anything else on television. It’s exciting. You don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know what the outcome is going to be.

I think through the years, too, and this is 36 years of doing the NFL in primetime, I’m even amazed sitting there and watching how beautiful this game looks, how fantastically well it’s televised.

Drew Esocoff, he doesn’t do take 20, you get one take. We all live in this adrenaline world where you want to be perfect, and we’re always trying to pitch the perfect game, but the pictures are so — they’re just so beautiful, and the drama, of course, and what we’ve seen over the past six playoff games, you want to do a movie. You can’t write movies like that and people know that, and they’re watching it live and it’s breathtaking in a way.

I think a lot of factors go into it, and I think you go back to the fact, football is the perfect television sport. Four or five seconds of action or less, and then maybe 30 seconds of perhaps inaction unless a team is playing hurry-up, and then replays, and every angle you possibly want. The way football is televised these days, I’m still — after all of these years, I’m still amazed.

Q. Mr. Michaels, I have a question about how this is your 11th Super Bowl you’ve been covering. Do you still remember your first Super Bowl?

AL MICHAELS: Oh, sure. It was Washington against Denver after the ’87 season. The game was played in San Diego. It looked like — a lot of Super Bowls to that point had been boring, snore-fests. This one looked like it was going to be pretty good.

You had John Elway going up against Washington. They took a 10-0 lead, Denver did in the first quarter, and the next thing you know at halftime it’s 35-10 Washington.

It’s the Doug Williams game. It’s the Timmy Smith game running for over 200 yards. It was 35-10 at the half, so all of a sudden this great game we thought we had turned out to be a game where in the second half all we’re doing is telling stories.

That was number one. And of the ten I’ve done, six of them have gone down to the last several seconds of the game or the last play of the game, and hopefully I’ll hit a lucky seven next Sunday.

Q. Cris, you were in the last Super Bowl for the Bengals against some guy named Montana. Does Joe Burrow look like a young Joe Montana growing up?

CRIS COLLINSWORTH: You know, it’s funny you say that, because I’ve never said that out loud, but in my mind that’s what it is, because we see so many of these sort of physically imposing quarterbacks that have these phenomenal skill sets, that they’re either so fast, the Lamar Jackson’s of the world, or have this incredible arm, the Josh Allen’s of the world or Patrick Mahomes or just great decision makers or whatever the case may be.

But what stands out for Joe Burrow is exactly what I always thought stood out for Joe Montana, and that was his presence, in the moment, when it matters most, when his team needs a play, when he needs to escape the rush.

He just has had a lot of that. He’s taken a lot of sacks this year, more sacks than anybody else, and yet he will tell you that he will never let anybody know that he’s hurt or hurting and gets up and he takes great pride in his team, his offensive line, and he’s just that kind of leader, just like Joe was.

I had the good fortune of being around Joe a little bit at the Pro Bowl and in later life, as well, and as hard and as much as I would not like to like Joe Montana after beating me twice in Super Bowls, you can’t help it. You can’t not like the guy. He’s just a magnet. And I think Joe Burrow has some of that, too.

Q. Michele, over the years that you’ve done this, what do you think is the absolute greatest on-field advancement of football? And Kathryn, do you believe that the running back position is over with, if you will, with the idea of Cordarrelle Patterson and all the other hybrids, Deebo Samuels? Do you think it’s ending knowing Derrick Henry had an injury this year?

MICHELE TAFOYA: So when you say advancement, I’m not exactly sure what specifically you’re asking about.

Q. As far as the game, the game is faster, the athleticism, all that kind of stuff. I wanted to see the differences you’ve found over the years as someone who’s been on the sidelines.

MICHELE TAFOYA: Yeah, it definitely seems to get faster all the time. The hits seem to get harder. But I’m encouraged at one thing. I am encouraged by a lot of things, but one of the things that I’m seeing that makes me a little hopeful is that it seems like we’re seeing some of that rugby-esque type of tackling being implemented.

So we want to obviously minimize head injuries and that’s a big part of player safety, and just for the sake of the players and the sake of the game, you want to see that.

Now, we’ve seen some devastating injuries. We saw Ryan Shazier, what happened to him. We’ve seen these devastating hits that still I think can be eliminated.

But I do like seeing some of this wrap the guy up below his chest and just do it in a smart way, and I hope to see that continue, because that’s one thing that has kind of sparked my imagination as to where the game can go.

I know people love the hits, but some of them are just flat-out dangerous and unnecessary really to accomplish the goal.

KATHRYN TAPPEN: For me, I don’t think we’ve seen — I’m actually surprised by the question, but I don’t think we’ve seen the end of that position. I think it’s a very valuable part to many of these teams’ game plan week in, week out.

You always hear them talk about running the ball, running the ball, and in particular with Joe Mixon, just eclipsing that 1,200 yard mark in rushing for the season. I think only four other Bengals’ players have run for more yards in a season that we’ve seen.

I don’t believe that we’ve seen the end of the running back position. I think it’s probably the less heralded one when you see guys making big plays like Cooper Kupp and you see Ja’Marr Chase, what he’s been able to do at the wide receiver position.

But probably a better question for Cris, but in my own opinion, I don’t believe that that position is going away anytime soon or will be less valuable moving forward, especially in big games like this.

NBC SPORTS’ STAR-STUDDED CAST TO PRESENT SUPER BOWL LVI, HEADLINING BIGGEST DAY IN SPORTS ON “SUPER GOLD SUNDAY” FEB. 13

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Al Michaels to Handle Record-Tying 11th Super Bowl TV Play-by-Play Call, Joined by Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya, Kathryn Tappen & Terry McAulay

Mike Tirico to Host Five-Hour Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show at 1 p.m. ET and Handle Lombardi Trophy Presentation on NBC & Peacock Amidst Hosting Winter Olympics Primetime Show

Maria Taylor Makes Super Bowl Hosting Debut Beginning Pregame at Santa Monica Pier, On-Field at Halftime & Postgame Anchor Post

Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees Makes Super Bowl TV Debut Alongside Fellow Super Bowl Champions Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison & Former NFL QB Chris Simms; Jac Collinsworth Makes Super Bowl Debut

NBC Sports’ NFL Insiders Mike Florio & Peter King Cover Respective 13th and 38th Super Bowls

Michael Holley and Michael Smith from Peacock’s Brother From Another to Report from AFC and NFC Team Hotels, while Access Hollywood’s Kit Hoover Goes Inside the NFL Tailgate

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rutledge Wood to Embark on “Super SoCal Adventure”; Steve Kornacki Makes “Super Sunday” Debut

Super Bowl Coverage on NBC and Peacock Bookended by Morning and Primetime Olympic Programming, Creating “Super Gold Sunday”

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 26, 2021 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Super Bowl LVI includes a star-studded commentating team as Los Angeles hosts its first Super Bowl in nearly three decades from SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 13, on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock. Super Bowl LVI marks the network’s 20th Super Bowl broadcast, and the first on Peacock. Telemundo will be the first Spanish-language broadcast network to air the Super Bowl.

In all, a record 27 hosts, analysts, and commentators will be in eight locations around Los Angeles and at SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl Sunday.

On Feb. 13, Super Bowl LVI and 2022 Winter Olympic Games converge across NBC Sports to create “Super Gold Sunday” – the biggest day in sports media history – featuring the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy in Los Angeles and multiple gold medal events in Beijing.

COMMENTATORS

Al Michaels, the play-by-play voice for NBC’s Sunday Night Football, calls Super Bowl LVI on NBC and Peacock. This marks Michaels’ 11th Super Bowl play-by-play assignment – tied for the most ever for a television commentator, joining former CBS and FOX announcer Pat Summerall (11).

Joining Michaels are 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst), who played in two Super Bowls as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals; four-time Sports Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporters); and three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay (rules analyst). This marks the fifth Super Bowl assignment for Collinsworth and Tafoya, and the first game assignment for both Tappen and McAulay.

The Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show features host Mike Tirico, who will make an unprecedented hosting double as he will anchor the Olympic primetime show in Beijing beginning Thursday, Feb. 3. He will also host NBC Sports’ Super Bowl halftime show and handle the Lombardi Trophy presentation after the game. Tirico’s first broadcast from SoFi Stadium will be the Friday, Feb. 11 Olympic primetime show on NBC and Peacock, where he will host from a special outdoor set.

Maria Taylor makes her Super Bowl hosting debut, starting Sunday’s pregame show at the famed Santa Monica Pier, before heading to the field at SoFi Stadium. At halftime, she will provide viewers with a “moments-away” look at what’s to come in the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show from backstage and on-field locations. After the game, Taylor will anchor from the main set at SoFi Stadium.

Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees makes his Super Bowl television debut on the Super Bowl pregame show alongside Football Night in America teammates and fellow Super Bowl champions Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison. Dungy won a Super Bowl as a player with the Pittsburgh Steelers (XIII) and as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts (XLI). Harrison won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots (XXXVIII and XXXIX).

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, whose father was MVP of Super Bowl XXI as quarterback of the New York Giants, joins Taylor at Santa Monica Pier before making his way to SoFi Stadium, while Jac Collinsworth makes his Super Bowl debut, working on the field alongside Harrison.

NBC Sports insiders Mike Florio and Peter King are covering their 13th and 38th Super Bowls, respectively. Florio will report on all the news surrounding Super Bowl LVI from on-location in Los Angeles, while King will present a feature and additional commentary. Steve Kornacki, NBC News’ celebrated political correspondent, will make his “Super Sunday” debut on the Super Bowl pregame show.

Throughout the pregame show, Michael Holley and Michael Smith from Peacock’s Brother From Another will report from the AFC and NFC team hotels, and Access Hollywood’s Kit Hoover will take viewers inside the NFL Tailgate at SoFi Stadium.

NBC Sports’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rutledge Wood will embark on a “Super SoCal Adventure,” bringing viewers to various landmarks throughout Los Angeles leading up to the game.

Coverage will be led by Emmy-Award winner, Miguel Gurwitz, along with Ana Jurka, Karim Mendiburu and special guest Rolando Cantu, a former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman. Carlos Mauricio Ramirez will handle play-by-play and Jorge Andres will provide game analysis. In addition, Andres Cantor will make an appearance on NBC Sports’ Super Bowl pregame show.

NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LVI is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff, who will work their seventh Super Bowl together. NBC Sports’ Super Bowl LVI Pregame coverage is produced by Tommy Roy and Matt Casey, and directed by Pierre Moossa. Sam Flood is the executive producer of NBC Sports.

COVERAGE SCHEDULE

Sunday’s coverage on NBC and Peacock’s premium tier begins at 8 a.m. ET with the Winter Olympics from Beijing. Super Bowl LVI coverage begins at Noon ET with the NFL Films-produced Road to the Super Bowl.

At 1 p.m. ET, the five-hour Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show kicks off from Los Angeles on NBC and Peacock, leading into Super Bowl LVI at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Telemundo’s pregame show kicks off at 5 p.m. ET and will feature news, analysis and debate ahead of the game, as well a look at the NFL’s commitment to Latino fans.

Peacock customers who subscribe to the premium tier enjoy access to stream all NBC Sunday Night Football games including preseason, playoffs and Super Bowl LVI.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream Super Bowl LVI to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs, giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

Following Super Bowl post-game coverage, including the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy, coverage from Beijing continues with the Winter Olympics Primetime Show at 10:45 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, which will feature gold medals awarded in ice dance figure skating and monobob. Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue (ice dance), and Kallie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor (monobob) are expected to contend for medals.

After 30 minutes of local news coverage at Midnight ET, the day concludes with the Winter Olympics Prime Plus Show at 12:30 a.m. ET.

NBC Sports’ Feb. 13 Schedule on NBC and Peacock (all times ET):

8 a.m. 2022 Winter Olympics
Noon Road to the Super Bowl
1 p.m. Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show
6:30 p.m. Super Bowl LVI
10:45 p.m. 2022 Winter Olympics Primetime Show
Midnight Late Local News*
12:30 a.m. 2022 Winter Olympics Prime Plus Show

*NBC only

 

—NBC SPORTS—

TOM BRADY & TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HOST AARON DONALD & LOS ANGELES RAMS IN NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS THIS SUNDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBC, PEACOCK, AND UNIVERSO

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Coverage Begins with Special Edition of Football Night in America Sunday at 2 p.m. ET

“Sunday Night 7” Free-to-Play Game Features $1 Million Jackpot

Peacock Exclusively Premieres First Episode of Five-Part Docuseries, EARNIN’ IT: The NFL’s Forward Progress, this Sunday

NBC Sports’ Presentation of Two NFL Super Wild Card Weekend Games Posts Viewership Milestones

NBC Sports to Present Super Bowl LVI Sunday, Feb. 13, from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 20, 2022 – Three-time NFL MVP Tom Brady and the defending-Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers host three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoffs from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., this Sunday, Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and Universo. Coverage begins with a special edition of Football Night in America Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The Buccaneers (14-4) and Rams (13-5) last met in Week 3, with Los Angeles topping Tampa Bay, 34-24, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for 343 yards and four touchdowns in the win, and Brady passed for 432 yards with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing).

Sunday’s game marks the third postseason meeting between the franchises, with the Rams holding a 2-0 series advantage. The last Playoff meeting came in the 1999 NFC Championship Game as the Rams won, 11-6, on their way to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia, 31-15, on Wild Card Weekend as Brady passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns and wide receiver Mike Evans caught nine passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. Brady, who has won seven Super Bowls and five Super Bowl MVPs, holds NFL postseason records for most career wins (35), passing yards (12,770), and passing touchdowns (85). The Buccaneers are aiming to become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions since Brady and the New England Patriots won Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX following the 2003 and 2004 seasons, respectively. As a member of the Patriots, Brady defeated the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI to win his first title.

Los Angeles defeated Arizona, 34-11, in the Wild Card round on Monday night as Stafford, who earned his first career Playoff victory, passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns and the Rams’ defense held the Cardinals to 183 total yards. Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who scored a touchdown against Arizona, led the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947), and touchdown catches (16) in the regular season, becoming the fourth player since 1970 to lead the league in all three categories in a single season.

Calling Rams-Buccaneers is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 36th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst); and four-time Sports Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporters). Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay will serve as the rules analyst.

NBC Sports’ coverage on Sunday is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff.

Football Night in America features host Maria Taylor, Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison and Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees will join co-host Jac Collinsworth to provide on-field analysis and reports from Raymond James Stadium.

NBC SPORTS’ PRESENTATION OF TWO NFL SUPER WILD CARD WEEKEND GAMES POSTS VIEWERSHIP MILESTONES

NBC Sports’ presentation of two NFL Super Wild Card Weekend games posted viewership milestones, delivered increases over the games in last year’s corresponding time slots, and set NBC Sports Digital NFL streaming records.

Across both games, NBC Sports’ Total Audience Delivery average of 29.7 million viewers is up 23% from its Super Wild Card Weekend coverage last year (24.1 million TAD).

Sunday night’s Steelers-Chiefs game averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 30.5 million viewers across NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital platforms – up 17% from last year’s Sunday night Wild Card game on the same platforms (26.1 million for Browns-Steelers), according to official data released today by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. The NBC audience of 28.9 million viewers ranks as television’s most-watched primetime show since Super Bowl LV in February 2021. Click here for more.

PEACOCK ORIGINAL DOCUSERIES EARNIN’ IT: THE NFL’S FORWARD PROGRESS BEGINS STREAMING THIS SUNDAY, JAN. 23

On Sunday, Peacock will exclusively premiere the first episode of EARNIN’ IT: The NFL’s Forward Progress, a five-part docuseries from NFL Films highlighting the careers of some of the most powerful women working in the NFL.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL CONCLUDES SEASON ON PACE TO BE TV’S #1 PRIMETIME SHOW FOR UNPRECEDENTED 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NBC Sports concluded its 16th season of Sunday Night Football, topping all primetime television series in the fall and once again pacing to finish as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 11th consecutive year in the most competitive time slot in media. NBC’s SNF extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950).

NBC Sunday Night Football posted a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 19.3 million viewers for the 2021 season – up 11% from last season (17.4 million), according to official national live plus same day data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Over the course of the season, viewers watched nearly 70 billion minutes of SNF – the most in a season since 2016. For more details, click here.

PEACOCK TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES FOR FIRST TIME THIS SEASON

For the first time ever, all of NBC Sports’ NFL regular-season games, playoff games, Super Bowl LVI, and Football Night in America will stream live on Peacock this season. Peacock features a slate of sports talk content NFL fans can enjoy on the NBC Sports channel, which is free to stream. Shows include Brother from Another, as well as The Dan Patrick Show, The Rich Eisen Show, PFT Live, PFT PM, Safety Blitz, The Peter King Podcast, and Chris Simms Unbuttoned.

To learn more about the NFL on Peacock, including how to watch and sign up, click here. Peacock Premium is included at no additional cost for Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers and Cox Contour customers.

NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

TELEMUNDO DEPORTES TO PRESENT ENTIRE NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS AND SUPER BOWL LVI

Telemundo Deportes will again carry the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package, including exclusive Spanish-language coverage of Super Bowl LVI, live for the first time on the Telemundo Network — marking the first time ever that a Super Bowl will be televised on a Spanish-language broadcast network in the U.S. The package also includes 20 regular season games that will be televised on Universo, including the NFL Kickoff game and the Thanksgiving primetime game, as well as a Wild Card game, and one Divisional Playoff game. In addition, Telemundo Network will broadcast the Sunday primetime Wild Card game. All games will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

“SUNDAY NIGHT 7” FREE-TO-PLAY GAME TO FEATURE $1 MILLION JACKPOT THROUGH DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

NBC Sports’ free-to-play NFL game, Sunday Night 7, will offer its $1 million weekly jackpot each week through the Divisional playoffs. Sunday Night 7 is available for download NOW on the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at NBCSports.com/Predictor.

During Wild Card Weekend, Sunday’s Steelers-Chiefs game had nine users finish in first place with a score of 45 points, and Saturday’s Raiders-Bengals game had four users finish in first place with a score of 50 points.

POINTSBET AND NBC SPORTS INCLUDE EXCLUSIVE BETTING INTEGRATIONS INTO FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA AND PEACOCK SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL FINAL POST-GAME SHOW

This season, PointsBet and NBC Sports include exclusive betting integrations on the Football Night in America studio show and the new Peacock Sunday Night Football Final postgame show. Click here for more information.

PETER KING’S NFL COLUMN “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” DEBUTS EVERY MONDAY EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM

A new “Football Morning in America” will post every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports. The Peter King Podcast streams weekly on Peacock on Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET.

CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED

NBC Sports’ Chris Simms examines everything happening in the NFL and around the sports world. Along with a rotation of NBC Sports hosts including Ahmed Fareed and Paul Burmeister, Chris Simms Unbuttoned analyses the NFL with in-depth Xs and Os breakdowns; one-on-one interviews with players, coaches and executives; and game recaps and preview. The show is available to stream on Peacock on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET.

NBC SPORTS EDGE

NBC Sports EDGE, part of the newly announced NBC Sports Next portfolio and one of the internet’s highest-trafficked fantasy sports and gaming websites, offers comprehensive fantasy football and betting coverage throughout the 2021 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. The industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, the 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Guide is available for purchase now via NBC Sports EDGE’s subscription model beginning at only $3.99 per month, and features more than 450 extensive player profiles, player projections, positional tiers, Top 200 rankings for PPR, Half-PPR, Non-PPR and Dynasty, as well as Individual Defensive Player rankings, sleepers and busts, drafting strategy articles, team reports and much more. NBC Sports EDGE also provides fantasy football coverage and betting insights through its digital shows, A Good Football Show and Bet the Edge.

PFT LIVE – WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON PEACOCK

Pro Football Talk streams live on Peacock’s NBC Sports on Peacock channel from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays and re-airs at 9 a.m. ET on Peacock. Florio is joined by veteran sports commentator Mike Golic on Monday mornings, co-host and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms from Tuesday – Thursday, with a special guest co-hosting on Fridays.

The two-hour PFT Live is known for delivering inside information and comprehensive analysis from an independent perspective. The show covers all the latest news around the league, breaks down reports and rumors and features interviews with players, coaches and executives.

PODCASTS

NBC Sports’ football podcasts provide extensive weekly offerings from NBC Sports’ most popular personalities and present special guests, exclusive interviews, and robust conversations across all of football on The Peter King Podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and A Good Football Show. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and A Good Football Show explores fantasy implications for fans. New episodes of NBC Sports podcasts are available for download each week on all major podcast platforms including:
NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA

    • SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Through the unique filter of Instagram, fans will get an in-depth look at each week’s Sunday Night Football game with the most engaging photos and videos from across the NFL. SNF also utilizes Instagram Stories for up-to-the-minute coverage of the league.
    • SNF ON TWITTER: The very latest news, video, analysis from the Football Night in America crew and much more lives on @SNFonNBC, the real-time engine for NBC’s year-round NFL coverage.
    • SNF ON FACEBOOK: With more than 3.5 million followers, SNF’s Facebook page is the hub of football conversation. It’s the place to converse and engage with fellow fans on the latest news and action across the NFL.
    • NBC SPORTS ON TIKTOK: NBC Sports’ presence on TikTok puts the spotlight on the offbeat and exuberant side of the National Football League for a young, highly-engaged audience.

 

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Washington will again deliver extensive multiplatform coverage of the 2021 NFL season, led by comprehensive live gameday shows, in-depth news, analysis and commentary programming, and multimedia digital content covering the teams in their respective markets.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Shot at Industrial Light & Magic’s cutting edge LED sound stage utilizing the company’s StageCraft LED virtual production technology recently used in “The Mandalorian,” the 2021 Sunday Night Football show open for the first time will feature a virtual football tailgate as a backdrop for Underwood’s performance of “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night.”

In addition, the show open will highlight user-generated cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, as well as fans’ self-recorded video from NFL tailgates.

–SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL–

NBC’S STEELERS-CHIEFS SUNDAY NFL WILD CARD GAME IS MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME SHOW SINCE SUPER BOWL LV

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Raiders-Bengals Game on NBC, Peacock & Universo Delivers Largest Saturday Late Afternoon Wild Card Audience since 1999 

NBC Sports’ NFL Super Wild Card Weekend Viewership UP 23% from Last Year 

Peacock, NBC Sports Digital & NFL Digital Properties Combine to Register Two Largest Audiences Ever for NBC NFL Playoff Games, Excluding Super Bowls 

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 19, 2022 – NBC Sports’ presentation of two NFL Super Wild Card Weekend games posted viewership milestones, delivered increases over the games in last year’s corresponding time slots, and set NBC Sports Digital NFL streaming records.

Across both games, NBC Sports’ Total Audience Delivery average of 29.7 million viewers is up 23% from its Super Wild Card Weekend coverage last year (24.1 million TAD).

Sunday Night (Pittsburgh-Kansas City)

Despite Kansas City’s 35-7 lead early in the third quarter, Sunday night’s Steelers-Chiefs game averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 30.5 million viewers across NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital platforms – up 17% from last year’s Sunday night Wild Card game on the same platforms (26.1 million for Browns-Steelers), according to official data released today by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

The NBC audience of 28.9 million viewers ranks as television’s most-watched primetime show since Super Bowl LV in February 2021. Viewership on NBC peaked at 33.8 million viewers at the end of the first half from 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET. Sunday night’s game (8:16-11:11 p.m. ET), highlighted by five Patrick Mahomes touchdown passes in Kansas City’s 42-21 win, registered a national TV household rating of 14.7/33 – up 10% from last year (13.4/28).

Steelers-Chiefs delivered an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 1.25 million viewers across Peacock, NBC Sports Digital platforms, NFL Digital platforms, Steelers and Chiefs mobile properties, and Yahoo Sports mobile properties – ranking as the most streamed NBC NFL playoff game ever, excluding Super Bowls. The prior NBC Sports’ NFL playoff record was set just one day earlier as Saturday’s Raiders-Bengals game delivered an AMA of 1.21 million viewers.

Top Metered Markets for Steelers-Chiefs:

1. Kansas City 50.5/80
2. Pittsburgh 41.0/67
3. Buffalo 27.0/48
4. New Orleans 23.1/40
5. Cincinnati 22.0/44
6. Nashville 20.7/39
7. Milwaukee 19.8/39
8. Albuquerque 19.1/36
9. Cleveland 18.9/40
10. Columbus 18.8/38

 

Saturday Afternoon (Las Vegas-Cincinnati)

Cincinnati’s 23-16 victory over Las Vegas, headlined by Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s 244 passing yards and two touchdowns in his first career playoff start, averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 29.0 million viewers — ranking as the most-watched Saturday afternoon Wild Card game since 1999 (30.7 million for Arizona-Dallas on ABC) and up 30% from NBC Sports’ Saturday night Wild Card game in January 2021 (22.3 million for Tampa Bay-Washington).

 Raiders-Bengals averaged 27.7 million viewers on NBC, an increase of 13% from last year’s LA. Rams-Seattle matchup in the same time window (24.5 million viewers on FOX). Saturday’s game (4:36-7:53 p.m. ET) registered a national TV household rating of 14.2/36 – up 23% from last year’s NBC Saturday Wild Card (11.5/25 for Bucs-WFT) and up 12% from Rams-Seattle in the same time slot (12.7/30).

Top Metered Markets for Raiders-Bengals:

1. Cincinnati 42.2/74
2. Dayton 28.6/54
3. New Orleans 26.5/50
4. Columbus 23.0/52
5. Buffalo 22.8/43
6. Kansas City 21.9/46
7. Las Vegas 21.4/54
8. Providence 19.5/41
9. Pittsburgh 18.9/41
T10. Nashville 18.5/38
T10. Milwaukee 18.5/44

 

This Sunday, Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, five-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game. Coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET with a special edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

PATRICK MAHOMES, JOE BURROW, BEN ROETHLISBERGER & DEREK CARR HEADLINE NBC SPORTS’ AFC WILD CARD DOUBLEHEADER THIS WEEKEND ON NBC, PEACOCK, TELEMUNDO & UNIVERSO

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Coverage of Raiders-Bengals Begins Saturday with Special Edition of Football Night in America at 3 p.m. ET Leading into Kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET

Sunday’s Coverage of Steelers-Chiefs Begins with FNIA at 7:30 p.m. ET Followed by 8:15 p.m. ET Kickoff

Sunday Night Football Concludes Season on Pace to be TV’s #1 Primetime Show for Unprecedented 11th Consecutive Year

“Sunday Night 7” Free-to-Play Game Features $1 Million Jackpot

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 12, 2022 – NBC Sports presents a pair of AFC Super Wild Card Weekend matchups this weekend on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and Universo, beginning Saturday when Joe Burrow and the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals host Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Universo. Coverage begins with a special 90-minute edition of Football Night in America at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

On Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs host Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo. Sunday’s coverage gets underway with Football Night in America at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

NO. 5 RAIDERS (10-7) AT NO. 4 BENGALS (10-7) SATURDAY AT 4:30 P.M. ET ON NBC, PEACOCK AND UNIVERSO; FNIA COVERAGE BEGINS AT 3 P.M. ET

Cincinnati won the AFC North for the first time since 2015 after finishing in last place in 2020. Burrow, who will make his playoff debut, ranked second in the NFL in passer rating (108.3), sixth in passing yards (4,611) and eighth in touchdown passes (34) this season. Rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase led the AFC in receiving yards (1,455) during the regular season and set the NFL record for most receiving yards in a single season by a rookie.

The Raiders, coming off a thrilling 35-32 overtime victory over the Chargers on Sunday Night Football in the regular season finale to clinch a playoff berth, made the postseason for the first time since 2016. Carr will also make his playoff debut after becoming the fourth player with at least 3,000 passing yards in each of his first eight seasons in NFL history, with a career-high 4,804 yards this season.

Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees (analyst) will call the game from Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday, joined by sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen, and three-time Super Bowl referee and rules analyst Terry McAulay.

NBC Sports’ coverage of Las Vegas-Cincinnati is led by coordinating producer Rob Hyland and director Pierre Moossa.

A special 90-minute edition of Football Night in America features host Maria Taylor, Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Co-host Jac Collinsworth and two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison will provide on-field analysis and reports from Paul Brown Stadium.

NO. 7 STEELERS (9-7-1) AT NO. 2 CHIEFS (12-5) SUNDAY AT 8:15 P.M. ET ON NBC, PEACOCK & TELEMUNDO; FNIA COVERAGE BEGINS AT 7:30 P.M. ET

Kansas City has now won six consecutive AFC West division titles. Mahomes, who has been a part of the past four division titles, finished fourth in the NFL in passing yards (4,839) and tied for fourth in touchdown passes (37) during the regular season.

The Steelers defeated division rival Baltimore, 16-13, in overtime in Week 18 to advance to the playoffs. Roethlisberger will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana for the fourth-most playoff starts (23) by a quarterback on Sunday. Defensive end T.J. Watt led the league in sacks (22.5), tying Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan’s all-time single season sacks record.

Calling Steelers-Chiefs is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 36th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst); and four-time Sports Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter). McAulay will serve as the rules analyst.

The matchup will mark Tafoya’s 325th game as an NFL sideline reporter, the most national primetime TV games (regular + postseason) for an NFL sideline reporter.

NBC Sports’ coverage on Sunday is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff.

Taylor hosts Football Night in America on Sunday with Dungy, Simms, and Florio. Co-host Jac Collinsworth, Harrison, and Brees will provide on-field analysis and reports from Arrowhead Stadium.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL CONCLUDES SEASON ON PACE TO BE TV’S #1 PRIMETIME SHOW FOR UNPRECEDENTED 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

With Sunday night’s Chargers-Raiders matchup, NBC Sports concluded its 16th season of Sunday Night Football, topping all primetime television series in the fall and once again pacing to finish as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 11th consecutive year in the most competitive time slot in media. NBC’s SNF extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950).

NBC Sunday Night Football posted a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 19.3 million viewers for the 2021 season – up 11% from last season (17.4 million), according to official national live plus same day data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Over the course of the season, viewers watched nearly 70 billion minutes of SNF – the most in a season since 2016. For more details, click here.

PEACOCK TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES FOR FIRST TIME THIS SEASON

For the first time ever, all of NBC Sports’ NFL regular-season games, playoff games, Super Bowl LVI, and Football Night in America will stream live on Peacock this season. Peacock features a slate of sports talk content NFL fans can enjoy on the NBC Sports channel, which is free to stream. Shows include Brother from Another, as well as The Dan Patrick Show, The Rich Eisen Show, PFT Live, PFT PM, Safety Blitz, The Peter King Podcast, and Chris Simms Unbuttoned.

To learn more about the NFL on Peacock, including how to watch and sign up, click here. Peacock Premium is included at no additional cost for Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers and Cox Contour customers.

NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

TELEMUNDO DEPORTES TO PRESENT ENTIRE NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS AND SUPER BOWL LVI

Telemundo Deportes will again carry the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package, including exclusive Spanish-language coverage of Super Bowl LVI, live for the first time on the Telemundo Network — marking the first time ever that a Super Bowl will be televised on a Spanish-language broadcast network in the U.S. The package also includes 20 regular season games that will be televised on Universo, including the NFL Kickoff game and the Thanksgiving primetime game, as well as a Wild Card game, and one Divisional Playoff game. In addition, Telemundo Network will broadcast the Sunday primetime Wild Card game. All games will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

“SUNDAY NIGHT 7” FREE-TO-PLAY GAME TO FEATURE $1 MILLION JACKPOT THROUGH DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

NBC Sports’ free-to-play NFL game, Sunday Night 7, will offer its $1 million weekly jackpot each week through the Divisional playoffs. Sunday Night 7 is available for download NOW on the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at NBCSports.com/Predictor.

In Sunday’s game, one user finished in first place with a score of 50 points.

POINTSBET AND NBC SPORTS INCLUDE EXCLUSIVE BETTING INTEGRATIONS INTO FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA AND PEACOCK SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL FINAL POST-GAME SHOW

This season, PointsBet and NBC Sports include exclusive betting integrations on the Football Night in America studio show and the new Peacock Sunday Night Football Final postgame show. Click here for more information.

PETER KING’S NFL COLUMN “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” DEBUTS EVERY MONDAY EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM

A new “Football Morning in America” will post every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports. The Peter King Podcast streams weekly on Peacock on Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET.

CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED

NBC Sports’ Chris Simms examines everything happening in the NFL and around the sports world. Along with a rotation of NBC Sports hosts including Ahmed Fareed and Paul Burmeister, Chris Simms Unbuttoned analyses the NFL with in-depth Xs and Os breakdowns; one-on-one interviews with players, coaches and executives; and game recaps and preview. The show is available to stream on Peacock on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET.

NBC SPORTS EDGE

NBC Sports EDGE, part of the newly announced NBC Sports Next portfolio and one of the internet’s highest-trafficked fantasy sports and gaming websites, offers comprehensive fantasy football and betting coverage throughout the 2021 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. The industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, the 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Guide is available for purchase now via NBC Sports EDGE’s subscription model beginning at only $3.99 per month, and features more than 450 extensive player profiles, player projections, positional tiers, Top 200 rankings for PPR, Half-PPR, Non-PPR and Dynasty, as well as Individual Defensive Player rankings, sleepers and busts, drafting strategy articles, team reports and much more. NBC Sports EDGE also provides fantasy football coverage and betting insights through its digital shows, A Good Football Show and Bet the Edge.

PFT LIVE – WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON PEACOCK

Pro Football Talk streams live on Peacock’s NBC Sports on Peacock channel from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays and re-airs at 9 a.m. ET on Peacock. Florio is joined by veteran sports commentator Mike Golic on Monday mornings, co-host and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms from Tuesday – Thursday, with a special guest co-hosting on Fridays.

The two-hour PFT Live is known for delivering inside information and comprehensive analysis from an independent perspective. The show covers all the latest news around the league, breaks down reports and rumors and features interviews with players, coaches and executives.

PODCASTS

NBC Sports’ football podcasts provide extensive weekly offerings from NBC Sports’ most popular personalities and present special guests, exclusive interviews, and robust conversations across all of football on The Peter King Podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and A Good Football Show. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and A Good Football Show explores fantasy implications for fans. New episodes of NBC Sports podcasts are available for download each week on all major podcast platforms including:
NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA

  • SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Through the unique filter of Instagram, fans will get an in-depth look at each week’s Sunday Night Football game with the most engaging photos and videos from across the NFL. SNF also utilizes Instagram Stories for up-to-the-minute coverage of the league.
  • SNF ON TWITTER: The very latest news, video, analysis from the Football Night in America crew and much more lives on @SNFonNBC, the real-time engine for NBC’s year-round NFL coverage.
  • SNF ON FACEBOOK: With more than 3.5 million followers, SNF’s Facebook page is the hub of football conversation. It’s the place to converse and engage with fellow fans on the latest news and action across the NFL.
  • NBC SPORTS ON TIKTOK: NBC Sports’ presence on TikTok puts the spotlight on the offbeat and exuberant side of the National Football League for a young, highly-engaged audience.

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Washington will again deliver extensive multiplatform coverage of the 2021 NFL season, led by comprehensive live gameday shows, in-depth news, analysis and commentary programming, and multimedia digital content covering the teams in their respective markets.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Shot at Industrial Light & Magic’s cutting edge LED sound stage utilizing the company’s StageCraft LED virtual production technology recently used in “The Mandalorian,” the 2021 Sunday Night Football show open for the first time will feature a virtual football tailgate as a backdrop for Underwood’s performance of “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night.”

In addition, the show open will highlight user-generated cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, as well as fans’ self-recorded video from NFL tailgates.

–SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL–

NBC’S “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” CONCLUDES SEASON ON PACE TO BE TV’S #1 PRIMETIME SHOW FOR UNPRECEDENTED 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

By

NBC’s SNF Continues to be the Most-Watched Single Game on a Weekly Basis in the Most Competitive Time Slot in Media & Delivers 8 of 10 Most-Watched Primetime Telecasts on Any Network Since September 

Boosted by First Season with All Games on Peacock, NBC Sports Digital Sets SNF Streaming Record for Average Minute Audience, Up 48% from 2020

SNF Wins among Adults 18-49 for 14th Consecutive Fall Season 

NBC’s Football Night in America is Sports’ #1 Weekly Studio Show for 16th Consecutive Year 

Two NFL Wild Card Playoff Games This Weekend on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo & Universo 

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 11, 2022 – With Sunday night’s exhilarating Chargers-Raiders matchup, NBC Sports concluded its 16th season of Sunday Night Football, topping all primetime television series in the fall and once again pacing to finish as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 11th consecutive year in the most competitive time slot in media. NBC’s SNF extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950).

Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950

11 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2021-22; on pace)

6 years in a row – American Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11)

5 years in a row – The Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)…tied Cheers in ‘89-90

5 years in a row – All in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76)

4 years in a row – Gunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61)

 

NBC Sunday Night Football posted a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 19.3 million viewers for the 2021 season – up 11% from last season (17.4 million), according to official national live plus same day data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Over the course of the season, viewers watched nearly 70 billion minutes of SNF – the most in a season since 2016.

“From our down-to-the-wire NFL Kickoff game in Tampa to Tom Brady’s return to New England to this past Sunday night’s uniquely thrilling season finale, the 2021 Sunday Night Football season was one to remember,” said Pete Bevacqua, Chairman, NBC Sports. “We thank our unparalleled production, technical and announce teams, which are the backbone of our record-setting 11-year run as television’s #1 primetime show. We look forward to continuing our momentum through to Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, February 13.”

 

  • SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL RANKS #1 IN 16 OF 18 WEEKS OF NFL SEASON; TOPS ALL KEY METRICS

NBC’s Sunday Night Football ranked as primetime’s #1 show in 16 of the 18 weeks (89%) this season, up from 12 times in 17 weeks (71%) in 2020. In addition, SNF topped all primetime shows in average viewership and household rating, and ranked #1 among adults 18-49 for the 14th consecutive season.

Key SNF Full Season Metrics (TV only)

Category 2021 Vs. 2020 Primetime Rank
Average Viewers 18.5 million +10% #1
HH Rating 9.9 +6% #1
Adult 18-49 Rating 5.3 +8% #1

 

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/9/21-1/9/22

 

  • BOOSTED BY FIRST SEASON WITH ALL GAMES LIVE STREAMED ON PEACOCK, SNF SETS STREAMING RECORD

With Peacock live streaming all NBC NFL games for the first time this season, NBC Sports Digital hit another viewership milestone for Sunday Night Football in 2021, with a record Average Minute Audience of 843,000 viewers across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, NFL Digital platforms, and Yahoo Sports mobile properties – up 48% from the prior record (571,000) set last year.

The streaming audience has grown such that NBC Sports Digital’s AMA of 843,000 viewers for SNF tops the primetime average (8:30-11:30 p.m. ET) of all but five cable networks over the 20 nights of the SNF regular season package.

 

  • FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA IS MOST-WATCHED STUDIO SHOW FOR 16TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NBC’s Football Night in America studio show averaged 7.1 million viewers from 7:30-8:15 p.m. ET this season – up 18% from last season (6.0 million). FNIA continues its reign as sports’ most-watched weekly studio show for the 16th consecutive year (since the show’s 2006 debut season). In addition, the 8-8:23 p.m. ET portion of Football Night in America (including pre-kick coverage), averaged 11.8 million viewers, and a 3.2 rating among Adults 18-49, which would both rank No. 4 among regularly-scheduled primetime shows in the demographic (and up from 10.5 million viewers and 3.0 rating in 2020).

 

NBC SNF GAMES PRODUCE 8 OF 10 MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME SHOWS THIS SEASON

NBC Sunday Night Football accounted for eight of the top 10 (up from seven last year), and 14 of the 20 most-watched primetime telecasts between Sept. 9, 2021 and Jan. 9, 2022.

Most-Watched Primetime Shows This Fall (Sept. 9, 2021-Jan. 9, 2022), TV only

Show, Date Avg. Viewers
NBC Sunday Night Football (Buccaneers-Patriots), 10/3 27.2 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Buccaneers), 9/9 25.2 million
FOX/NFLN Thurs. Night Football (Packers-Cardinals), 10/28 20.5 million*
NBC Sunday Night Football (Bills-Saints), 11/25 20.4 million
ABC/ESPN MNF Special (Cowboys-Eagles), 1/8 20.2 million*
NBC Sunday Night Football (Chiefs-Ravens), 9/19 20.1 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-49ers), 9/26 20.0 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Bears-Packers), 12/12 18.8 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Vikings-Packers), 1/2 18.5 million
NBC Sunday Night Football (Saints-Buccaneers), 12/19 18.4 million

 

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/9/21-1/9/22; Excludes Pre- and Post-Shows

*Viewership across two television networks

 

SNF AVERAGE (P2+) VIEWERSHIP RANK AMONG PRIMETIME SHOWS: 

Fall TV Season                                   Full TV Season

2021 No. 1 Show 1st (through 1/9/22
2020 No. 1 Show 1st
2019 No. 1 Show 1st
2018 No. 1 Show 1st
2017 No. 1 Show 1st
2016 No. 1 Show 1st
2015 No. 1 Show 1st
2014 No. 1 Show 1st
2013 No. 1 Show 1st
2012 No. 1 Show 1st
2011 No. 1 Show 1st
2010 No. 1 Show 3rd 
2009 No. 2 Show 4th
2008 No. 5 Show 8th
2007 No. 7 Show 8th
2006 No. 7 Show 9th

 

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOP 20 METERED MARKETS – 2021 SEASON:

For the fourth consecutive year, and seventh time (2010, 2011 and 2013) in 12 seasons, New Orleans was the top-rated SNF market. Milwaukee was the top-rated SNF market in 2017 and 2012, while Denver ranked #1 for three consecutive seasons from 2014-16.

1. New Orleans* 20.6/32
2. Kansas City 20.3/36
3. Milwaukee 19.3/34
4. Buffalo* 17.8/31
5. Albuquerque* 17.1/29
6. Dallas 15.9/32
T7. Pittsburgh 15.2/27
T7. Sacramento 15.2/30
T9. Las Vegas 14.8/31
T9. Baltimore 14.8/29
T11. Cleveland 14.5/28
T11. Richmond* 14.5/26
13. Nashville 14.3/25
14. Cincinnati 14.1/28
15. Providence 14.0/27
16. Austin 13.8/29
17. San Diego 13.7/31
18. Dayton* 13.3/24
19. Denver 13.2/28
T20. San Antonio 13.1/24
T20. Seattle 13.1/27

*through Week 17

NBC will televise a pair of games on NFL Super Wild Card Weekend. This Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Universo, the NFL’s second-ranked passer Joe Burrow (108.3 rating) and the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals host Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with a special Football Night in America. Then on Sunday night Jan. 15 on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host two-time NFL champion Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers, with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET with FNIA.

—SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL—

JUSTIN HERBERT & LOS ANGELES CHARGERS VISIT DEREK CARR & LAS VEGAS RAIDERS WITH FINAL NFL PLAYOFF SPOT ON THE LINE IN #GAME272 ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON NBC, PEACOCK AND UNIVERSO

By

Winner of Chargers-Raiders Regular Season Finale Clinches Final AFC Wild Card Spot

Football Night in America Begins at 7 p.m. ET; Followed by 8:20 p.m. ET SNF Kickoff

“Sunday Night 7” Free-to-Play Game Features $1 Million Jackpot

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 5, 2021 – In a matchup featuring the AFC’s top two passers, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers visit Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL’s regular-season finale (#Game272) with the winner clinching a spot in the NFL Playoffs on this week’s edition of NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, followed by kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on NBC, Peacock and Universo.

The winner of Chargers-Raiders will secure the final Wild Card spot in the AFC playoff race.

Los Angeles (9-7) bounced back from two consecutive losses with a 34-13 victory over Denver in Week 17 and looks to make the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2018. Herbert passed for 237 yards and two touchdowns last week, and running back Austin Ekeler totaled 112 yards from scrimmage (58 rushing, 54 receiving) and rushed for a score.

Las Vegas (9-7) beat Indianapolis, 23-20, on a game-winning 33-yard field goal by kicker Daniel Carson as time expired last week to keep its playoff hopes alive. Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who had seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown last week, has 99 receptions this season and needs nine on Sunday to break the single-season franchise reception mark (Darren Waller, 107). The Raiders aim to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2016.

Sunday’s win-and-you’re-in matchup features the AFC’s top two passers through Week 17 as Herbert (4,631 yards) and Carr (4,618) rank first and second, respectively, in passing yards in the conference this season.

The Raiders hold a 66-56-2 advantage over the Chargers (including the postseason) in the all-time series. The teams last met in Week 4, with Los Angeles beating Las Vegas, 28-14, at SoFi Stadium as Herbert passed for three touchdowns in the win.

Calling Chargers-Raiders is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 36th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst); and four-time Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya. Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay is the Sunday Night Football rules analyst.

NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff. SNF has won a record 11 Sports Emmys for Outstanding Live Sports Series.

Football Night in America features host Mike Tirico and co-host Maria Taylor, Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Co-host Jac Collinsworth and two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison will provide on-field analysis and reports from Allegiant Stadium.

Steve Kornacki, NBC News’ celebrated national political correspondent, joins FNIA to analyze the NFL Playoff picture in the final week of the regular season. He will also appear at halftime of the game.

Football Night, the most-watched studio show in sports since its debut in 2006, begins every Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. The coordinating producer of FNIA is Rob Hyland and the co-producer is Matt Casey. FNIA is directed by Pierre Moossa.

Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, a new NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streams exclusively on Peacock following every Sunday Night Football game during the 2021 season. The show is hosted this week by NBC Sports commentators Kathryn Tappen and Chris Simms, who provide instant reactions to each Sunday game. Plus, Football Night in America commentators Maria Taylor, Tony Dungy, Drew Brees, Rodney Harrison and Jac Collinsworth will provide recaps and insights into the day’s biggest moments.

PEACOCK TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES FOR FIRST TIME THIS SEASON

For the first time ever, all of NBC Sports’ NFL regular-season games, playoff games, Super Bowl LVI, and Football Night in America will stream live on Peacock this season. Peacock features a slate of sports talk content NFL fans can enjoy on the NBC Sports channel, which is free to stream. Shows include Brother from Another, as well as The Dan Patrick Show, The Rich Eisen Show, PFT Live, PFT PM, Safety Blitz, The Peter King Podcast, and Chris Simms Unbuttoned.

To learn more about the NFL on Peacock, including how to watch and sign up, click here. Peacock Premium is included at no additional cost for Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers and Cox Contour customers.

NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

TELEMUNDO DEPORTES TO PRESENT ENTIRE NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS AND SUPER BOWL LVI

Telemundo Deportes will again carry the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package, including exclusive Spanish-language coverage of Super Bowl LVI, live for the first time on the Telemundo Network — marking the first time ever that a Super Bowl will be televised on a Spanish-language broadcast network in the U.S. The package also includes 20 regular season games that will be televised on Universo, including the NFL Kickoff game and the Thanksgiving primetime game, as well as a Wild Card game, and one Divisional Playoff game. In addition, Telemundo Network will broadcast the Sunday primetime Wild Card game. All games will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

“SUNDAY NIGHT 7” FREE-TO-PLAY GAME TO FEATURE $1 MILLION JACKPOT EACH WEEK THROUGH DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

NBC Sports’ free-to-play NFL game, Sunday Night 7, will offer its $1 million weekly jackpot each week through the Divisional playoffs. Sunday Night 7 is available for download NOW on the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at NBCSports.com/Predictor.

In Sunday’s game, one user finished in first place with a score of 55 points.

POINTSBET AND NBC SPORTS INCLUDE EXCLUSIVE BETTING INTEGRATIONS INTO FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA AND PEACOCK SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL FINAL POST-GAME SHOW

This season, PointsBet and NBC Sports include exclusive betting integrations on the Football Night in America studio show and the new Peacock Sunday Night Football Final postgame show. Click here for more information.

PETER KING’S NFL COLUMN “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” DEBUTS EVERY MONDAY EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM

A new “Football Morning in America” will post every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports. The Peter King Podcast streams weekly on Peacock on Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET.

CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED

NBC Sports’ Chris Simms examines everything happening in the NFL and around the sports world. Along with a rotation of NBC Sports hosts including Ahmed Fareed and Paul Burmeister, Chris Simms Unbuttoned analyses the NFL with in-depth Xs and Os breakdowns; one-on-one interviews with players, coaches and executives; and game recaps and preview. The show is available to stream on Peacock on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET.

NBC SPORTS EDGE

NBC Sports EDGE, part of the newly announced NBC Sports Next portfolio and one of the internet’s highest-trafficked fantasy sports and gaming websites, offers comprehensive fantasy football and betting coverage throughout the 2021 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. The industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, the 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Guide is available for purchase now via NBC Sports EDGE’s subscription model beginning at only $3.99 per month, and features more than 450 extensive player profiles, player projections, positional tiers, Top 200 rankings for PPR, Half-PPR, Non-PPR and Dynasty, as well as Individual Defensive Player rankings, sleepers and busts, drafting strategy articles, team reports and much more. NBC Sports EDGE also provides fantasy football coverage and betting insights through its digital shows, A Good Football Show and Bet the Edge.

PODCASTS

NBC Sports’ football podcasts provide extensive weekly offerings from NBC Sports’ most popular personalities and present special guests, exclusive interviews, and robust conversations across all of football on The Peter King Podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and A Good Football Show. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and A Good Football Show explores fantasy implications for fans. New episodes of NBC Sports podcasts are available for download each week on all major podcast platforms including:
NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA

    • SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Through the unique filter of Instagram, fans will get an in-depth look at each week’s Sunday Night Football game with the most engaging photos and videos from across the NFL. SNF also utilizes Instagram Stories for up-to-the-minute coverage of the league.
    • SNF ON TWITTER: The very latest news, video, analysis from the Football Night in America crew and much more lives on @SNFonNBC, the real-time engine for NBC’s year-round NFL coverage.
    • SNF ON FACEBOOK: With more than 3.5 million followers, SNF’s Facebook page is the hub of football conversation. It’s the place to converse and engage with fellow fans on the latest news and action across the NFL.
    • NBC SPORTS ON TIKTOK: NBC Sports’ presence on TikTok puts the spotlight on the offbeat and exuberant side of the National Football League for a young, highly-engaged audience.

 

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Washington will again deliver extensive multiplatform coverage of the 2021 NFL season, led by comprehensive live gameday shows, in-depth news, analysis and commentary programming, and multimedia digital content covering the teams in their respective markets.

canVS

NBC Sports invites fans to paint a path to Super Bowl LVI with SNF canVS, a season-long interactive art campaign, which began at the 2021 NFL Kickoff game and continues at each Sunday Night Football game throughout the season.

Each week in the city of the SNF matchup, local artists will create a five-yard long mural inspired by fan input that epitomizes the fanbase’s love for their team. This week’s featured artists to end the regular season are Biafra & Wundr, who will be hosting this weekend’s live mural painting event Saturday remotely from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. CT.

With the completion of this week’s mural painting, each of the 20 five-yard murals will come together to create a 100-yard masterpiece showcasing the painted pride that captures the devotion and passion of fans. Click here for more details.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Shot at Industrial Light & Magic’s cutting edge LED sound stage utilizing the company’s StageCraft LED virtual production technology recently used in “The Mandalorian,” the 2021 Sunday Night Football show open for the first time will feature a virtual football tailgate as a backdrop for Underwood’s performance of “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night.”

In addition, the show open will highlight user-generated cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, as well as fans’ self-recorded video from NFL tailgates.

NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2020-21 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 10th consecutive year – adding to its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. Sunday Night Football also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the 11th consecutive TV season.

2021 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
*Sun. Jan. 9 Week 18 Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders  

*Flex Week

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING:

Flexible scheduling will be used in Weeks 11-18. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-17, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time.

For Week 18, two Saturday games and the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to January 9. The schedule does not list Saturday games or a Sunday night game in Week 18, but games with playoff implications will be moved to those time slots. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.

–SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL–