Sports Media News

Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” ON NBC AND PEACOCK DELIVERS BEST VIEWERSHIP SINCE 2015 & PACING TO BE PRIMETIME’S #1 SHOW FOR UNPRECEDENTED 13TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

By

NBC’s SNF Package Delivers Record-Tying Six Games with Blockbuster Audiences of 25+ Million Viewers

SNF Total Audience Delivery Average of 21.4 Million Viewers Up 8% vs. 2022; SNF Wins among Adults 18-49 for 16th Consecutive Fall Season & Posts Most-Watched SNF Season Among Women Since 2019

NBC’s Football Night in America is Sports’ #1 Weekly Studio Show for 18th Consecutive Year, With Its Most-Watched Season since 2016

Milestone Season for Peacock:

  • First Exclusive Regular-Season Game
  • Home of NFL’s First Exclusive Live Streamed Playoff Game (this Saturday night)
  • Peacock Leads SNF Streaming Record with Average Minute Audience Topping 1.5 Million Viewers for First Time

 

UP NEXT: NBCUniversal is Home to Record Three NFL Playoff Games this Super Wild Card Weekend

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 9, 2024 – With Sunday night’s down-to-the-wire Bills-Dolphins matchup for the AFC East division title, which averaged 23.0 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports concluded its 18th 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 13th consecutive year. NBC’s SNF, in the most competitive time slot in media, extended its record for the most consecutive years atop the primetime charts (since 1950):

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

13 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2023-24; 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)

 

Sunday Night Football averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 21.4 million viewers for the 2023 season – the show’s best viewership since 2015 and up 8% from last season (19.9 million), according to official national live plus same day data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

“With the thrilling Lions-Chiefs opener drawing the largest NFL Kickoff Game audience since 2015, back-to-back early October blockbusters with more than 26 million viewers apiece, our first-ever Peacock exclusive NFL game, and last Sunday’s finale for the AFC East title, the 2023 Sunday Night Football season was a success from the opening kickoff to the final whistle,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. “With a best-in-class presentation and our record-setting 13 years at #1 in primetime, we are looking forward to the postseason, which begins with three Wild Card matchups on NBCUniversal platforms and features Peacock’s Saturday night presentation of the NFL’s first-ever exclusive live streamed playoff game. It’s been a historic season for the NFL and NBCUniversal.”

 

    • SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL DELIVERS RECORD-TYING SIX GAMES WITH 25+ MILLION VIEWERS

An SNF-record tying six NBC Sports’ NFL games topped 25 million viewers (chart below) – matching 2013 for the most blockbuster audiences in NBC SNF history (since 2006).

Most Watched Games, 2023 Season, NBC Sunday Night Football package

Game, Date Avg. Viewers*
Detroit Lions-Kansas City Chiefs, 9/7 27.5 million
Kansas City Chiefs-New York Jets, 10/1 26.7 million
Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys, 12/10 26.5 million
San Francisco 49ers-Seattle Seahawks, 11/23 26.4 million
Dallas Cowboys-San Francisco 49ers, 10/8 26.3 million
Kansas City Chiefs-Green Bay Packers, 12/3 25.4 million

 

*Viewership across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, NFL Digital

 

    • LED BY PEACOCK, RECORD-SETTING SNF STREAMING TOPS 1.5 MILLION AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE (AMA) FOR FIRST TIME

Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital hit another viewership milestone for Sunday Night Football in 2023, delivering a full-season Average Minute Audience above 1.5 million viewers (1.56 million) for the first time across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties – up 33% from the prior record (1.17 million) set last year.

The streaming audience has grown such that NBC Sports Digital’s AMA of 1.56 million viewers for SNF tops the primetime average (8:30-11:30 p.m. ET) of all cable networks over the 19 FNIA nights this season (excludes Sat., Dec. 23 show, which was at 3 p.m. ET).

In addition to the record-setting AMA for the season, three games topped the two million mark (which had never previously been reached by a regular-season NBC Sports’ simulstream), and the eight most simulstreamed regular-season games in NBC Sports’ NFL history came this season.

Peacock’s first-ever exclusive NFL game on Saturday, Dec. 23 (Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Chargers) delivered the night’s largest primetime audience, averaging 7.3 million viewers.

 

    • SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOPS ALL KEY METRICS & POSTS 9 OF 13 MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME SHOWS IN FALL

NBC’s Sunday Night Football topped all primetime shows in average viewership and household rating, and for the 16th consecutive season ranked #1 among adults 18-49. In addition, SNF posted nine of the top 13 primetime shows this fall (based on Nielsen data only, 9/7/23-1/7/24).

Key SNF Full Season Metrics (Nielsen data only)

Category 2023 vs. 2022 Primetime Rank
Average Viewers 19.9 million +6% #1
HH Rating 10.2 +4% #1
Adult 18-49 Rating 5.4 +6% #1

Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/7/23-1/7/24

 

    • WOMEN WATCHED SNF IN BIG NUMBERS IN 2023

Three NBC SNF games averaged at least nine million female viewers (Nielsen only) – the most in a season since 2015 (four).  The 49ers-Seahawks Thanksgiving night game led with 10 million female viewers, followed by Chiefs-Jets at 9.4 million, and Cowboys-49ers at 9.0 million. In total, SNF averaged 7.1 million female (2+) viewers in 2023, marking the series’ best season in the demographic since 2019.

In addition, women accounted for 38% of the audience for Chiefs-Jets, which is the second-highest percentage in the 18-season history of NBC SNF (excluding holiday games), behind only Washington-Dallas on Dec. 26, 2021 (38.4%).

    • FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA IS MOST-WATCHED STUDIO SHOW FOR 18TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NBC’s Football Night in America studio show averaged 7.5 million viewers from 7:30-8:15 p.m. ET this season (excludes Sat., Dec. 23 show, which was at 3 p.m. ET) – the most-watched season of FNIA since 2016 and up 3% from last year.  FNIA continues its reign as sports’ most-watched weekly studio show for the 18th 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 13.1 million viewers, and a 3.4 rating among Adults 18-49, which would rank No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, among regularly-scheduled primetime shows in the demographic.

 

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

Fall TV Season                                   Full TV Season

2023 No. 1 Show 1st (through 1/7/24)
2022 No. 1 Show 1st
2021 No. 1 Show 1st
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 – 2023 SEASON:

For the first time, Buffalo ranked as the top-rated SNF market. New Orleans topped the chart for the prior five years as well as in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Milwaukee was the top-rated SNF market in 2017 and 2012, while Denver ranked #1 for three consecutive seasons from 2014-16.

1. Buffalo 22.1/44
2. Kansas City 20.2/45
3. Cincinnati 15.1/36
4. Pittsburgh 14.3/33
5. Sacramento 14.2/40
6. Albuquerque 13.9/33
7. Richmond 13.8/34
8. Milwaukee 13.7/32
9. Baltimore 13.4/35
10. Las Vegas 13.3/38
11. New Orleans 13.2/28
12. Minneapolis 13.1/33
13. Dayton 13.0/31
T14. Dallas 12.6/34
T14. Norfolk 12.6/33
T14. Philadelphia 12.6/32
17. Denver 12.5/36
18. West Palm Beach 12.2/30
19. Tulsa 11.8/26
20. Nashville 11.6/30

 

SUPER WILD CARD WEEKEND

The NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend kicks off this Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with a special 90-minute edition of Football Night in America, which leads into a record playoff weekend for NBCUniversal – the first media company ever with three games in a playoff weekend.

The games begin this Sat., Jan. 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, as Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco and the 11-6 Cleveland Browns visit top rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the AFC South-champion Houston Texans. Then at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Peacock presents the NFL’s first-ever exclusively live streamed playoff game as Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins visit two-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Then on Sunday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and Universo, Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams visit Jared Goff and the NFC North champion Detroit Lions. The game marks Stafford’s first game in Detroit since he joined the Rams in 2021 following 12 seasons with the Lions, and the Lions’ first home playoff game in 30 years. The Los Angeles Rams drafted Goff first overall in 2016. Head coach Sean McVay and Goff led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII. Sunday night’s coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with a special edition of Football Night in America.

 

—SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL—

MIKE TIRICO, CRIS COLLINSWORTH, RICK CORDELLA, AND HANS SCHROEDER ON NBC SPORTS’ NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND CONFERENCE CALL – TOMORROW, JAN. 10, AT 2 P.M. ET

By

MIKE TIRICO, CRIS COLLINSWORTH, RICK CORDELLA, AND HANS SCHROEDER ON NBC SPORTS’ NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND CONFERENCE CALL – TOMORROW, JAN. 10, AT 2 P.M. ET

NBCUniversal Presents a Record Three NFL Playoff Games on Super Wild Card Weekend, including Peacock’s Presentation of NFL’s First-Ever Exclusive Live Streamed Playoff Game

Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs Host Miami Dolphins Exclusively on Peacock this Saturday at 8 p.m. ET; Cleveland Browns Visit Houston Texans Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock

Detroit Lions Host Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock

Dial 786-697-3501 to Participate; Passcode: NBC Sports

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 9, 2024 – NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico and analyst Cris Collinsworth will join President of NBC Sports Rick Cordella and NFL EVP of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder to preview Super Wild Card Weekend on a media conference call tomorrow, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. ET.

NBCUniversal presents a record three NFL Playoff games on Super Wild Card Weekend, beginning this Saturday, Jan. 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock as Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns visit C.J. Stroud and the AFC South-champion Houston Texans.

Later that day, Peacock presents two-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting Tua Tagovailoa the Miami Dolphins at 8 p.m. ET in the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game.

On Sunday, Jan. 14, Matthew Stafford makes his return to Detroit after spending the first 12 years of his career there as the Los Angeles Rams visit Jared Goff and the NFC North-champion Lions at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

Media interested in participating should call 786-697-3501; Passcode: NBC Sports

    • WHAT: NBC Sports Super Wild Card Weekend Media Conference Call
    • WHO: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Rick Cordella, Hans Schroeder
    • WHEN: Tomorrow, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. ET
    • NUMBER: 786-697-3501
    • PASSCODE: NBC Sports

—NBC SPORTS—

NBCUNIVERSAL IS HOME TO RECORD THREE NFL PLAYOFF GAMES ON SUPER WILD CARD WEEKEND, INCLUDING PEACOCK’S PRESENTATION OF NFL’S FIRST-EVER EXCLUSIVE LIVE STREAMED PLAYOFF GAME

By

Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark to Call Los Angeles Rams-Detroit Lions this Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock

Tirico, Jason Garrett and Kaylee Hartung to Call Miami Dolphins-Kansas City Chiefs Exclusively on Peacock this Saturday at 8 p.m. ET; Commercial Establishments Can Show Dolphins-Chiefs via Peacock Sports Pass

Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen Call Cleveland Browns-Houston Texans on NBC & Peacock on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET

Football Night in America kicks off Super Wild Card Weekend Coverage this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, with Sunday’s FNIA at 7:30 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 8, 2024 – The NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend kicks off this Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with a special 90-minute edition of Football Night in America, which leads into a milestone-rich playoff weekend for NBCUniversal.

Among the distinctions for NBCUniversal:

    • NBCU will be the first media company to serve as the home of three NFL Playoff Games in a single weekend (Saturday doubleheader and Sunday in primetime).
    • Peacock will present thefirst-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game (Saturday at 8 p.m. ET). This follows Peacock’s first-ever exclusive live stream of a regular season NFL game on Dec. 23 (Bills-Chargers).
    • Saturday night’s Peacock AFC Wild Card Exclusive – featuring Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Miami Dolphins — will once again feature a commercial-free fourth quarter similar to the Dec. 23 Bills-Chargers game.

 

The commentary teams for NBCUniversal’s three Super Wild Card Weekend games are as follows:

Los Angeles Rams-Detroit Lions – Sun., Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock and Universo)

Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst) and Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) will call the Sunday primetime game as Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams visit Jared Goff and the NFC North champion Detroit Lions.

Stafford, who played 12 seasons with the Lions, returns to play his first game in Detroit since joining the Rams in 2021 and winning the Super Bowl in that first season. Goff, who was traded for Stafford in early 2021, leads the Lions in their first home playoff game in 30 years.

Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Tirico, Collinsworth and Stark have teamed on NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football – pacing to be primetime’s #1 show for an unprecedented 13th consecutive year after the 2023 NFL regular season concluded last night.

Miami Dolphins-Kansas City Chiefs – Sat., Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. ET (Peacock EXCLUSIVE)

In the Peacock AFC Wild Card Exclusive, Mike Tirico will be joined by Jason Garrett (analyst) and Kaylee Hartung (sideline reporter) on the call as two-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins.

Hill, who led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards this season and is the only wide receiver in league history selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons, returns to play his first game in Kansas City after spending the first six years of his career and winning a Super Bowl with the Chiefs.

Garrett, a member of the Football Night in America studio team and NBC Sports’ game analyst for Notre Dame Football since 2022, has joined Tirico in the NFL booth for a Thanksgiving weekend game in each of the past two seasons. Hartung is the sideline reporter for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video.

The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game will be broadcast on NBC stations in the competing team cities, and available on mobile devices with NFL+. The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets.

Cleveland Browns-Houston Texans – Sat., Jan. 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock and Telemundo)

Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporter) – NBC Sports’ B1G Saturday Night team – will call the NFL Playoff opener as Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns visit top rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the AFC South-champion Houston Texans.

Flacco went 4-1 as the Browns’ starting quarterback after joining the team late in the season, while Stroud became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards (4,108) and register a 100+ passer rating (100.8) in his debut season.

Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay will serve as rules analyst for all three games.

NBC Sports’ Innovative Partnership with NFL Continues

This weekend marks the continuation of NBC Sports’ innovative partnership with the NFL, which introduced flexible scheduling as Sunday Night Football debuted on NBC in 2006. Two years later, for the 2008 season, Sunday Night Football Extra on NBCSports.com and NFL.com marked the first time complete NFL games were widely available in the U.S. via live online streaming. SNF Extra featured additional camera angles, in-game highlights, picture-in-picture technology, live statistics and other interactive elements.

In 2012, NBC Sports and the NFL partnered on the first live stream of the Super Bowl in the U.S., a four-point New York Giants victory over the New England Patriots. For two games in 2017, NBC Sports presented Thursday Night Football with SkyCam providing the broadcast’s primary-viewing angle, utilizing a “dual” SkyCam system. In 2022, NBCUniversal hosted the first-ever “Super Gold Sunday,” airing Super Bowl LVI and the Beijing Winter Olympics on NBC and Peacock. Most recently, as part of the Peacock Holiday Exclusive in December, NBC Sports and the NFL collaborated on the first-ever commercial-free (fourth) quarter.

Football Night in America, the most watched studio show in sports since its 2006 debut, begins its Super Wild Card Weekend coverage on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. On Sunday, FNIA begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

FNIA is hosted for the remainder of the season by Ahmed Fareed, and features three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, as well as Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist and two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, NFL insider Mike Florio, fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry, and co-host Jac Collinsworth. Maria Taylor is on parental leave.

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.

Peacock’s expansive sports programming features live coverage including Sunday Night Football, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame Football, Olympics and Paralympics, Premier League, NASCAR, NTT IndyCar Series, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel.

Peacock Sports Pass

For commercial establishments looking to show the Peacock-exclusive NFL Wild Card this Saturday, Jan. 13, it is available through Peacock Sports Pass. Peacock Sports Pass offers commercial establishments in the U.S. access to select events from Peacock’s exclusive live sports content library, including the Premier League, Big Ten football and basketball, and much more. To subscribe or to find out more information about Peacock Sports Pass, click here.

— NBC SPORTS –

NOTES & QUOTES FROM WEEK 18 EDITION OF FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON NBC AND PEACOCK

By

“Arguably the greatest stretch an organization has had in any sport. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of coaches. If he’s still not in New England, he’ll be coaching somewhere.”– Jason Garrett on Bill Belichick and the Patriots

“It seems like this is the end in New England, and this is a heck of a dynasty…the greatest NFL coach of all time.” – Former Patriot Devin McCourty on Bill Belichick

“They’re not rushing the passer, they’re not stopping the run, and people are shredding their pass defense apart…who ever thought this would happen with the Eagles?” – Chris Simms

“A 96% chance to make the playoffs six weeks ago ends at zero…that’s torturing your fanbase.” – Steve Kornacki on the Jaguars

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 7, 2024 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season began tonight from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Bills-Dolphins for the AFC East title in NFL Game 272 on Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock.

Ahmed Fareed hosted FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. He was joined by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Steve Kornacki was also in studio to break down the upcoming playoff scenarios and matchups. Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Jac Collinsworth at the site of the game. Maria Taylor is on parental leave.

Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game.

***

Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock:

ON BILLS

Harrison: “The Bills are finally built for the playoffs. On the defensive side of the ball, (head coach Sean) McDermott’s done a great job with that veteran group. But on the offensive side of the ball, they’re leaning on James Cook. They don’t just have to depend on Josh Allen to do everything. It makes them a lot more dangerous.”

McCourty on reduced production from WR Stefon Diggs: “The thing that sticks out to me is that he’s not on the field as much. There are some key third down situations (where he’s not on the field), and when he’s on the field, you have to double team him, you have to send some attention to him. It makes everyone else around him better, so I don’t understand why he’s not on the field at the same rate (as he was earlier in the year).”

Simms: “They’ve embraced the ugly – run the football, and they’ve been tough doing that. But I think they’ve also stopped worrying about trying to make the Diggs-Allen connection such a big thing. Let’s spread the ball around more and it’s made them a more effective, complete offense.”

Harrison on the traveling Bills fans in Miami: “This atmosphere is unbelievable. This feels like I’m in Buffalo! Half the fans are Buffalo Bills fans. It’s incredible.”

ON DOLPHINS

Harrison on the defense: “Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has to be concerned about his defense. The injuries and the miscommunication they’ve had…little things that keep you from winning championships.”

Dungy: “How do you correct that? Does that mean playing more zone coverage? To play zone, you have to be able to rush the passer, but you don’t have your best pass rusher, Bradley Chubb…that could mean more blitzes tonight.”

ON UPCOMING PACKERS-COWBOYS WILD CARD MATCHUP

McCourty: “You never want to say that a team has no chance, but Dallas will be a heavy favorite. They play their best ball at home, and I expect Dallas to execute and come away with the win.”

Garrett: “Dallas is better than Green Bay. They’re so good at home…but Green Bay has got to feel good about how their defense has played. And they certainly have to feel good about how Jordan Love has played. Go down there and cut it loose and see what happens.”

ON UPCOMING EAGLES-BUCCANEERS WILD CARD MATCHUP

Garrett: “(The Eagles) went from being one of the best teams in the league a month and a half ago to one of the worst teams in the league. They’ve got to go to Tampa. Tampa’s got a streaky quarterback in Baker Mayfield, they’ve got big-time receivers, and they can play defense. I’m taking the Buccaneers.”

ON EAGLES

Garrett on the Eagles’ loss to the Giants: “Jalen Hurts hurts his finger – symbolic of their season as well coming down the stretch.”

Simms: “There’s issues everywhere. They’re not rushing the passer that well, they’re not stopping the run and people are shredding their pass defense apart…who ever thought this would happen with the Eagles? The way they dominated football early on in the year, to be on this losing streak playing this way into the playoffs? Wow.”

ON COWBOYS

Garrett on QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb: “What a combination and what a year for these guys. The best quarterback-receiver combination in the NFL showed up big-time today in Washington…the Cowboys are ready for the playoffs.”

Simms: “Dak Prescott had an MVP-type of year.”

ON PATRIOTS

Harrison on the possibility of Bill Belichick having coached his final game with the Patriots: “I think it’s the best thing. There’s nothing more he can accomplish. He gave New England everything that he had.”

Dungy on Belichick: “If this was the end for Coach Belichick, it was a marvelous era. We will never see anything like this again. All those championships, it was fantastic.”

Harrison on Belichick’s belief in him: “Personally, he gave me an opportunity when a lot of other coaches and organizations didn’t give me an opportunity. He always gives the underdog an opportunity. Myself, Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, guys like that. Guys that other people didn’t believe in, he believed in.”

McCourty on Belichick: “The greatest thing I learned from him is respect. He’s always respected his players, the coaches, everyone that’s worked for him – I don’t think he gets that credit. Everyone talks about how hard it is…the biggest thing he has is respect for everyone…it seems like this is the end in New England, and this is a heck of a dynasty…the greatest NFL coach of all time. He’s done nothing but win, win, win throughout his career.”

Garrett on Belichick: “Arguably the greatest stretch an organization has had in any sport. Unprecedented. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of coaches. If he’s still not in New England, he’ll be coaching somewhere.”

Simms on Belichick: “It seems time to break apart. The marriage has ended, I think we all feel that. He can still coach some football, he can still coach some defense. It’s the managerial stuff that I think we question – how you handle the offensive coordinator, the quarterback change, lack of speed at receiver.”

Florio on Belichick’s future: “This year was the clincher, but the relationship went off the rails last year when Bill Belichick insisted on taking longtime defensive coach Matt Patricia and making him the offensive coordinator. That was a debacle. So here we are: five years of no postseason wins and a sense that he is just too resistant to change and innovate even though he is still regarded as an excellent gameday coach. The big question is what label will be used: Will it be a firing? Will it be a mutual parting? There’s been speculation about a potential trade; that is highly unlikely. Too many moving parts, takes too long, and there’s no reason for Belichick to ever go along with that arrangement.”

McCourty on Patriots captain Matthew Slater after potentially playing his final game: “A rare type of not just player but human being. Everyone knows what he did as a special teams player, but for me, every single day I try to be more like that guy right there because of what he stands for.”

ON CHIEFS

McCourty on Chris Jones recording one sack in Week 18 to trigger a $1.25 million contract incentive: “Chris Jones said, ‘Coach Andy Reid, I’m not resting. I need to get this money!’ Chris Jones is buying dinners everywhere tonight.”

ON JAGUARS

McCourty on the Jaguars missing the playoffs: “What a collapse by the Jaguars…Favored to win the division, now they’ll be watching the playoffs from their couch.”

Kornacki: “Six weeks ago, the Jaguars had a 96% chance to make the playoffs. All they could do was beat the Panthers. They lost every other game the rest of the way. A 96% chance to make the playoffs six weeks ago ends at zero…that’s torturing your fanbase.”

Garrett: “No doubt the Trevor Lawrence injury impacted them, but they lost their swagger, they lost their edge. For them to lose this game today? Tennessee had nothing to play for, Jacksonville everything to play for.”

ON COMMANDERS

Florio on the future of the Commanders’ coaching situation: “New owner means change. Ron Rivera lived through this in Carolina a few years ago and now it’s widely expected that he will be among the first changes made that the season has ended in Washington. Where do they go from here? Keep an eye on Bill Belichick. Josh Harris, the new owner of the team, I’m told, is enamored with the idea of Belichick becoming the coach. The question is, will Belichick want to be fully in control of the football operations like he has been in New England, and if he wants that, will Harris give it to him?”

ON FALCONS

Florio on the future of Falcons head coach Arthur Smith: “A 7-10 record in each of his three seasons as head coach. No clear indication from owner Arthur Blank, but few will be surprised if he does move on from Arthur Smith. The real question may be how much higher up the organization do changes come if Arthur Blank decides it’s time for change in Atlanta.”

***

Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streams exclusively on Peacock following every Sunday Night Football game during the 2023 season. The show is hosted from the game site by Jac Collinsworth, Harrison, and Dungy, who will provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews, while Berry will host a weekly segment called “DraftKings Crowning Moments,” where the fantasy sports analyst will discuss his successful bets from that day; he will also provide fantasy advice and an early look at the waiver wire. Football Night in America’s studio team will also provide recaps and insights into the day’s biggest moments, while Florio will provide injury and news updates.

— Football Night in America —

TUA, TYREEK, JOSH, STEFON…IT’S BILLS VS. DOLPHINS IN “AFC EAST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME” THIS WEEK ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON NBC, PEACOCK & UNIVERSO

By

Sunday’s Winner of NFL Season Finale — Game 272 – Clinches AFC East Title

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

NFL Sundays Begin and End on Peacock with Exclusive Coverage Featuring Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry at 11 a.m. ET and Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Immediately After Each SNF Game

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 3, 2024 – Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills battle Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins with the AFC East title on the line in NFL Game 272 – the Week 18 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 Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla., on NBC, Peacock, and Universo. The victor of Bills-Dolphins will win the AFC East championship and earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

The Dolphins (11-5) have already clinched a playoff spot and would earn their first AFC East division title since 2008 with a win. With a loss, Miami would still earn a Wild Card spot.

The Bills (10-6) have played themselves back into postseason contention after a midseason skid that saw them fall to 6-6. Since their Week 13 bye, Buffalo has won four in a row, defeating division leaders Kansas City and Dallas. With a win, the Bills would clinch their fourth consecutive division title; with a tie, they would clinch a Wild Card spot. Buffalo could secure a Wild Card spot with a loss, but would need other AFC teams to lose or tie.

Sunday marks the 121st overall meeting between the Bills and Dolphins, with Miami holding a 62-57-1 advantage in the all-time series. Buffalo won the first matchup of the season, 48-20, in Week 4 as Allen registered a perfect 158.3 passer rating while completing 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

The Bills beat the Patriots, 27-21, last week. Allen (4-0 in regular-season January games) rushed for two touchdowns in the win, setting the record for the most games with a rushing touchdown by a quarterback (12) in a season in NFL history. Two-time All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs has had a record-breaking 2023, becoming the third player ever with at least 100 receptions in four-or-more consecutive seasons as well as becoming the fifth-fastest player to reach 800 career receptions.

The Dolphins fell to the AFC top-seeded Ravens, 56-19, last week. WR Tyreek Hill, in his second year in Miami, has had a historic season, leading the league with 1,717 receiving yards and becoming the first player in NFL history to record multiple 1,700 receiving yard seasons. Despite missing a game due to injury, Hill has an NFL-best 112 receptions and is only the third player ever to have 110+ receptions in three consecutive seasons, joining Antonio Brown (2013-15) and Wes Welker (2007-09).

The Dolphins offense this season boasts the NFL’s leaders in passing yards (Tagovailoa, 4,451), rushing touchdowns (Raheem Mostert, 18), and receptions and receiving yards (Hill, 112 catches, 1,7171 rec. yards).

Calling Bills-Dolphins is Mike Tirico (play-by-play); 17-time Emmy Award winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst); and Melissa Stark (sideline reporter). 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 Rob Hyland and director Drew Esocoff; Sam Flood is Executive Producer & President, NBC Sports Production and Fred Gaudelli is executive producer of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage. SNF has won a record 11 Sports Emmys for Outstanding Live Sports Series.

Football Night in America is hosted for the remainder of the season by Ahmed Fareed and features three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, as well as Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, NFL insider Mike Florio, fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry, co-host Jac Collinsworth, and NBC News’ political correspondent Steve Kornacki, who will break down the NFL playoff picture following the conclusion of the Week 18 afternoon games. Maria Taylor is on parental leave.

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 Matt Casey. FNIA is directed by Kaare Numme.

Peacock exclusively bookends NFL coverage every Sunday with Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry at 11 a.m. ET and its exclusive postgame show, Peacock Sunday Night Football Final following each Sunday Night Football game.

PEACOCK TO STREAM EXCLUSIVE WILD CARD GAME ON SAT., JAN. 13 IN PRIMETIME; WILL LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES THIS SEASON

Peacock will be home to the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game in primetime on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game will be the second of three NBCUniversal games on Super Wild Card Weekend – marking the first time a media company presents three NFL Playoff games in a single weekend.

All of NBC Sports’ NFL regular -season games, playoff games, and Football Night in America will also 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, PFT Live, PFT PM, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, 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.

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

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage 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. 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

Telemundo Deportes will again provide exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package with 20 regular season games, including this Thursday’s NFL Kickoff Game, 18 regular-season Sunday Night Football games, and the annual Thanksgiving night game, which will air on Telemundo. Telemundo Deportes will present four playoff matchups, including a Divisional Playoff game and three Wild Card Playoff games. NBC Sports’ NFL games this season will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

Telemundo Deportes’s SNF announce team consists of Emmy-award winning sports journalist and play-by-play announcer Miguel Gurwitz and former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Rolando Cantu this season with Ariana Figuera serving as analyst and supporting pre- and post-game studio coverage. Emmy-nominated Ana Jurka joins the team as host.

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 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and is also available in podcast form here.

FANTASY FOOTBALL HAPPY HOUR WITH MATTHEW BERRY

Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, NBC Sports’ daily fantasy football and sports betting show, streams every weekday every weekday at Noon ET on Peacock. “Fantasy Football Happy Hour” discusses the most newsworthy fantasy football and sports betting topics and is co-hosted by Jay Croucher and features analysis and advice from regular guests including NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, Mike Florio and Peter King, NBC Sports EDGE’s Denny Carter, Pat Daugherty, Vaughn Dalzell, Lawrence Jackson, and more.  The show, which is available on all major podcast platforms and via NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Radio, features fantasy football rankings, start/sit suggestions, waiver wire advice, betting futures, player props, and more.

ROTOWORLD

Rotoworld, the industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, , offers comprehensive fantasy football and betting coverage throughout the 2023 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. The 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide, featuring the most comprehensive player profiles, ranking and projections in the industry plus Matthew Berry’s annual “100 Facts” article and additional exclusive content from Rotoworld’s team of expert analysts, is available now. Click here for more information.

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

Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live streaming live on Peacock at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King also contributes regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the season.

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, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and Rotoworld Football Show, along with college football on B1G Talk with Todd and Noah and Go B1G or Go Home. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry is NBC Sports’ fantasy daily sports betting show, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and Rotoworld 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 3.6 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 2023 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

Eight-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. This year’s show open debuted Sunday night, Sept. 10, before kickoff of Cowboys-Giants on NBC.

The new show open – headlined by an updated rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” – features a concert performance interspersed with augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard. Underwood performed the open from The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, home of her ongoing residency, REFLECTION.

NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2022-23 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 12th 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 13th consecutive TV season.

2023 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
*Sun. Jan. 7 Week 18 Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

 *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 8. 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–

NOTES & QUOTES FROM WEEK 17 EDITION OF FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON NBC AND PEACOCK

By

“They’re getting pushed around on both sides of the ball and I don’t know what they are on offense. It seems like there is a mojo that just isn’t there.” – Chris Simms on the Eagles

“He threw the ball up and down the field today. It was fun to watch. MVP, Lamar? – Devin McCourty on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

 “Watch out for the Rams…We know (Matthew) Stafford and (Sean) McVay are going to be ready for playoff football. They would scare me if I saw them coming into town.” – Chris Simms on the Rams

Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Streams EXCLUSIVELY on Peacock Following Packers-Vikings and Every Sunday Night Football Game During 2023 Season

STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 31, 2023 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season began tonight from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Packers-Vikings on Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock.

Ahmed Fareed hosted FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. He was joined by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Steve Kornacki was also in studio to break down playoff scenarios. Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Jac Collinsworth at the site of the game. Maria Taylor is on parental leave.

Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game.

***

Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock:

ON VIKINGS

Simms on the Vikings offense: “They’re aggressive. They throw the ball down the field, and nobody can scheme the wide receivers open down the middle of the field more than the Vikings and (head coach) Kevin O’Connell.

Garrett on the Vikings starting Jaren Hall at quarterback: “One thing we know about Kevin O’Connell is he’s going to stay aggressive down the field. It’s going to be hard play-action, take those shots. The challenge for Hall is to make the plays when they’re available, otherwise check it down. They can’t turn the ball over like they have the past couple of weeks.”

Harrison on Vikings WR Justin Jefferson: “He is just so quick out of his breaks, but what separates him is his willingness to come across the middle and take the big hits. He is tough as nails; he doesn’t care or have any regard for his body.”

ON PACKERS

Harrison: “Matt LaFleur has done a really good job of bringing all this young talent together, but he’s also done a good job with Jordan Love. You can see the improvement. My biggest concern is their defense. They’re missing their two starting corners. They’ve struggled all season. They’ve been inconsistent.”

ON EAGLES

Simms: “They’re getting pushed around on both sides of the ball and I don’t know what they are on offense. It seems like there is a mojo that just isn’t there with them as a football team.”

ON 49ERS

Simms: “They were rolling. They’ve got to get revenge for the way they played last week. They got Deebo Samuel on the easiest touchdown pass Brock Purdy could have all year.”

ON THE PLAYOFF PICTURE

Kornacki on the AFC South: “The Jaguars have a tenuous hold on it…they go to the Titans next week. Win that game and Jacksonville wins the division. But, if Jacksonville falls short at Tennessee, the Colts and the Texans play each other next week. That game would become the AFC South championship game…Even if the Texans win next week, the winner of the Colts-Texans game is guaranteed a Wild Card berth at least. This game is high stakes no matter what happens.”

Kornacki on the NFC South: “All Tampa Bay has to do is win their game next week and they’ll win the division and get that home playoff game. But, if they blow it against the Panthers next week, the door is wide open for the Saints and Falcons who play each other. If the Bucs lose, this game is for the NFC South.”

Kornacki on the AFC East: “A month ago Miami was the prohibited favorite, but they blew that game to Tennessee and Buffalo has started winning so it comes down to Week 18. If the Bills win next week they get the division, but if they lose, they could fall all the way out of the playoffs.”

ON TEXANS

McCourty on C.J. Stroud: “(C.J. Stroud) gave this whole team a boost. This defense – they held Tennessee to 1-of-12 on third down. That’s just the C.J. Stroud effect.”

ON RAMS

Simms on the Rams offense: “(Matthew) Stafford missed some passes in this football game. They moved the football on the Giants, but did have some turnovers. But with Kyren Williams, the run-game is real, and it continued again today in New York.”

Simms on playing the Rams in the playoffs: “Watch out for the Rams. That was big today. They’ve won six out of seven, the one loss was an overtime loss to the great Ravens football team. We know Stafford and (Sean) McVay are going to be ready for playoff football. They would scare me if I saw them coming into town.”

ON BILLS

McCourty: “Buffalo had three takeaways that ended up in New England’s territory inside the 20 yard-line. This game could have been a lot uglier.”

ON RAVENS

Garrett: “Lamar Jackson was on fire, continuing to make his case for the MVP – threw five touchdowns with a perfect passer rating. Roquan Smith and the Ravens defense smothered the high-flying Dolphins offense holding Tua (Tagovailoa) and Tyreek (Hill) to 19 points.”

McCourty on Lamar Jackson: “He threw the ball up and down the field today. It was just up and down, back and forth. It was fun to watch. MVP, Lamar?”

Garrett: “I just love their organization – GM Eric DeCosta, John Harbaugh. They’ve built a complete team. They’ve got some stud players, cornerstone players, mixed in with veterans who play roles for them. They’re really good on offense, defense, (and in the) kicking game. They’re the team to beat in the AFC.”

ON COWBOYS

Garrett on the Cowboys: “For me, Christmas came a week late in Dallas. After Jimmy Johnson goes in (to the Ring of Honor) at halftime, all of a sudden the breaks start coming. They get a a huge break from the Eagles today. Now, they’re the No. 2 seed. If they win next week, they win the division and they’re in a great position in the playoffs because they play really well at home.

***

Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streams exclusively on Peacock following every Sunday Night Football game during the 2023 season. The show is hosted from the game site by Jac Collinsworth, Harrison, and Dungy, who will provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews, while Berry will host a weekly segment called “DraftKings Crowning Moments,” where the fantasy sports analyst will discuss his successful bets from that day; he will also provide fantasy advice and an early look at the waiver wire. Football Night in America’s studio team will also provide recaps and insights into the day’s biggest moments, while Florio will provide injury and news updates.

— Football Night in America —

BILLS-CHARGERS THRILLER IN PEACOCK HOLIDAY EXCLUSIVE DELIVERED PRIMETIME’S LARGEST AUDIENCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT

By

Game Reaches Nearly 10 Million Viewers, with Average Audience Peaking at 8.3 Million Viewers From 10:45-11 p.m. ET during First-Ever Commercial-Free NFL Fourth Quarter

Peacock to Present NFL’s First Ever Exclusively Live Streamed Playoff Game on Super Wild Card Weekend — Saturday, Jan. 13 in Primetime

STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 28, 2023 – The Buffalo Bills’ down-to-the-wire 22-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Peacock Holiday Exclusive delivered primetime’s largest audience last Saturday against all other programming.

The Peacock Holiday Exclusive – Peacock’s first exclusive NFL game – reached 9.9 million total viewers. The game peaked at an average of 8.3 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET during Peacock’s presentation of the NFL’s first-ever commercial-free fourth quarter, according to Nielsen custom fast national data with out-of-home viewership included.

“Peacock and NBC Sports successfully delivered the streaming service’s first-ever exclusive NFL game with the innovative commercial-free fourth quarter,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella. “Winning the night in primetime is a strong sign heading into our upcoming Peacock exclusive NFL Wild Card playoff game on Jan. 13.”

Across Peacock, NBC stations in Los Angeles and Buffalo, and NFL+, Saturday’s Peacock Holiday Exclusive (8:05-11 p.m. ET) averaged 7.2 million viewers based on Nielsen custom fast nationals.

Bills-Chargers delivered a 38.5/66 local rating/share on WGRZ (NBC Buffalo) and a 6.9/27 on KNBC (NBC Los Angeles).

In less than three weeks, Peacock will be home to the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game in primetime on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game will be the second of three NBCUniversal games on Super Wild Card Weekend – marking the first time a media company presents three NFL Playoff games in a single weekend.

Viewership figures are based upon custom fast national live + same day data from Nielsen. Official national data for the Peacock Holiday Exclusive will be available on Friday.

—PEACOCK HOLIDAY EXCLUSIVE—

GREEN BAY PACKERS AND MINNESOTA VIKINGS BATTLE TO KEEP PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON NBC, PEACOCK & UNIVERSO

By

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

NFL Sundays Begin and End on Peacock with Exclusive Coverage Featuring Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry at 11 a.m. ET and Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Immediately After Each SNF Game

STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 27, 2023 – Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers battle Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings to keep their playoff hopes alive in the Week 17 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 U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on NBC, Peacock, and Universo.

The Packers and Vikings, both 7-8, each remain in contention for the NFC playoffs, although they are currently sitting outside the final Wild Card spot. Sunday’s game is essentially a “must-win” game for both sides, as either team’s playoff odds will plummet with a loss. The Vikings currently own the tiebreaker against the Packers due to a 24-10 win earlier in the year.

Team Current Playoff Odds Playoff Odds with Win Playoff Odds with Loss
Packers 31% 62% 2%
Vikings 26% 47% 4%

*Source: Pro Football Focus (PFF)

Sunday marks the 127th regular-season meeting between the Packers and Vikings, with Green Bay holding a 65-58-3 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the ninth Packers-Vikings game on SNF, making it the fifth-most-played matchup since the show debuted in the 2006 NFL season.

The Packers beat the Carolina Panthers, 33-30, on Christmas Eve behind Love’s 219 passing yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). Running back Aaron Jones rushed for a season-high 127 yards while wide receiver Romeo Doubs and rookie wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks each caught a touchdown in the road win.

The Vikings fell to the Detroit Lions, 30-24, last week. Reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson had 141 receiving yards and a touchdown catch on six receptions; the three-time All-Pro selection has 5,648 career receiving yards and surpassed Michael Thomas (5,512) for the most receiving yards by a player in their first four seasons in NFL history. Jefferson, currently in his fourth season, also tied Julio Jones (28 games) for the second-most career games with 100+ receiving yards in a player’s first five seasons (only Hall of Famer Randy Moss (30) has more). Additionally, QB Nick Mullens, in only his second start for the Vikings, threw for 411 yards and two touchdowns.

Calling Packers-Vikings is Mike Tirico (play-by-play); 17-time Emmy Award winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst); and Melissa Stark (sideline reporter). 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 Rob Hyland and director Drew Esocoff. SNF has won a record 11 Sports Emmys for Outstanding Live Sports Series.

Football Night in America is hosted for the remainder of the season by Ahmed Fareed and features three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, as well as Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, NFL insider Mike Florio, fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry, co-host Jac Collinsworth, and NBC News’ political correspondent Steve Kornacki, who will break down the evolving NFL playoff picture following the conclusion of the Week 17 afternoon games. Maria Taylor is on maternity leave.

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 Matt Casey. FNIA is directed by Kaare Numme.

Peacock exclusively bookends NFL coverage every Sunday with Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry at 11 a.m. ET and its exclusive postgame show, Peacock Sunday Night Football Final following each Sunday Night Football game.

PEACOCK TO STREAM EXCLUSIVE WILD CARD GAME ON SAT., JAN. 13 IN PRIMETIME; WILL LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES THIS SEASON

Peacock will be home to the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game in primetime on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game will be the second of three NBCUniversal games on Super Wild Card Weekend – marking the first time a media company presents three NFL Playoff games in a single weekend.

All of NBC Sports’ NFL regular -season games, playoff games, and Football Night in America will also 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, PFT Live, PFT PM, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, 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.

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

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage 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. 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

Telemundo Deportes will again provide exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package with 20 regular season games, including this Thursday’s NFL Kickoff Game, 18 regular-season Sunday Night Football games, and the annual Thanksgiving night game, which will air on Telemundo. Telemundo Deportes will present four playoff matchups, including a Divisional Playoff game and three Wild Card Playoff games. NBC Sports’ NFL games this season will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

Telemundo Deportes’s SNF announce team consists of Emmy-award winning sports journalist and play-by-play announcer Miguel Gurwitz and former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Rolando Cantu this season with Ariana Figuera serving as analyst and supporting pre- and post-game studio coverage. Emmy-nominated Ana Jurka joins the team as host.

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 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and is also available in podcast form here.

FANTASY FOOTBALL HAPPY HOUR WITH MATTHEW BERRY

Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, NBC Sports’ daily fantasy football and sports betting show, streams every weekday every weekday at Noon ET on Peacock. “Fantasy Football Happy Hour” discusses the most newsworthy fantasy football and sports betting topics and is co-hosted by Jay Croucher and features analysis and advice from regular guests including NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, Mike Florio and Peter King, NBC Sports EDGE’s Denny Carter, Pat Daugherty, Vaughn Dalzell, Lawrence Jackson, and more.  The show, which is available on all major podcast platforms and via NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Radio, features fantasy football rankings, start/sit suggestions, waiver wire advice, betting futures, player props, and more.

ROTOWORLD

Rotoworld, the industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information offers comprehensive fantasy football and betting coverage throughout the 2023 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. The 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide, featuring the most comprehensive player profiles, ranking and projections in the industry plus Matthew Berry’s annual “100 Facts” article and additional exclusive content from Rotoworld’s team of expert analysts, is available now. Click here for more information.

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

Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live streaming live on Peacock at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King also contributes regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the season.

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, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and Rotoworld Football Show, along with college football on B1G Talk with Todd and Noah and Go B1G or Go Home. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry is NBC Sports’ fantasy daily sports betting show, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and Rotoworld 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 3.6 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 2023 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

Eight-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. This year’s show open debuted Sunday night, Sept. 10, before kickoff of Cowboys-Giants on NBC.

The new show open – headlined by an updated rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” – features a concert performance interspersed with augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard. Underwood performed the open from The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, home of her ongoing residency, REFLECTION.

NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2022-23 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 12th 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 13th consecutive TV season.

2023 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
*Sun. Dec. 31 Week 17 Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
*Sun. Jan. 7 Week 18 TBD

 

*Flex Week

** Thanksgiving Night Game

*** Exclusively on Peacock

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 8. 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–

NBCUNIVERSAL AND NFL TO AIR FIRST-EVER COMMERCIAL-FREE FOURTH QUARTER DURING BILLS-CHARGERS “PEACOCK HOLIDAY EXCLUSIVE” ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23

By

Matchup to Deliver 40% Overall Reduced Ad Load for NFL Viewers Resulting in More Than 12 Minutes of Additional Game-Related Content

Unprecedented Viewing Experience Will Feature NBCUniversal’s First-Ever NFL Shoppable Integration

Bills-Chargers Coverage Begins at 8 p.m. ET Exclusively on Peacock

New York, NY – December 21, 2023 – Today, NBCUniversal and the NFL announced that the Peacock Holiday Exclusive matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, Dec. 23 will include the league’s first-ever commercial-free fourth quarter. This matchup will deliver a groundbreaking fan experience with an over 40% reduction in standard NFL ad load resulting in more than 12 minutes of additional game-related content. Coverage for Peacock’s exclusive NFL game begins at 8 p.m. ET from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

“We are proud to work with our partners at the NFL to present this first-of-its kind experience,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella. “NBC Sports’ best-in-class NFL production, Peacock’s fan-friendly viewer experience, and this innovative advertising model will allow NFL fans an exciting new way to watch the game’s conclusion.”

The Buffalo Bills-Los Angeles Chargers matchup will tap into innovative ad formats including:

    • COMMERCIAL-FREE FOURTH-QUARTER INTRO: At the top of the fourth quarter, the broadcast will feature a branded moment to acknowledge the first-ever NFL commercial-free experience. From this moment on, there will be no commercials throughout the fourth quarter.
    • CONTENT TAKEOVERS: In lieu of fourth-quarter commercial time, the broadcast will feature special content takeovers and game features, seamlessly integrating relevant booth and studio updates and analysis.

 

NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football announce team of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark will call Bills-Chargers. For Stark, it will be her 100th regular-season matchup on the sidelines. The Peacock Holiday Exclusive matchup immediately follows the Holiday Special Saturday afternoon game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports’ B1G Saturday Night team – Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen – will call Bengals-Steelers. Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay will serve as rules analyst for both games.

A special edition of Football Night in America will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday to preview Bengals-Steelers and at 7:30 p.m. ET to preview Bills-Chargers. NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed will host FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. He’ll be joined by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, three-time Super Bowl Champion Devin McCourty, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, NFL Insider Mike Florio, and fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry. Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison will join co-host Jac Collinsworth at SoFi Stadium.

In January, Peacock will also be the home of the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game, presenting an NFL Wild Card Playoff in primetime on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. With the two Saturday NFL Wild Card games and a Sunday primetime NFL Wild Card game (on NBC and Peacock), NBCUniversal will be the first media company to present three NFL Playoff games in a single weekend (January 2024).

The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game and regular season game will be broadcast on NBC stations in the two competing team cities, and available on mobile devices with NFL+. The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets.

About NBCUniversal 

NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. Visit www.nbcuniversal.com for more information.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Caitlin Galo, Caitlin.Galo@nbcuni.com

Chris McCloskey, Christopher.McCloskey@nbcuni.com

NFL Contact, Andrew.Howard@NFL.com

 

###

JOSH ALLEN AND BILLS VISIT CHARGERS IN FIRST-EVER PEACOCK EXCLUSIVE NFL GAME THIS SATURDAY AT 8 P.M ET, FOLLOWING BENGALS-STEELERS AT 4:30 P.M. ET ON NBC, PEACOCK AND UNIVERSO

By

Mike Tirico to Call Bills-Chargers Alongside Analyst Cris Collinsworth and Reporter Melissa Stark

Bengals-Steelers Kicks Off at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and Universo; Special Edition of Football Night in America at 3 p.m. ET

NBC Sports’ B1G Saturday Night Crew of Noah Eagle (Play-by-Play), Todd Blackledge (Analyst), and Kathryn Tappen (Reporter) to Call Bengals-Steelers

STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 20, 2023 – NBC Sports’ blockbuster NFL holiday doubleheader kicks off this Saturday headlined by the first-ever Peacock exclusive NFL regular-season game as Josh Allen and the streaking Buffalo Bills (8-6) visit the Los Angeles Chargers (5-9) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, followed by kickoff at 8 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock.

NBC Sports’ NFL doubleheader kicks off earlier in the day, as the Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) in an AFC North divisional battle with playoff implications. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET with a special edition of Football Night in America, followed by kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and Universo.

Time (ET) Coverage Platform
1 p.m. Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry Peacock
3 p.m. Football Night in America NBC, Peacock, Universo
4:30 p.m. Bengals vs. Steelers NBC, Peacock, Universo
7:30 p.m. Football Night in America NBC, Peacock, Universo
8 p.m. Bills vs. Chargers Peacock

 

PEACOCK HOLIDAY EXCLUSIVE: BILLS AT CHARGERS AT 8 P.M. ET

At 8-6, the Bills are right in the AFC playoff hunt. They continued their march towards the playoffs last week by beating the Dallas Cowboys, 31-10, to win their second consecutive game following a 20-17 win over Kansas City in Week 14. Allen threw for a touchdown and rushed for a score, his NFL-record 10th game of the season with both a passing and rushing touchdown. Running back James Cook had a career day, amassing 221 scrimmage yards (179 rushing, 42 receiving) – the most by a Bills player since Fred Jackson in 2009 (227) – along with two touchdowns.

The Chargers fell to the Las Vegas Raiders, 63-21, last Thursday. In his first career NFL start, quarterback Easton Stick threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, while wide receiver Joshua Palmer had 113 receiving yards and a score on four receptions. Five-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen, who missed last week’s game due to injury, leads the NFL in receptions (108) and is fourth in receiving yards (1,243). This will be the Chargers’ first game under interim head coach Giff Smith.

Saturday night’s matchup will be the 41st overall meeting between the two teams, with the Chargers holding a 25-13-2 advantage in the all-time series.

Mike Tirico will call Bills-Chargers alongside 17-time Emmy Award winner and recent Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee Cris Collinsworth (analyst). Melissa Stark will report from the sidelines; three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay is the SNF rules analyst.

NFL HOLIDAY DOUBLEHEADER: BENGALS AT STEELERS AT 4:30 P.M. ET ON NBC, PEACOCK AND UNIVERSO

With both teams in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt, the Bengals and Steelers will meet for the 109th time on Saturday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Steelers hold a 69-39 advantage in the all-time series between the AFC North foes.

The Bengals defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 27-24, in overtime last Saturday led by QB Jake Browning’s 324 passing yards and two touchdowns. The first-year starter is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 1,000 passing yards with a 75 percent completion rate in his first four career starts. WR Tee Higgins had 61 yards and two touchdown catches on four receptions, while RB Joe Mixon had 61 scrimmage yards (47 rushing, 14 receiving) and a rushing touchdown in the win.

The Steelers lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 30-13, last Saturday. 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt recorded two sacks, tying his brother, J.J. Watt, for the fifth-most multi-sack games by a player in his first seven seasons (21) since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Additionally, WR Diontae Johnson had 62 receiving yards and a touchdown catch on four receptions.

NBC Sports’ Big Ten announce team of Noah Eagle (play-by-play), former Steelers QB Todd Blackledge, who played on the team from 1988-1989 (analyst), and Kathryn Tappen (reporter) will call Bengals-Steelers. McAulay serves as rules analyst.

NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by executive producer Rob Hyland and director Drew Esocoff. SNF has won a record 11 Sports Emmys for Outstanding Live Sports Series. Hyland and Esocoff will lead the Bills-Chargers telecast, while NBC Sports’ Big Ten Saturday Night producer Matt Marvin and director Charlie Dammeyer will handle Bengals-Steelers.

Football Night in America is hosted for the remainder of the season by Ahmed Fareed and features three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, as well as Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, NFL insider Mike Florio, fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry, co-host Jac Collinsworth, and NBC News’ political correspondent Steve Kornacki, who will break down the evolving NFL playoff picture following the conclusion of the Week 16 afternoon games. Maria Taylor is on maternity leave.

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 Matt Casey. FNIA is directed by Kaare Numme.

Peacock exclusively bookends NFL coverage every Sunday with Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry at 11 a.m. ET and its exclusive postgame show, Peacock Sunday Night Football Final following each Sunday Night Football game.

PEACOCK TO STREAM EXCLUSIVE REGULAR-SEASON AND WILD CARD GAME; WILL LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES THIS SEASON

Peacock is set to make history twice this season, with the first time being this week with the first-ever Peacock-exclusive regular season NFL game featuring Josh Allen and the Bills visiting the Chargers this Saturday, Dec. 23. Peacock will also be home to the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game during Wild Card Weekend on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. All of NBC Sports’ NFL regular -season games, playoff games, and Football Night in America will also 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, PFT Live, PFT PM, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, 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.

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

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage 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. 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

Telemundo Deportes will again provide exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package with 20 regular season games, including this Thursday’s NFL Kickoff Game, 18 regular-season Sunday Night Football games, and the annual Thanksgiving night game, which will air on Telemundo. Telemundo Deportes will present four playoff matchups, including a Divisional Playoff game and three Wild Card Playoff games. NBC Sports’ NFL games this season will also be available on live stream via TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.

Telemundo Deportes’s SNF announce team consists of Emmy-award winning sports journalist and play-by-play announcer Miguel Gurwitz and former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Rolando Cantu this season with Ariana Figuera serving as analyst and supporting pre- and post-game studio coverage. Emmy-nominated Ana Jurka joins the team as host.

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 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and is also available in podcast form here.

FANTASY FOOTBALL HAPPY HOUR WITH MATTHEW BERRY

With NBC Sports’ NFL holiday doubleheader on Saturday, there will be a special two-hour live installment of Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry on Saturday at 1 p.m. E.T. on Peacock.

Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, NBC Sports’ daily fantasy football and sports betting show, streams every weekday every weekday at Noon ET on Peacock. “Fantasy Football Happy Hour” discusses the most newsworthy fantasy football and sports betting topics and is co-hosted by Jay Croucher and features analysis and advice from regular guests including NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, Mike Florio and Peter King, NBC Sports EDGE’s Denny Carter, Pat Daugherty, Vaughn Dalzell, Lawrence Jackson, and more.  The show, which is available on all major podcast platforms and via NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Radio, features fantasy football rankings, start/sit suggestions, waiver wire advice, betting futures, player props, and more.

ROTOWORLD

Rotoworld, the industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, , offers comprehensive fantasy football and betting coverage throughout the 2023 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. The 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide, featuring the most comprehensive player profiles, ranking and projections in the industry plus Matthew Berry’s annual “100 Facts” article and additional exclusive content from Rotoworld’s team of expert analysts, is available now. Click here for more information.

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

Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live streaming live on Peacock at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King also contributes regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the season.

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, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and Rotoworld Football Show, along with college football on B1G Talk with Todd and Noah and Go B1G or Go Home. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry is NBC Sports’ fantasy daily sports betting show, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and Rotoworld 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 3.6 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 2023 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

Eight-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. This year’s show open debuted Sunday night, Sept. 10, before kickoff of Cowboys-Giants on NBC.

The new show open – headlined by an updated rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” – features a concert performance interspersed with augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard. Underwood performed the open from The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, home of her ongoing residency, REFLECTION.

NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2022-23 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 12th 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 13th consecutive TV season.

2023 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sat. Dec. 23 (4:30 p.m. ET) Week 16 Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
***Sat. Dec. 23 (8 p.m. ET) Week 16 Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Chargers
*Sun. Dec. 31 Week 17 Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
*Sun. Jan. 7 Week 18 TBD

 

*Flex Week

** Thanksgiving Night Game

*** Exclusively on Peacock

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 8. 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–