FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 31st, 2018
RODGERS VS. BRADY – PATRIOTS HOST PACKERS IN ULTIMATE QB SHOWDOWN ON NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Aaron Rodgers Faces Tom Brady for the First Time at Gillette Stadium; Second Time Ever
Michael Jordan Previews This Week’s SNF Matchup with “Greatest Ever” Promo
Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET; New, Earlier 8:20 p.m. ET Kickoff Time for SNF
Aaron Rodgers Discusses Relationship with Tom Brady on The Mike Tirico Podcast
Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya & Fred Gaudelli to Preview Packers-Patriots on Conference Call Today at 2:30 p.m. ET
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App to Live Stream All Sunday Night Football Games to Desktops, Tablets, Connected TVs, & Mobile Devices
STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 31, 2018 – Tom Brady and the AFC East-leading New England Patriots (6-2) return to primetime this weekend to host Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (3-3-1) in a highly-anticipated match-up on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by a new, earlier SNF kickoff time of 8:20 p.m. ET, from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.
Sunday night marks only the second time Brady and Rodgers will face off as starting quarterbacks, and the first time since 2014, when they combined for 613 passing yards and four touchdowns in a five-point Green Bay victory at Lambeau Field. Between them, Brady and Rodgers boast 19 Pro Bowl selections, five NFL MVP awards, nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowl rings.
In his 18 seasons as an NFL quarterback, Brady has led his team to more division titles (15) than any other quarterback in league history and has appeared in eight Super Bowls, winning five. Rodgers is the NFL’s all-time career leader in passing rating (103.6), while Brady ranks third (97.6) (minimum 1,500 attempts). Rodgers has 326 touchdown passes and 40,785 passing yards since entering the NFL in 2005, while Brady has 504 touchdown passes with 68,359 passing yards in his career. Entering Sunday’s game, Brady has thrown for 2,200 yards with 16 touchdowns this season, while Rodgers has thrown for 2,283 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Calling Packers-Patriots is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 33rd season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth; and two-time Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya. This marks the 10th season that Michaels and Collinsworth will serve as the announce team in the NBC broadcast booth. In addition, three-time Super Bowl referee and SNF’s new rules analyst Terry McAulay will join Michaels and Collinsworth in the booth.
Click here for a preview of this week’s Sunday Night Football matchup on the battle of the QBs.
The Packers come off a narrow loss to Jared Goff and the undefeated Los Angeles Rams after a late fumble in last week’s game. Rodgers threw for 286 yards and one touchdown, and the Green Bay defense forced the league’s top rushing offense to punt on their first five possessions.
The Patriots improved to 6-2 after defeating the Buffalo Bills on Monday night and now sit one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the AFC. Prior to the Bills game, the Patriots scored at least 38 points in four consecutive games. They are on an AFC-best give-game winning streak.
Mike Tirico will host Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC alongside Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, and NFL insider Mike Florio from NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. Liam McHugh will co-host Football Night in America on-site from Gillette.
NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff.
AL MICHAELS, CRIS COLLINSWORTH, MICHELE TAFOYA & FRED GAUDELLI TO PREVIEW PACKERS-PATRIOTS ON CONFERENCE CALL TODAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET
Michaels, Collinsworth, Tafoya, and Gaudelli will be on a media conference call today at 2:30 p.m. ET to preview this week’s Sunday Night Football matchup.
Click here for more information.
NBC DEBUTS MICHAEL JORDAN “GREATEST EVER” PROMO VIDEO FOR THIS WEEK’S SNF MATCHUP
In a 45-second promotional spot that debuted on Sunday night, basketball icon Michael Jordan previewed the upcoming Week 9 Rodgers-Brady matchup by stoking the “Greatest Ever” debate, and concluding that “the best way to settle this debate is top play it out – head to head.” Watch the critically-acclaimed spot here.
AARON RODGERS DISCUSSES RELATIONSHIP WITH TOM BRADY ON THE MIKE TIRICO PODCAST
Mike Tirico interviewed Aaron Rodgers in last week’s episode of The Mike Tirico Podcast. During the episode, Rodgers discussed his friendship with Tom Brady and how Brady has been a pioneer for other quarterbacks in the league. Following are excerpts from the interview. Click here to listen to the full episode.
Rodgers: “Tom and I have known each other for a long time now. He was always great to me as a young player and we’ve continued our friendship over the years. I just have a ton of respect for him as a player. He’s a pioneer as far as how he takes care of his body and has been able to have sustained greatness late into his 30s and into his 40s now… In 2010, we played them and I was out with a concussion, so I’ve only gotten to line up against him once. We played them in ’14 and beat them in a close one. I always enjoy watching his games. We talk a little bit during the season. It will be fun to compete against him again.”
Tirico: “It’s pretty cool that you call him a pioneer. I don’t think people think of him in that regard, because we think of the individual longevity, but all of the TB12 stuff and the science behind it – that might be a more appropriate way to discuss Brady’s longevity, that he’s set the course for you guys and if you want to follow it and play into your 40s, you’ve got a template to there to fit your deal into.”
Rodgers: “He’s done a great job of taking care of himself and opened up some of those secret boxes and let some of us have an idea about how he’s able to do it. I tease him. I feel like he’s gotten more mobile as his career has gone on. You never used to see Tom take off and run. Every now and then now he’s taking off, he had a big one in the Super Bowl, like 15 yards.”
Tirico: “Just please tell me that you don’t have a pair of the TB12 recovery pajamas.”
Rodgers: “No, no – I don’t wear pajamas.”
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, tablets, mobile devices 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. This marks the first season that NBC Sports is able to live stream to mobile devices and on PlayStation 4. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. Powered by Playmaker Media, the NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, PlayStation and Xbox.
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 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 NBCSN’s and NBC Sports Radio’s PFT Live with Florio, and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
PFT LIVE – WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON NBCSN
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 on NBCSN at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King will also contribute regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the regular season. In addition, on the mornings after games where rulings are a hot topic, McAulay will join Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Radio and NBCSN.
The two-hour PFT Live provides all-encompassing coverage of the NFL, including the most current news and analysis, thought-provoking debates, and interviews with a wide variety of NFL newsmakers. The program is a simulcast of NBC Sports Radio’s PFT Live national program that airs daily beginning at 6 a.m. ET.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA
- SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Going into its seventh season, Sunday Night Football gives the SNF fan a look at photos through the filters of Instagram. Fans get a look around each SNF city, as well as access inside the production trucks, the locker rooms, on the field, and on the sideline, as our social media producer captures the best photos of Sunday night and posts in real time. Each week, SNF on Instagram will host Instagram Live interviews with Michele Tafoya and players from each team. In addition, SNF on Instagram will utilize Instagram stories to maximize fans’ exposure to the Sunday Night Football footprint.
- SNF ON TWITTER: Using tweets, photos, and videos, @SNFonNBC provides unique content with SNF talent, production crew and NFL players. Additionally, Tafoya will provide real-time tweets from the sideline to provide followers with updates all game long.
- SNF ON SNAPCHAT: For the second season, NBC Sports’ Snapchat account will be creating content on the platform at each Sunday Night Football game, including Kickoff and from the SNF Bus. The NBC Sports Snapchat account will take fans behind the scenes to the FNIA set and around cities where Sunday Night Football comes to town, utilizing lenses and filters to customize content specifically for the Snapchat audience.
- SNF ON FACEBOOK: – At nearly 3.7 million likes strong, the Sunday Night Football Facebook page provides social-first stories, photos and video every week.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS RETURNS FOR 2018 NFL SEASON
NBC Sports Group’s Sunday Night Football bus returns this season to travel the country, visiting the host cities of select Sunday Night Football games. The bus will bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy to various SNF locations, before arriving at its final destination in Week 17.
Fans will get a closer look at the behind-the-scenes action of SNF broadcasts on the bus, which will take fans from the field, to the studio and in the production trucks. Features of the bus include an interactive replica of the control room, an interactive player wall, a Carrie Underwood music experience, a replica of the Football Night in America desk, an area showcasing SNF’s new initiative with the Boys & Girls Clubs and more.
The bus will arrive in each city two to three days prior to the game, making stops at local landmarks and events before heading to the game site. Once at the stadium, the Sunday Night Football bus will give fans the opportunity to interact with America’s most-watched primetime television show with exclusive activities, memorabilia and a 55-inch monitor housing social media elements.
NBC SPORTS RADIO
NBC Sports Radio will surround the 2018 NFL season with daily coverage across more than 425 radio affiliates, highlighted by PFT Live, featuring NFL insider and Football Night In America commentator Mike Florio daily from 6-9 a.m. ET; the PFT PM podcast hosted by Florio, which takes a look back at the day that was in the NFL; Safety Blitz with Rodney Harrison and Dan Schwartzman; featuring three-time All Pro and two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison; and more.
To listen to a live stream of NBC Sports Radio, or find your local affiliate, visit www.NBCSportsRadio.com
NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS
NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NFL markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, will surround the 2018 NFL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most in more than 40 million U.S. households.
NBC’S “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR UNPRECEDENTED SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR:
The last seven years of NBC’s Sunday Night Football (2011-17) have been history-making, as SNF has been primetime TV’s No. 1 show for an unprecedented seven consecutive seasons – breaking its tie with American Idol (six) for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. Prior to 2011, a sports series had never been primetime television’s top show for a full season. Sunday Night Football has also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for eight consecutive TV seasons.
| 2018 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE | ||
| *Sun. Nov. 4 | Week 9 | Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots |
| *Sun. Nov. 11 | Week 10 | Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles |
| *Sun. Nov. 18 | Week 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars |
| **Thurs. Nov. 22 | Week 12 | Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints |
| *Sun. Nov. 25 | Week 12 | Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings |
| *Sun. Dec. 2 | Week 13 | San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks |
| *Sun. Dec. 9 | Week 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders |
| *Sun. Dec. 16 | Week 15 | Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams |
| *Sun. Dec. 23 | Week 16 | Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks |
| *Sun. Dec. 30 | Week 17 | TBD |
*Flex Week
** Thanksgiving Night Game
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING: Flexible scheduling will be used in Weeks 11-17. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-16, 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. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday or Monday nights.
A flexible scheduling move would be announced at least 12 days before the game. For Week 17, the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to December 30. The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into prime time.
For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com
—NBC SPORTS GROUP—
