FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 13th, 2019

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA – WEEK 6 NOTES & QUOTES

They were the most impressive unit I saw all day today.” – Tony Dungy on the 49ers defense

“This is why he’s the MVP of football right now.” – Chris Simms on Russell Wilson’s performance today

“Moving forward, the Buccaneers are going to have to find a new quarterback.” – Rodney Harrison on Jameis Winston

“This was the Lamar Jackson Show today, start to finish.” – Mike Tirico on Bengals-Ravens

 “Dabo Swinney said Deshaun was Michael Jordan, and he’s looked like it in the NFL.” – Dungy on Deshaun Watson

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 13, 2019 – Mike Tirico hosted the Week 6 edition of Football Night in America tonight from NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., in advance of the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers. Tirico was joined on the set by analysts Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, and Chris Simms, as well as NFL Insider Mike Florio.

Liam McHugh co-hosted Football Night in America from an outdoor set outside ROKiT Field at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. He was joined by SNF analyst Cris Collinsworth, with Al Michaels and Michele Tafoya also reporting from inside the stadium. In addition, McHugh interviewed Chargers all-time great and Pro Football Hall of Fame RB LaDainian Tomlinson.

FNIA also included highlights, analysis, and news from around the league.

Following are highlights from Football Night in America on NBC:

ON STEELERS

Collinsworth on QB Devlin Hodges: “You ever have a buddy who was just so cocky with everything he did? He reminds me of one of those guys that plays cornhole that just won 16 rounds in a row, and you can’t get him off the board, and every time he needs to throw one he just throws it right in the hole. That’s who this guy is. He’s just fun.”

Simms on Hodges: “I’m excited to see him tonight. I think they have more downfield, Big Ben-type passing inventory available with Hodges.”

Dungy on Hodges: “He was composed last week. He’ll have a good read on this Chargers defense tonight.”

Simms: “This is one of the better defensive lines in football.”

Dungy on playing for the Steelers: “Just a special, special opportunity. I got there as a young rookie player. Art Rooney Sr…talked to us. He didn’t talk about Super Bowls. Once we made the team he said, ‘You represent the city. You represent the organization. Do it well. Move here. Make Pittsburgh a better place to live.’ Two years later, I get traded. I’m just a backup player, a special teams guy, and he writes a handwritten note, Mr. Rooney did, to my parents, ‘It was great to get to know you. Anytime you want to come to a game, just call me. You’re always welcome.’ That’s why you love being a Steeler.”

ON CHARGERS

Dungy on RB Melvin Gordon: “They’ve got to get him going. He was such a big part of that run last year. When they’re running the football, that helps Philip Rivers, it helps the defense. They’ve got to get Melvin going. I expect to see him a lot.”

LaDainian Tomlinson on if former Chargers S Rodney Harrison should be in the Hall of Fame: “Absolutely. Without question, one of the best safeties ever in the National Football League. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Harrison on Tomlinson: “I couldn’t ask for a better teammate.”

ON 49ERS

Dungy: “Their defense is overwhelming the Rams. I thought the Rams would handle this game, but they had no shot.”

Simms: “It’s (Kyle) Shanahan and (Jimmy) Garoppolo, that’s all we hear about. But I think it’s Robert Saleh’s defense that is one of the more impressive units in all of football.”

Dungy on the 49ers defense: “They were the most impressive unit I saw all day today.”

ON SAINTS

Dungy: “We talk about what you have to do when you have a backup quarterback. The Saints are giving us a blueprint because it’s not just been one guy, it has been the entire unit.”

ON VIKINGS

Harrison on QB Kirk Cousins: “Is Cousins all fixed?”

Simms: “I think he is.”

Harrison: “Me too.”

Dungy: “…If he could play Philadelphia every week.”

ON SEAHAWKS

Simms on QB Russell Wilson’s performance against the Browns: “This is why he’s the MVP of football right now. He can find time, make throws, beat you with his legs. He’s pretty awesome.”

Harrison: “Chris Carson runs harder than any running back in this league.”

ON TEXANS

Harrison to Dungy: “I was really impressed with Deshaun Watson outplaying your MVP, Patrick Mahomes.”

Simms: “He can beat you in the pocket, on the move, his ability to improvise is as good as anybody in the game.”

Dungy: “His college coach (Clemson head coach) Dabo Swinney said Deshaun was Michael Jordan, and he’s looked like it in the NFL.”

ON RAVENS

Tirico on the Ravens victory today: “This was the Lamar Jackson Show today, start to finish.”

Simms on QB Lamar Jackson: “We talk about his running, but his throwing has been very efficient, too.”

Dungy on if Jackson can go injury-free: “He can’t like we’re seeing now. You’re a 195-pound guy, you’re not a 220-pound running back. He can’t take all those hits. Do what you’re doing, but slide, get out of bounds, learn to go down and not take those hits.”

Simms: “I’m with you. I don’t know how he’s doing it up to this point.”

ON JETS

Tirico on QB Sam Darnold: “What a difference a quarterback makes.”

Simms: “When you have a franchise-type quarterback, it gives the whole organization confidence. You could see today, the whole field was open in the passing game.”

Dungy: “Even the defense played with more energy.”

ON COWBOYS

Harrison: “They’ve got to get back to playing with energy and emotion.”

Dungy: “That’s what concerned me.”

ON BRONCOS

Simms: “Vic Fangio is one of the best defensive minds in the sport. I don’t care who’s at quarterback right now, the Denver Broncos are going to make it tough on you.”

ON BUCCANEERS

Harrison on QB Jameis Winston: “Jameis is absolutely too careless with the football. Everything has to be a big play or touchdown. Moving forward, the Buccaneers are going to have to find a new quarterback.”

ON REDSKINS

Dungy on Adrian Peterson: “Opening game of the year, Peterson was inactive. (Interim head coach) Bill Callahan made a decision, he was going to run the ball today with Adrian, and it paid off.”

Harrison on WR Terry McLaurin: “He’s an impressive rookie. He’s been their best player. You can build your offense around this young man.”

Harrison on Redskins and Dolphins: “I played on a 1-15 team. It’s frustrating coming to work every day, and a lot of players quit. I look at these two teams and nobody is quitting yet.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA