FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 19th, 2014

JASON TAYLOR, KEVIN GILBRIDE & PAUL BURMEISTER JOIN MIKE FLORIO ON “PRO FOOTBALL TALK” FOR 2014 NFL SEASON

Tony Dungy to Appear Every Tuesday; Hines Ward – Wednesday; Cris Collinsworth – Thursday; & Doug Flutie – Friday

Long-time NFL Trainer Mike Ryan Also to Contribute to PFT This Season

Ross Tucker, Jon Ritchie, Takeo Spikes & Brian Westbrook Will Continue to Contribute

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 19, 2014 – Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor and longtime NFL coach Kevin Gilbride will join Mike Florio and new co-host and veteran NFL commentator Paul Burmeister to discuss the hottest NFL topics this season on Pro Football Talk, NBCSN’s weekday NFL news program. In addition, Mike Ryan, who boasts 26 NFL seasons of athletic training experience, will join PFT to provide perspective on injuries and sports medicine.

For the first time, the show will feature consistent daily guest appearances by NBC Sports football analysts. Beginning the week of September 8, Tony Dungy will appear every Tuesday throughout the season; Hines Ward on Wednesdays; Cris Collinsworth on Thursdays; and Doug Flutie on Fridays. Taylor will appear every Monday as well as other days of the week.

The new additions mean that Pro Football Talk will draw upon a combined eight Super Bowl titles and 169 seasons of NFL experience from its analysts to provide viewers with wide-ranging perspectives during the 2014 NFL season.

“Viewers this season will be treated to our deepest and most consistent roster of NFL experts ever,” said Matt Casey, producer, Pro Football Talk. “Paul, Jason, Kevin and Mike all bring long-term and unique NFL perspectives to the show that – combined with Mike Florio’s unprecedented insider access — will allow us to surround and dive deep on virtually any topic.”

Long-time PFT contributors and former NFL players Ross Tucker and Jon Ritchie will both continue to appear on the program regularly. Former NFL players Takeo Spikes and Brian Westbrook, who have appeared on the show in the past, will also continue to be regular contributors.

A six-time Pro Bowl DE/OLB, Taylor totaled 139.5 sacks, 40 forced fumbles and eight interceptions during a 15-year career that spanned three teams – the Miami Dolphins (1997-2007, 2009, 2011), Washington Redskins (2008) and New York Jets (2010). In 2006, Taylor won Defensive Player of the Year honors and in 2007 was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, which is presented annually to the player who demonstrates outstanding contributions to society off-the-field while handling himself in an exemplary fashion in uniform. Taylor will join the show in September. For more on Jason Taylor, click here.

During his more than 20 years on the NFL sidelines, which included two years as head coach of the San Diego Chargers (1997-98), Gilbride was regarded as one of the game’s finest offensive minds, having coached some of its greatest passers, including Warren Moon, Mark Brunell, and Eli Manning. As offensive coordinator with the New York Giants, Gilbride helped the team win two Super Bowls before retiring following the 2013 season. Gilbride has appeared on PFT throughout the summer and will continue to do so. For more on Kevin Gilbride, click here.

One of the original hires at NFL Network, Burmeister spent the last decade there as a studio host and anchor. Throughout his 10 seasons, Burmeister hosted NFL Total Access, NFL Gameday Scoreboard, Around the League Live, and NFL AM, providing fans with in-depth information and analysis during the season. Each January, he anchored NFL Network’s coverage of Senior Bowl week, and from February through the NFL Draft, served as primary host of “Path to the Draft” since its launch in 2007. Prior to his broadcasting career, Burmeister was a quarterback at The University of Iowa, where he was offensive captain and MVP of the 1993 Hawkeyes. He spent time with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent in 1995. Burmeister will co-host his first episode of PFT on September 2nd. For more on Paul Burmeister, click here.

Ryan began his work in the NFL as an athletic trainer intern with the New York Giants in 1984, and recently retired after 20 seasons as the head athletic trainer for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ryan is currently the President of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers’ Society Research and Education Foundation, and is the member of numerous committees and advisory boards focused on athletic training and medicine in sport. For more on Mike Ryan, click here.

ABOUT PRO FOOTBALL TALK

Launched in 2012, Pro Football Talk, airs at 5:30 p.m. ET every Monday through Friday, and is co-hosted by Mike Florio and Paul Burmeister. The show regularly features a roster of NBC Sports football commentators, including Rodney Harrison, Tony Dungy, Hines Ward, Cris Collinsworth, Doug Flutie, Jason Taylor and Kevin Gilbride, among others. In addition to diving deep on the most topical NFL stories of the day, Pro Football Talk provides all-encompassing coverage of the NFL, including the most current news and analysis, engaging features, thought-provoking debates, and interviews with a wide variety of NFL newsmakers.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–