STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 21, 2014 – In addition to its weekly Sunday Night Football preview, interviews, highlights, and reaction to the afternoon games, tonight’s Week 3 episode of Football Night in America will surround the off-the-field issues currently facing the league by addressing the numerous matters throughout the show.
Football Night, the most-watched studio show in sports, airs each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, with Bob Costas hosting the program live from inside the stadium. He will be joined on site by Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, NBC NFL analyst Hines Ward, and NBC Sports commentator Josh Elliott.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1, and is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison; Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and NBCSN, and Peter King of Sports Illustrated. Alex Flanagan will report from CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash., on the Broncos-Seahawks game.
For tonight’s episode, Costas interviewed Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown, and Elliott had a candid discussion with Carolina Panthers LB Luke Kuechly.
INTERVIEWS: Below are excerpts from Costas’ interview with Brown, and Elliott’s interview with Kuechly. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing tonight on Football Night in America.”
ANTONIO BROWN WITH BOB COSTAS
On stepping out of bounds on final play of 2013 season, nullifying game-winning touchdown to send Steelers to playoffs: “That play still haunts me to this day. A perfect opportunity, special moment…just a little wide left.”
On Week 1 play where he kicked Browns P Spencer Lanning while trying to jump over him: “I had predetermined he was going up under me, because I had squared him up as I was running full speed at him. As soon as I got to him he just kind of squatted, and I jumped up over him…I wasn’t trying to lay him out.”
On being grateful for opportunity to play professional football: “I’m living the dream. I’m excited, I’m healthy…I get to talk to Mr. Costas on NBC. I can’t complain.”
LUKE KUECHLY WITH JOSH ELLIOTT
Kuechly on effect of Greg Hardy situation on Panthers: “The guys are very focused on what we have to do. We’re going to have some guys that are going to step up and fill his role. That’s one thing that’s good about our team – when one guy goes down, other guys get to step up. Coach Wash (defensive line coach Eric Washington) and Sam Mills (assistant defensive line coach) do a good job of getting those guys ready to go each week, whether they’re going to play or not. I think all of them know if they get in there, they’re going to be good to go, and I think they were able to do that last week.”
On drawing comparisons to all-time great defensive players: “I’ve got long way to go. I’ve only played two years, and all those guys have been around for a while…won Super Bowls, been to Pro Bowls…I’m going into my third year. I’ve got a long way to go to get to that point.”
On the intensity and significance of playing on Sunday Night Football: “When the lights come on, it’s a different game…day games are great, but when the night lights come on, it reminds me of high school football for some reason. Friday night…you go out there and the whole city shuts down to come to your game. It’s kind of like that here. Everyone’s watching your game. Whether it’s East Coast, West Coast…most people are tuned into Sunday Night Football, and I think it makes it a little bit more cool.”
On driving the pace car at NASCAR all-star race in Charlotte: “I was a little nervous…I had done practice laps previously that week, and I was like, ‘All right, I’m good.’…then you get to the race, and I’m in the car and I hear the other cars behind me. I can see them in the rearview mirror; they’re right there. And I’m like, ’Oh, shoot, I better not mess this up.’… I might’ve been going a hair slow.”
--FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA--