FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 20th, 2018
DREW BREES, AARON RODGERS, MATT RYAN & KIRK COUSINS HIGHLIGHT HOLIDAY HELPING OF OFFENSE IN THANKSGIVING WEEK NFL MATCHUPS ON NBC
Saints Host Falcons in NFC South Showdown in Sunday Night Football “Thanksgiving Special;” Coverage Begins at 8 p.m. ET on NBC
Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy & Rodney Harrison Shift from Football Night in America to Booth to Call Falcons-Saints
Rodgers and Packers Visit Cousins and Vikings in Pivotal NFC North Matchup on NBC’s Sunday Night Football
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App to Live Stream Thanksgiving Night & Sunday Night Football to Desktops, Tablets, and Connected TVs
College Football – Grambling State vs. Southern in Bayou Classic Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – November 20, 2018 – NBC Sports’ holiday week NFL coverage begins this Thursday with a special Thanksgiving night matchup in New Orleans, La., when Drew Brees and the NFC South-leading Saints host Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons from Mercedes-Benz Superdome, with coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage continues with Sunday Night Football on Nov. 25, as Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers travel to Minnesota to face Kirk Cousins and the Vikings in a pivotal NFC North contest from U.S. Bank Stadium. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, followed by SNF kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET.
In New Orleans’ win over Philadelphia on Sunday, Brees threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns, marking his 23rd career game with at least four passing touchdowns and no interceptions, the most in NFL history. The Saints are averaging a league-best 37.8 points per game, and have scored at least 40 points in six games this season. The Falcons enter Thursday aiming to stay in playoff contention following a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Wide receiver Julio Jones has caught a touchdown pass in three consecutive games, and has recorded at least 100 receiving yards in six of his last seven games.
The Vikings split their last two divisional contests, including a 25-20 defeat to the Chicago Bears on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Cousins threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught 13 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. Through 10 games, Diggs and teammate Adam Thielen have each recorded at least 70 receptions and 700 receiving yards. Thielen leads the NFL in receptions (85) and ranks fourth in receiving yards (1,013). The Packers look to bounce back from a narrow loss to the Seahawks on Thursday. Rodgers completed 21-of-30 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat. Green Bay (4-5-1) remains in the hunt for a playoff spot.
On Thanksgiving night, Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Tony Dungy (analyst) and Rodney Harrison (analyst) shift from Football Night in America – the most-watched weekly studio show in sports for 13 years running – into the broadcast booth to call Falcons-Saints. Two-time Emmy Award-winning reporter Michele Tafoya will report from the sidelines in New Orleans, and will award the traditional postgame turkey legs and game balls.
New Orleans-based master chef Emeril Lagasse and famed voodoo rocker Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews headline NBC Sports’ Thanksgiving night show open. Set at Emeril’s New Orleans, the special show open is highlighted by Emeril setting the table for Falcons-Saints by creating NFL-themed fare that could only be part of a Thanksgiving feast in the Big Easy. And as dinner is being prepared, Trombone Shorty gets into the act with his distinctive brand of New Orleans music capped by his own rendition of the Sunday Night Football theme song backed by New Breed Brass Band. Emeril will also prepare the traditional turkey that the winning team will enjoy postgame on the field.
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Calling Packers-Vikings on Sunday are Al Michaels (play-by-play) and 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth; and Tafoya. Tirico will host Football Night in America alongside Dungy, 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 U.S. Bank Stadium.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL – SOUTHERN VS. GRAMBLING STATE IN BAYOU CLASSIC SATURDAY AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
NBC Sports Group concludes its 2018 college football coverage this Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Grambling State (6-4) and Southern University (6-3) facing off in the annual Bayou Classic from Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. Both teams are undefeated since losing their respective games to Alcorn State. The game will determine the winner of the SWAC West title.
This marks the 28th year NBC Sports will present the Bayou Classic. In September, NBC Sports Group, Grambling State University and Southern University reached an agreement to extend their three-decade partnership for three more years, keeping the annual Bayou Classic on NBCSN through 2021.
Todd Harris will handle play-by-play, and will be joined in the booth by analysts Charles Arbuckle and Anthony Herron. Lewis Johnson will report from the sidelines.
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
- 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 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.
| 2018 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE | ||
| **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 | Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers |
| *Sun. Dec. 9 | Week 14 | Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears |
| *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
—SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL—
