FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, December 15th, 2019
FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA – WEEK 15 NOTES & QUOTES
“It is ducks wherever you look in the city of Terrible Towels.” – Mike Tirico on Pittsburgh’s enthusiasm for QB Devlin “Duck” Hodges
“This is why the Dallas Cowboys drive everyone crazy, because when they put it together, they can compete with anybody in this league.” – Rodney Harrison
“It doesn’t matter what the weather conditions are, Patrick Mahomes was in total control out there today.” – Tony Dungy
“There’s been a sense that this thing is close to the end, that the NFL wants to wrap it up quickly. I’m told it’s still very close to the beginning.” – Mike Florio on Patriots video situation
Newtown High School Football Team Featured during Halftime of Bills-Steelers following Yesterday’s Last-Second TD to Win State Title on 7th Anniversary of Sandy Hook Tragedy
STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 15, 2019 – Mike Tirico hosted the Week 15 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 Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers. 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 Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa. He was joined by SNF analyst Cris Collinsworth, with Al Michaels and Michele Tafoya also reporting from inside the stadium.
McHugh interviewed Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, and Steelers greats Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier. Tafoya did a sit-down interview with Steelers QB Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
During halftime of tonight’s game, the FNIA team interviewed the Newtown High School football team, who won the Connecticut Class LL state championship yesterday by defeating Darien, 13-7, on a last-second, walk-off touchdown pass seven years to the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
FNIA also included highlights, analysis, and news from around the league.
Following are highlights from Football Night in America on NBC:
ON STEELERS
Michaels on the coaching job by Mike Tomlin after the team’s early-season struggles: “I don’t think that Harry Houdini or David Copperfield could have gotten them out of this mess. So for me, Mike Tomlin is the Coach of the Year.”
Tirico on excitement for QB Devlin “Duck” Hodges: “It is ducks wherever you look in the city of Terrible Towels.”
Dungy on improved defense: “Two guys have really revitalized them. First, Devin Bush, the linebacker they drafted to replace Ryan Shazier. He has to do a lot for them: blitz, cover in the middle of the field, and tackle sideline to sideline.”
Harrison: “Minkah Fitzpatrick has really been that missing piece…they’ve always had miscommunication. He’s come in and really solidified that communication.”
Harrison on Hodges: “What I love about him is that he’s not afraid to throw the ball down the field.”
Simms: “He’s opened up that offense a little bit, given them a little more room. The run game, his deep balls down the field, it’s hard to defend.”
Dungy: “But being aggressive, he’s going to give those Buffalo Bills defenders some chances, a lot like playing against Brett Favre. Be ready because that ball will be coming in some tight spots.”
ON BILLS
Collinsworth on Bills defense: “We all know how good the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is, but the Buffalo Bills have some superstars as well…Tremaine Edmunds is just amazing…is he a finished product yet? No, he’s not. But this is going to be one of the more dynamic players in the NFL in the years to come. And this is the one that blows me away, Jordan Phillips, he’s had 7.5 sacks already this year. He played four years in Miami, only had 5.5 sacks the whole time. I don’t know what they’re doing. And Tre’Davious White, only Stephon Gilmore do I put in the category with this young man. One of the best cornerbacks. I think you’re going to see the Pittsburgh Steelers trying to avoid him tonight.”
Simms on the Bills’ defense: “No weaknesses. They’re really well coached. They’ve got great depth on the D-line. The linebackers (Matt) Milano and (Tremaine) Edmunds are phenomenal, and the secondary is really good, too, on the back end.”
Simms on QB Josh Allen: “He’s got incredible talent, superstar talent. He’s just got to take care of the ball, and that usually translates to wins for Buffalo.”
ON TEXANS
Dungy: “DeAndre (Hopkins) took over in the fourth quarter. He made these big catches that really pushed the envelope.”
Dungy on Houston in the playoffs: “This was a huge win for Houston today…to have to go on the road playing for first place. Deshaun Watson, I thought he was outstanding. This gives them the leg up in the AFC South.”
Harrison on Houston: “The problem with Houston for me is I don’t trust them. I don’t know which Houston team I’m going to get. I don’t know if I’m going to get the one that beat the Patriots, the one that lost to Denver, or the one that showed up today. If they can just become a little bit more consistent, then I’ll trust them. But I don’t trust them right now.”
ON TITANS
Simms on Tannehill touchdown: “This is what you have to worry about with Ryan Tannehill. He’s a good athlete just like a Deshaun Watson. He can get yards with his legs.”
ON PATRIOTS-BENGALS
Harrison on Stephon Gilmore and Andy Dalton: “Does Andy Dalton watch tape? Does he know that Stephon Gilmore is the best cornerback in the league? You have to stay away from him…. you wonder why you’ve only won one game this year. Stay away from Stephon Gilmore, he’s the truth.”
Dungy on Tom Brady: “You’re given this much time, this is the Tom Brady we know. He’s going to pick you apart.”
Florio on Patriots video situation: “There’s been a sense that this thing is close to the end, that the NFL wants to wrap it up quickly. I’m told it’s still very close to the beginning. All the Patriots have heard so far is who the NFL wants to talk to and what materials the Patriots need to preserve. One key question in all this, whether or not there is any connection whatsoever between the people who were in the booth for that Bengals-Browns game with the video camera and anyone from football operations.”
ON CHIEFS
Harrison on Chiefs offense: “Every single week they try to feature a different guy. And then once you focus on one guy, then they pass to another guy. But it’s so difficult because they have so many different weapons.”
Dungy: “It doesn’t matter what the weather conditions are, Patrick Mahomes was in total control out there today.”
ON NFC PLAYOFFS
Tirico: “Anybody can beat anyone in the NFC. The NFC playoffs might be as good a playoff set as we’ve seen in the last few years.”
ON 49ERS
Simms: “I’m still a believer on the San Francisco 49ers. I think there was a little bit of a letdown today. When you come off a three-game stretch against the Packers, the Ravens, and the Saints, you’re going to have a letdown. They did not play their best ball. I still think they’re the best team in the NFC.”
Dungy: “This San Francisco team is really built on the running game. When they’re running the ball and rolling, all the play action passes, everything flows off that and they score points. They have got to be a running football team coming into the playoffs.”
ON COWBOYS
Harrison: “This is why the Dallas Cowboys drive everyone crazy, because when they put it together, they can compete with anybody in this league.”
ON EAGLES
Dungy on Carson Wentz third-quarter touchdown pass: “Carson Wentz gets criticized a lot for holding the ball, trying to do too much. But look at this ball. Unreal throw. That was a great play.”
ON BUCCANEERS
Simms on Jameis Winston: “His good is as good as anybody in football. As we all know, his bad can be as bad as anybody in football, too. But today was one of the good days.”
ON GIANTS
Tirico: “It was a really emotional and enjoyable day for Eli (Manning) and the Giants today…the Giants fans gave him a first-class sendoff.”
ON CARDINALS
Simms on QB Kyler Murray vs. Browns QB Baker Mayfield: “This guy is amazing. Kyler Murray had the better day out of the Boomer Sooner quarterbacks. He was on fire.”
ON JAGUARS-RAIDERS
Tirico: “It ends with a whimper for the Black Hole. The Raiders are Vegas bound.”
DEVLIN “DUCK” HODGES WITH MICHELE TAFOYA
Tafoya: “So you graduate from Samford, and what do you think is going to happen next? Where do you think you’re going to be?”
Hodges: “I didn’t know where I was going to be, except that I knew that I would be in the NFL at some point, somehow. I just always knew in my heart that I was good enough to play here. Thankfully, I got a tryout here at the Steelers. Hey, if you can throw a football, you can throw a football, no matter what level, no matter FCS, Division 1 FBS, or NFL. If you’re a gunslinger, you’re a gunslinger.”
Tafoya: “You’ve taught America about duck calling. You’ve turned it into an art. Why is it so natural for you? I’ve watched the videos. It just seems like you’ve become a duck.”
Hodges: “For me, I’ve been doing it since I think I was…6 or 7 years old. I ended up winning my first contest. I won like $100, and I was 10 years old. 10 years old, 100 bucks, I felt like a millionaire. I won the junior world championship in 2009. I was like 13. It’s just one of those things, once you learn how to do it, and once you learn how to really do it, it’s like riding a bike.”
Tafoya: “Week 1 of the NFL season you were unemployed, now look at you. Have you had an opportunity to really assess what’s going on in your life?”
Hodges: “I really haven’t because after one win, I start thinking about getting the next one. I mean I’ve definitely caught myself in every game looking around at the crowd, and going, I’m really playing in the NFL. It’s been a dream of mine, and to play for such a historic franchise like the Steelers, it’s a blessing and it’s a lot of fun.”
MIKE TOMLIN TO LIAM MCHUGH
Tomlin on Devlin “Duck” Hodges: “You know we’re just discovering. He doesn’t have a big body of work to call on. The cool thing is, he’s been the same guy regardless of circumstance. He’s proven with each new moment that it’s not too big for him. Obviously, he’ll be in some new circumstances tonight. So, he’ll learn about himself and we’ll learn about him.”
Tomlin on Sean McDermott: “They (the Bills) mirror their coach. They’re a rough and tumble group. They don’t beat themselves. They’re capable of winning those close, gritty games. I’ve always had that level of respect for Sean. He’s one of those high school wrestler types, going back to the days of school. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere tonight.”
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–