Football Night in America
Encyclopedia
Football Night in America is the studio pregame show usually preceding NBC
's broadcasts of Sunday night
and Wild Card Saturday
National Football League
(NFL) games starting in the 2006
National Football League
season. The program always airs at 7 PM Eastern live from Studio 8G in the GE Building
at Rockefeller Center
in New York, where the NBC network has its headquarters.
's long-running Hockey Night in Canada
franchise. Also, NBC (along with ABC
and Major League Baseball
in a joint effort called "The Baseball Network
") had previously (1994
–1995
) aired baseball games as the similarly titled Baseball Night in America.
For the 2006 season, Bob Costas
was the host, Cris Collinsworth
, Sterling Sharpe
, and Jerome Bettis
were the analysts, and Sports Illustrated
columnist Peter King
was the special "insider" reporter.
On September 7, 2006
, Jerome Bettis arrived on the exterior set in a school bus
. His nickname as a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers
was "The Bus." That night, in addition to analysis, Bettis received his ring for winning Super Bowl XL
.
Bettis missed the December 3 show to prepare for the funeral of his father, Johnnie, who had died of a heart attack
the previous Tuesday. Bettis was replaced by Marshall Faulk
of the NFL Network
(who at the time was technically still an active player in the NFL, although the St. Louis Rams
eventually cut him after a series of injuries).
At the end of the 2006 season, Sharpe's contract was apparently terminated, and former New York Giants
running back Tiki Barber
replaced him in 2007
. MSNBC
Countdown
anchorman Keith Olbermann
was named as another co-host.
In addition, Costas and Collinsworth hosted the halftime show of the Georgia Tech
–Notre Dame
game on September 1, 2007. This turned out to be a one-shot promotional appearance.
, the Golden Gate Bridge
and the Empire State Building
. After a welcome, the day's scores were read off, before a first visit from the game announcers Al Michaels and John Madden.
The simulated landmark flyover was eventually removed and the reading of the game scores was replaced by a round table
discussion called The Week (number of NFL week) Buzz. The scores flash on the bottom of the screen during this discussion. Al Michaels and John Madden were now shown only once, on the later segment, Drive to Kickoff. Just before the first highlights are shown, a rundown is on screen with the order in which the highlights will appear. This is similar to the list shown on FSN Final Score
.
Originally, the second segment featured several field reports from the day's games, more analysis, and inside information about the NFL from Peter King.
.
The second segment now contained an interview
conducted earlier in the week, usually by Costas.
In the third segment, the studio team moved to a screening room
, in which highlights of the daytime games were reviewed. This is the only show allowed to carry long-form highlights (up to three minutes, twice as long as the usual allowance). Because of Game Two of the 2006 World Series
, and the preference that no NFL game goes up against Major League Baseball's Championship, a one-hour edition aired from 7 PM to 8 PM on October 22. Additionally, as the NFL spurns Christmas Eve
contests (which was revoked in 2007
), another one-hour show aired December 24.
Shortly before 8 p.m. Eastern time, a segment begins called GMC Drive to Kickoff (sponsored by General Motors
' Chevrolet
brand in 2006 and 2007). Michaels and Madden are shown, followed by closing analysis of the upcoming game. Within minutes, Football Night ends and game coverage begins with the theme sung first by Pink
in 2006 and currently by Faith Hill
, who has been the singer since 2007.
. Once again, Michaels and Madden are seen in the first segment. The second segment brings in Barber for some analysis. Starting in the third portion of the program, Costas and Olbermann take turns reading the highlights, while Barber, Collinsworth and Bettis are isolated in the "players' room" on another part of the set. After each set of highlights, the analysts comment on what has been shown. King also chimes in from a location on the main set.
For the last 30 minutes, Collinsworth emerges from the room and joins Costas on the large screen for highlights and analysis of two pre-selected "marquee matchups" (in Week 1, they were New England Patriots
at New York Jets
and Chicago Bears
at San Diego Chargers
).
At the end of the show, the panelists reunite for a one-sentence summary before kickoff.
The roundtable segments and screening room have been eliminated entirely. Interviews continue to be run on occasion; for the September 23 show, Chicago Bears
star Devin Hester
spoke to Costas.
On the other hand, two features have been added: "TKO Report" (the letters stand for The Keith Olbermann) is a mini-commentary by Olbermann on a topic related to the game. "Monday Morning Headlines" summarizes the big stories of the afternoon, according to the panel.
At halftime, a shortened version of this show appears and Olbermann presents a new segment called "Worst Person in the NFL," modeled after "worst person in the world" on Countdown with Keith Olbermann
. His first "honoree" was himself, for advocating a light prison sentence for Michael Vick
on his debut August 26 during a preseason game (The next day, Vick pleaded guilty to dogfighting). On the regular season debut, Olbermann pilloried Jets
fans for cheering as Chad Pennington
limped off the field with an ankle
injury.
On September 16, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell
appeared live to discuss the videotape scandal
that enveloped the New England Patriots
and their head coach Bill Belichick
. In the interview, Goodell revealed that the Patriots were asked to turn over all videotape
and still photography
from previous games and that the team could face further punishment than what had been announced. Olbermann missed this program due an emergency appendectomy, but he returned the following week.
A one-hour version of the show aired on October 28 as Game Four of the 2007 World Series
was played that evening, and the NFL decided not to schedule a game that night. The show aired at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. This turned out to be the last game of the baseball season
as the Boston Red Sox
completed its sweep of the Colorado Rockies
.
, formerly of ESPN and ABC, was joining NBC and would become a co-host of Football Night in America. The move reunited Patrick and Olbermann on television for the first time since their days on ESPN
's SportsCenter
. Also getting tweaked was the highlights package at the end of the show that was called "Olbertime", and renamed "The Little Big Show", a reference to the duo's nickname during their time on SportsCenter. Olbermann quipped, "We tried 'Sportycenter', but that didn't work out."
Again, as in the past two years, a one-hour edition aired October 26 from 7 PM to 8 PM due to Game 4 of the 2008 World Series
and the NFL not scheduling a game for that night.
At first, the reunion of Patrick and Olbermann was the only change from the year before. However, in November 2008, NBC released Bettis and Barber from the studio and effectively closed the "players' lounge." Barber spent the rest of the season from the field and was a field-level reporter for the NFC Wild Card game between the Atlanta Falcons
and the Arizona Cardinals
on January 3, 2009. Bettis bounced around between Rockefeller Center and some game sites. Bettis was on the studio show for the 2008 edition of Wild Card Saturday. In the playoffs, Matt Millen
, who had been fired earlier in the season after roughly eight years as general manager of the Detroit Lions
, joined the Football Night in America team as a studio analyst for the 2008-2009 playoffs.
, a five hour show was telecast at 1 PM US EST/10 AM US PST before the game. Bob Costas anchored the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows with Cris Collinsworth as the co-host and lead studio analyst. On the main set were recently retired coaches Mike Holmgren
and Tony Dungy
along with former executive Matt Millen
. Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann hosted segments on an auxiliary set from outside the stadium and on the field and locker room (standing up) with FNIA regulars Jerome Bettis and Tiki Barber as well as guest analyst Rodney Harrison
. Andrea Kremer and Alex Flanagan
filed reports on the Steelers and Cardinals respectively. Patrick handled the Super Bowl presentation.
This season is set to kick off Sunday, September 13, 2009.
On August 26, NBC announced that pregame host Bob Costas would host the pregame show at the game site. Pregame panelists Dan Patrick
, Keith Olbermann
, Tony Dungy
and Rodney Harrison
will remain in the New York studio.
The December 26 edition of the series aired for 90 minutes with Costas at Lincoln Financial Field
and the regular studio analysis despite the weather postponement of that night's Vikings/Eagles game due to a blizzard
to December 28. A short five minute pre-game show aired on that night preceding the game, and the usual Faith Hill introduction did not air.
doubleheader
a half-hour version of Football Night in America is aired with in depth preview of the first game, and during the afternoon halftime a version of the Sunday Night Football halftime show is shown. After the conclusion of the afternoon game and before the kickoff of the night game, a version known in 2007 as the Diet Pepsi
Bridge Show is shown. At this point, the format becomes very similar to the traditional Football Night in America, with Faith Hill
singing a special playoff version of the intro, Al Michaels and John Madden working the booth, and Olbermann doing a segment during halftime. Also, a horse trailer player of the game is named for the night game as well. In 2009/10 the Wild Card version was renamed NFL ON NBC Studio Show.
player Jason Taylor
filled in for Cris Collinsworth in the player's room as Collinsworth was in Seattle commentating for the afternoon game with Tom Hammond
.
. Barber did not appear as he was the sideline reporter for the early game.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's broadcasts of Sunday night
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
and Wild Card Saturday
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) games starting in the 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
season. The program always airs at 7 PM Eastern live from Studio 8G in the GE Building
GE Building
The GE Building is an Art Deco skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in the midtown Manhattan section of New York City. Known as the RCA Building until 1988, it is most famous for housing the headquarters of the television network NBC...
at Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
in New York, where the NBC network has its headquarters.
Show title similarities
The show's title closely resembles CBC TelevisionCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's long-running Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
franchise. Also, NBC (along with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
in a joint effort called "The Baseball Network
The Baseball Network
The Baseball Network was a short-lived television broadcasting joint venture between ABC, NBC, and Major League Baseball. Under the arrangement, beginning in the 1994 season, the league produced its own in-house telecasts of games, which were then brokered to air on ABC and NBC...
") had previously (1994
1994 Major League Baseball season
The 1994 Major League Baseball season ended with the infamous players strike ending the season on August 11, 1994.-Strike:As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ended prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason was played...
–1995
1995 Major League Baseball season
Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike which carried into the 1995 season, a shortened 144 game schedule commenced on April 25, when the Florida Marlins played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Regular season:...
) aired baseball games as the similarly titled Baseball Night in America.
Personalities
- Tiki BarberTiki BarberAtiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
: (studio analyst), (2007–2009), (onsite reporter, 2009–2010) - Jerome BettisJerome BettisJerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
: (studio analyst), (2006–2009) - Cris CollinsworthCris CollinsworthAnthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
: (studio co-host and analyst), (2006–2009), (on site co-host/color commentary, 2009–present) - Bob CostasBob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
: (on-site host), (2006–present) - Tony DungyTony DungyAnthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
: (studio analyst), (2009–present) - Mike Florio: (NFL insider), (2010–present)
- Rodney HarrisonRodney HarrisonRodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots...
: (studio analyst), (2009–present) - Peter KingPeter King (sportswriter)Peter King is an American sportswriter. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated and its Web site, including the weekly multiple-page column Monday Morning Quarterback. He is the author of five books, most notably Inside the Helmet, as well as a TV analyst and reporter...
: (NFL insider), (2006–present) - Andrea KremerAndrea KremerAndrea Kremer is an American television sports journalist. She currently works as a correspondent on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." Until the 2011 season she worked as a sideline reporter for NBC on the network's coverage of Sunday Night Football.Kremer has covered more than 20 Super...
: (sideline reporter), (2006–2010) - John Madden: (color commentary), (2006–2009)
- Al MichaelsAl MichaelsAlan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...
: (play-by-play), (2006–present) - Keith OlbermannKeith OlbermannKeith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
: (studio co-host), (2007–2010) - Dan PatrickDan PatrickDaniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
: (studio host) (2008–present) - Sterling SharpeSterling SharpeSterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...
: (studio analyst), (2006) - Michelle Tafoya: (sideline reporter), (2011–present)
For the 2006 season, Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
was the host, Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eight seasons in the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played his entire professional career for...
, Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe
Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...
, and Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
were the analysts, and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
columnist Peter King
Peter King (sportswriter)
Peter King is an American sportswriter. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated and its Web site, including the weekly multiple-page column Monday Morning Quarterback. He is the author of five books, most notably Inside the Helmet, as well as a TV analyst and reporter...
was the special "insider" reporter.
On September 7, 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, Jerome Bettis arrived on the exterior set in a school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
. His nickname as a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
was "The Bus." That night, in addition to analysis, Bettis received his ring for winning Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
Bettis missed the December 3 show to prepare for the funeral of his father, Johnnie, who had died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
the previous Tuesday. Bettis was replaced by Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
of the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
(who at the time was technically still an active player in the NFL, although the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
eventually cut him after a series of injuries).
At the end of the 2006 season, Sharpe's contract was apparently terminated, and former New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber
Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
replaced him in 2007
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
. MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
Countdown
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
anchorman Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
was named as another co-host.
In addition, Costas and Collinsworth hosted the halftime show of the Georgia Tech
2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2007–2008. The team's coach was former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
–Notre Dame
2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was the college football team that represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2007 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis in his third year as head coach, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre...
game on September 1, 2007. This turned out to be a one-shot promotional appearance.
Show sets
During the 2006 preseason, the Football Night team appeared at halftime from an exterior set at the site of that night's game. This is because the set at 30 Rock was still being prepared.Original format
The show changed its format by the end of the first half of the 2006 season. Originally, the program began with a video package in which a football seemingly flies throughout the country. Several landmarks were featured in the introduction, including the Gateway ArchGateway Arch
The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
, the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
and the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
. After a welcome, the day's scores were read off, before a first visit from the game announcers Al Michaels and John Madden.
The simulated landmark flyover was eventually removed and the reading of the game scores was replaced by a round table
Round table
A round table is a table which has no "head" and no "sides", and therefore no one person sitting at it is given a privileged position and all are treated as equals. The idea stems from the Arthurian legend about the Knights of the Round Table in Camelot....
discussion called The Week (number of NFL week) Buzz. The scores flash on the bottom of the screen during this discussion. Al Michaels and John Madden were now shown only once, on the later segment, Drive to Kickoff. Just before the first highlights are shown, a rundown is on screen with the order in which the highlights will appear. This is similar to the list shown on FSN Final Score
FSN Final Score
Final Score was the nightly sports news program that aired across the United States on Fox Sports Net....
.
Originally, the second segment featured several field reports from the day's games, more analysis, and inside information about the NFL from Peter King.
Reworked format
The field report segment was eventually eliminated and field reports on the show were limited, supposedly due to cutbacks at NBC UniversalNBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
.
The second segment now contained an interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
conducted earlier in the week, usually by Costas.
In the third segment, the studio team moved to a screening room
Home cinema
Home cinema, also commonly called home theater, are home entertainment set-ups that seek to reproduce a movie theater experience and mood with the help of video and audio equipment in a private home....
, in which highlights of the daytime games were reviewed. This is the only show allowed to carry long-form highlights (up to three minutes, twice as long as the usual allowance). Because of Game Two of the 2006 World Series
2006 World Series
The 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
, and the preference that no NFL game goes up against Major League Baseball's Championship, a one-hour edition aired from 7 PM to 8 PM on October 22. Additionally, as the NFL spurns Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
contests (which was revoked in 2007
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
), another one-hour show aired December 24.
GMC Drive to Kickoff
Shortly before 8 p.m. Eastern time, a segment begins called GMC Drive to Kickoff (sponsored by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
' Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
brand in 2006 and 2007). Michaels and Madden are shown, followed by closing analysis of the upcoming game. Within minutes, Football Night ends and game coverage begins with the theme sung first by Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
in 2006 and currently by Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
, who has been the singer since 2007.
2007
Some major changes were effected for the 2007 season2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
. Once again, Michaels and Madden are seen in the first segment. The second segment brings in Barber for some analysis. Starting in the third portion of the program, Costas and Olbermann take turns reading the highlights, while Barber, Collinsworth and Bettis are isolated in the "players' room" on another part of the set. After each set of highlights, the analysts comment on what has been shown. King also chimes in from a location on the main set.
For the last 30 minutes, Collinsworth emerges from the room and joins Costas on the large screen for highlights and analysis of two pre-selected "marquee matchups" (in Week 1, they were New England Patriots
2007 New England Patriots season
The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
at New York Jets
2007 New York Jets season
The 2007 New York Jets season was the 38th NFL season and 48th overall season for the football team. This season was the second under head coach Eric Mangini. The team attempted to improve upon their 10–6 record from 2006, but finished the season with a 4–12 record.-Free agents heading into the...
and Chicago Bears
2007 Chicago Bears season
The 2007 Chicago Bears season was the team's 88th regular season in the National Football League. The season officially began on September 9, 2007 against the San Diego Chargers, and concluded on December 30 against the New Orleans Saints...
at San Diego Chargers
2007 San Diego Chargers season
The 2007 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to equal their 2006 regular season success and avoid another early departure in the playoffs. After a disappointing start under new head coach Norv Turner , they finished the regular season strong, with six straight wins, an overall...
).
At the end of the show, the panelists reunite for a one-sentence summary before kickoff.
The roundtable segments and screening room have been eliminated entirely. Interviews continue to be run on occasion; for the September 23 show, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
star Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
spoke to Costas.
On the other hand, two features have been added: "TKO Report" (the letters stand for The Keith Olbermann) is a mini-commentary by Olbermann on a topic related to the game. "Monday Morning Headlines" summarizes the big stories of the afternoon, according to the panel.
At halftime, a shortened version of this show appears and Olbermann presents a new segment called "Worst Person in the NFL," modeled after "worst person in the world" on Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
. His first "honoree" was himself, for advocating a light prison sentence for Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
on his debut August 26 during a preseason game (The next day, Vick pleaded guilty to dogfighting). On the regular season debut, Olbermann pilloried Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
fans for cheering as Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
limped off the field with an ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury.
On September 16, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell
Roger S. Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League , having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. He was chosen over four finalists for the position, winning a close vote on the fifth ballot before being unanimously approved by acclamation of the...
appeared live to discuss the videotape scandal
Spygate
"UGAWN" The 2007 New England Patriots videotaping controversy, widely dubbed "Spygate," refers to an incident in the 2007 National Football League season when the New England Patriots were disciplined by the National Football League for videotaping New York Jets' defensive coaches' signals during...
that enveloped the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and their head coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
. In the interview, Goodell revealed that the Patriots were asked to turn over all videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
and still photography
Still photography
Still photography may refer to:* unit still photographer, a person who creates still photographic images for the publicity of films and television programs* other photography producing still images...
from previous games and that the team could face further punishment than what had been announced. Olbermann missed this program due an emergency appendectomy, but he returned the following week.
A one-hour version of the show aired on October 28 as Game Four of the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
was played that evening, and the NFL decided not to schedule a game that night. The show aired at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. This turned out to be the last game of the baseball season
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
as the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
completed its sweep of the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
2008
It was announced on July 7, 2008 that Dan PatrickDan Patrick
Daniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
, formerly of ESPN and ABC, was joining NBC and would become a co-host of Football Night in America. The move reunited Patrick and Olbermann on television for the first time since their days on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
. Also getting tweaked was the highlights package at the end of the show that was called "Olbertime", and renamed "The Little Big Show", a reference to the duo's nickname during their time on SportsCenter. Olbermann quipped, "We tried 'Sportycenter', but that didn't work out."
Again, as in the past two years, a one-hour edition aired October 26 from 7 PM to 8 PM due to Game 4 of the 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
and the NFL not scheduling a game for that night.
At first, the reunion of Patrick and Olbermann was the only change from the year before. However, in November 2008, NBC released Bettis and Barber from the studio and effectively closed the "players' lounge." Barber spent the rest of the season from the field and was a field-level reporter for the NFC Wild Card game between the Atlanta Falcons
2008 Atlanta Falcons season
The 2008 Atlanta Falcons season was the 43rd season for the team in the National Football League. Overcoming a disappointing 4-12 record, quarterback Michael Vick's dog fighting scandal and head coach Bobby Petrino's abrupt resignation in 2007, the Falcons, who were expected to be in a rebuilding...
and the Arizona Cardinals
2008 Arizona Cardinals season
The 2008 Arizona Cardinals season was the 89th season for the team in the National Football League and their 21st season in Arizona. The season marked the Cardinals' first-ever Super Bowl appearance, coming as a result of their victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.The...
on January 3, 2009. Bettis bounced around between Rockefeller Center and some game sites. Bettis was on the studio show for the 2008 edition of Wild Card Saturday. In the playoffs, Matt Millen
Matt Millen
Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
, who had been fired earlier in the season after roughly eight years as general manager of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, joined the Football Night in America team as a studio analyst for the 2008-2009 playoffs.
Super Bowl XLIII
Since NBC was the rightsholder to Super Bowl XLIIISuper Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
, a five hour show was telecast at 1 PM US EST/10 AM US PST before the game. Bob Costas anchored the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows with Cris Collinsworth as the co-host and lead studio analyst. On the main set were recently retired coaches Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
and Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
along with former executive Matt Millen
Matt Millen
Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
. Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann hosted segments on an auxiliary set from outside the stadium and on the field and locker room (standing up) with FNIA regulars Jerome Bettis and Tiki Barber as well as guest analyst Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots...
. Andrea Kremer and Alex Flanagan
Alex Flanagan
Alex Flanagan is an American sportscaster who is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona...
filed reports on the Steelers and Cardinals respectively. Patrick handled the Super Bowl presentation.
2009
Collinsworth replaced Madden as a color commentator alongside Michaels following Madden's retirement in 2009. Bettis' contract was not renewed; Dungy and Harrison replaced Collinsworth and Bettis as full-time studio analysts. Barber will serve as an onsite reporter.This season is set to kick off Sunday, September 13, 2009.
On August 26, NBC announced that pregame host Bob Costas would host the pregame show at the game site. Pregame panelists Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick
Daniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
, Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
, Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
and Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots...
will remain in the New York studio.
2010
The basic format remained unchanged from the previous year. All commentators remained except for Olbermann.The December 26 edition of the series aired for 90 minutes with Costas at Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
and the regular studio analysis despite the weather postponement of that night's Vikings/Eagles game due to a blizzard
December 2010 North American blizzard
The December 2010 North American blizzard was a major nor'easter and historic blizzard affecting the United States from portions of northern Florida to Maine and portions of Canada on December 26–27, 2010. It was the first significant winter storm of the 2010-11 winter season and the fourth North...
to December 28. A short five minute pre-game show aired on that night preceding the game, and the usual Faith Hill introduction did not air.
Wild Card Saturday
Prior to the Wild Card SaturdayNFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
doubleheader
Doubleheader (television)
Doubleheader is used by network television to refer to two games in any sport aired back-to-back on the same network, even though they do not involve the same two teams . A doubleheader purposely coincides with a league's scheduling of "early" and "late" games...
a half-hour version of Football Night in America is aired with in depth preview of the first game, and during the afternoon halftime a version of the Sunday Night Football halftime show is shown. After the conclusion of the afternoon game and before the kickoff of the night game, a version known in 2007 as the Diet Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
Bridge Show is shown. At this point, the format becomes very similar to the traditional Football Night in America, with Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
singing a special playoff version of the intro, Al Michaels and John Madden working the booth, and Olbermann doing a segment during halftime. Also, a horse trailer player of the game is named for the night game as well. In 2009/10 the Wild Card version was renamed NFL ON NBC Studio Show.
2007 season
In 2007, Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
player Jason Taylor
Jason Taylor (American football)
Jason Paul Taylor is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
filled in for Cris Collinsworth in the player's room as Collinsworth was in Seattle commentating for the afternoon game with Tom Hammond
Tom Hammond
Tom Hammond is an American sportscaster for NBC Sports television. Hammond is one of the network's staple on-air presenters, along with Bob Costas and Dan Hicks...
.
2008 season
Millen made his first public appearance in Collinsworth's seat after being fired by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. Barber did not appear as he was the sideline reporter for the early game.