When NFL on CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson interviewed Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton before the second half Sunday, many fans were distracted by a graphic that unfurled on the screen.
The Broncos trailed the Buffalo Bills, 10-7, and as Payton talked to Wolfson, a graphic appeared: Sean Payton Postseason career: 0-8 when trailing at halftime.
CBS shows a graphic that Sean Payton is 0-8 when trailing at halftime during the postseason.
It seems they might’ve forgotten about Super Bowl XLIV… pic.twitter.com/FtPDI29azl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025
Even casual fans noticed a glaring error.
Payton coached the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. They trailed the Indianapolis Colts, 10-6 in that game before winning 31-17.
To compound that error, CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Tony Romo had talked about that game earlier in the broadcast, specifically Payton’s decision to open the second half with an onside kick. The broadcast even replayed that Super Bowl onside kick.
Almost 107 million viewers watched that Super Bowl, by the way, which was broadcast by … CBS.
That is a glaring error in graphic terms, but there’s more — turns out, Payton led the Saints to four other postseason victories after they trailed at halftime. Here’s the roll call:
- 1. 2006-07 Divisional Round: Eagles 14, Saints 13 (Saints won 27-24)
2. Super Bowl XLIV: Colts 10, Saints 6 (Saints won 31-17)
3. 2011-12 Wild Card: Lions 14, Saints 10 (Saints won 45-28)
4. 2013-14 Wild Card: Eagles 7, Saints 6 (Saints won 26-24)
5. 2018-19 Wild Card: Eagles 14, Saints 10 (Saints won 20-14)
Payton actually had a 5-6 postseason record when trailing at the half, entering Sunday. (He’s now 5-7 after a 31-7 loss to the Bills.)
At the very least, fans felt someone on the CBS crew should have caught the fact Payton trailed at the half in the Super Bowl and rallied to win, given the network showed the onside kick replay earlier.
Yeah, that Saints-Colts Super Bowl only averaged 106.5 million U.S. viewers. (On CBS.) Easy to forget about it! https://t.co/kTKV4FgNZY
— Andrew Bucholtz (@AndrewBucholtz) January 12, 2025
They literally showed highlights of it earlier this game. https://t.co/5ZhFZxi0r4
— Tim Roberts (@21stCenturyTim) January 12, 2025
It’s amazing how bad the networks like @NFLonCBS are at even the simplest things, no wonder they’re losing games to Netflix https://t.co/0AxsuRSNch https://t.co/Newid88Jzp
— Charm City Mad Man (@CharmCityMadMan) January 12, 2025
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.