When the Super Bowl hits a network in the rotation of NFL media partners, it’s often seen as a time of transition. Contracts can be tied in to these cycles to ensure that when the network lands the big game, they can have an established team in place. It’s also a natural jumping off point to end on a high note for personalities that may have been at a certain network for a long time. With CBS televising the Super Bowl this year, attention has turned to their pregame show, The NFL Today, which may be entering a huge time of transition.
The NFL Today is the longest tenured pregame show in existence and CBS recently paid tribute to the history of the program in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. A look around the desk sees a number of individuals with their futures at the network in doubt.
Earlier this year, Andrew Marchand reported that the contracts of James Brown, Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, and Boomer Esiason were all expiring. Those four are the elder statesmen of the program, having been joined in recent years by fresh faces like Nate Burleson and J.J. Watt.
Between the foursome, they have combined for an amazing 83 years together in their current run at CBS.
Simms has been a part of CBS’s NFL coverage since all the way back in 1998. After being the network’s top game analyst for almost two decades, he moved to the studio in 2016.
Esiason joined the CBS studio in 2002, marking 22 years on The NFL Today this season. He’s been a sports media mainstay between his work in the studio, broadcast booth, and in radio.
Brown originally worked for CBS in the 80s and 90s before shifting to Fox to anchor their NFL coverage in 1994. He returned to CBS in 2006 to lead The NFL Today.
Cowher first joined CBS for the 2007 season and resisted reports and rumors that he would return to coaching almost every offseason since.
Given the age and experience of the crew, and the fact that there’s been no announcement from CBS about their futures, it’s entirely possible that the network could move in a completely new direction with their studio coverage next year. Although they have a very conservative reputation as a network when it comes to personnel, they did reinvent their golf coverage by parting ways with Gary McCord and Peter Kostis.
There are plenty of younger faces out there that could get a call to move to Sunday mornings. Thomas Davis and Kyle Long recently joined the CBS Sports Network pregame show. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Richard Sherman, and Andrew Whitworth have worked for Amazon. Jason Kelce could get a huge offer to become a face of the network’s studio coverage. Maybe even Drew Brees gets another call to give TV a try?
Given the group has been together so long, it’s hard to imagine CBS picking and choosing who stays and who goes. Perhaps the network would keep Brown for another Super Bowl cycle and work in a new set of analysts. Maybe Esiason stays since he’s still plugged in on a daily basis thanks to his radio work? But don’t be surprised if this Super Bowl is the last time you see many of these permanent fixtures on The NFL Today together for the last time.
The Awful Announcing Wednesday Newsletter is a deep dive into all things sports media with original commentary, highlights from the week, social media buzz, and much more. You can read this and more by subscribing here. We send a recap of what’s been on AA on Monday and Friday mornings as well as the extended original version on Wednesdays.
