In a bit of a shakeup albeit a temporary one, CBS is sending three of its NFL Today analysts on the road to join current announcing teams. Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and Shannon Sharpe will call games involving their former teams, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Denver, respectively.
Not to leave the NFL Today studio bare, CBS will bring two analysts from its cable show, That Other Pregame Show from CBS Sports Network to join host James Brown and the lone analyst who will remain in the studio, Dan Marino. Bart Scott and Amy Trask will take the cross-building trek (actually, next door) from That Other Pregame Show to the NFL Today.
Cowher joins Jim Nantz and Phil Simms for Pittsburgh at the New York Jets.
Esiason will work the Cincinnati at Buffalo game with his Monday Night Football radio partner, Kevin Harlan and analyst Solomon Wilcots.
And Shannon Sharpe heads out to his former stomping grounds of Denver when the Broncos host the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sharpe will call the game with Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts.
Should be an interesting week for CBS. We’ll see if this is something it will do again this season or if it’s a one-time thing.
Here’s the press release.
ROAD TRIP!
“THE NFL TODAY” TRAVELS OUT OF STUDIO AND INTO BROADCAST BOOTH
“THE NFL TODAY” Analysts Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and Shannon Sharpe to Serve as Game Analysts Alongside NFL ON CBS Teammates on Sunday, Oct. 13
THE NFL TODAY analysts Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and Shannon Sharpe will travel out of the studio on Sunday, Oct. 13 to take a road trip joining their NFL ON CBS teammates in the broadcast booth to call a game involving their former teams.
Cowher will form a three-man booth with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms to call the game between his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Esiason will join Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots to call Cincinnati at Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Both Esiason and Wilcots spent part of their playing days in Cincinnati.
And Hall of Famer Sharpe will head back to Denver, where he played 12 seasons, to team with Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts for the Jacksonville–Denver game from Sports Authority Filed at Mile High.
While Cowher, Esiason and Sharpe are away, host James Brown, Dan Marino and Insider Jason La Canfora will anchor THE NFL TODAY from New York City along with CBS Sports Network analysts Bart Scott and Amy Trask from THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW. Cowher, Esiason and Sharpe also will contribute to THE NFL TODAY from their respective game sites.
“We wanted to try something new and showcase the insights and perspective of our studio analysts during a game broadcast,” said McManus. “Looking at the slate of regional games during Week 6, with three involving the former teams of our studio analysts, we thought it was the perfect time to have some fun and add Coach, Boomer and Shannon to our game coverage.”
McManus added, “The road trip also enables those viewers not yet watching THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW on CBS Sports Network to be exposed to the great analysis and viewpoints that Bart and Amy offer each week.”
THE NFL ON CBS line-up for Week 6 is as follows:
1:00 PM, ET starts:
- Cincinnati @ Buffalo — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots/Boomer Esiason
- Oakland @ Kansas City — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
- Pittsburgh @ N.Y. Jets — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms/Bill Cowher
4:00 PM, ET starts:
- Tennessee @ Seattle — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
- Jacksonville @ Denver — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts/Shannon Sharpe
There you have it.
