Category Archives: NFL Network

Rich Eisen special on NFL Network: Mixing celebrities and NFL; Who knew Rainn Wilson was a Seattle fan?

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Football and celebrities. Quite a concept.

Rich Eisen mines that territory regularly on his weekly podcasts. It gave him a great excuse to hang out with Olivia Munn for a show over the summer.

Eisen will do a TV version Friday on the NFL Network. Alas no Olivia Munn, but he will have Hank Azaria reviewing the history of the NFL as Jim Brockmire.

Here are the details:

NFL Network will air The Rich Eisen Thanksgiving Special on Friday, November 23 at 10:00 PM ET, featuring conversations with some of the biggest names in the world of sports and entertainment. Eisen, host of the Emmy-nominated NFL GameDay Morning pregame show and NFL Thursday Night Football, will delve into a variety of pop-culture subjects in a robust, spontaneous dialog with his guests.

Over one hour, The Rich Eisen Thanksgiving Special will expand beyond the prism of the NFL as it welcomes in some of Hollywood’s most notable names from both television and movies:

  • Actor and Philadelphia Eagles fan, Bradley Cooper – The Hangover I and II, and currently starring in Silver Linings Playbook
  • Actor, comedian, and Atlanta  Falcons fan Chris Tucker – Rush Hour, Friday, and currently starring in Silver Linings Playbook
  • Actor and Seattle Seahawks fan Rainn  Wilson – best known as Dwight Schrute from the TV series The Office
  • Actor and New England Patriots fan John Slattery – best known as Roger Sterling from the TV series Mad Men, and currently starring in In Our Nature
  • Actor and Kansas City Chiefs fan Eric Stonestreet – best known as Cameron Tucker from the TV series Modern Family
  • Actor Hank Azaria – will review history of the NFL on Thanksgiving as the one and only Legend in the Booth Jim Brockmire

 The televised podcast will also feature prominent guests from the NFL:

  • Hall-of-Famer quarterback and current Denver Broncos Executive Vice      President of Football Operations John Elway
  • The NFL’s current leading rusher, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson

 

 

John Riggins: NFL Network film examines life of great back, unique character

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John Riggins truly was one of a kind as a player and remains that way as a person.

The latest edition of A Football Life examines Riggins’ Hall of Fame career (Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, NFL Network).

“The biggest misconception is that he is a clown. He’s not a clown; he’s a showman instead. He knows intuitively the right thing to do and yet do it in a colorful way,” said John Kent Cooke Jr.

Here’s a link to the preview.

Here’s all the info from NFL Network:

NFL Network’s Emmy-nominated series A Football Life continues this week with a profile of the Hall of Fame running back John Riggins. Premiering Wednesday, November 21 at 8:00 PM ET, John Riggins: A Football Life explores the life of the running back known as ‘the Diesel,’ from his upbringing in Centralia, Kansas, to his NFL career with the Washington Redskins and New York Jets, and the colorful personality he was known and loved for.

The one-hour documentary features sit-down interviews with Riggins, his brothers Frank and Bill Riggins, former teammates Joe Theismann and Joe Namath, and former Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs, among others. John Riggins: A Football Life also includes footage from the infamous Salute to Congress Dinner Riggins attended in 1985, and his Hometown Hall of Fame plaque ceremony at Centralia High School from October, 2012.

A first-round pick of the New York Jets from the University of Kansas in 1971, Riggins played five seasons in New York before signing with the Washington Redskins. After sitting out the entire 1980 season, new Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs traveled to Kansas to convince Riggins to return to the team. Under Gibbs, Riggins flourished and had the best seasons of his career, which included a victory in Super Bowl XVII in which he was named MVP after rushing for a then-Super Bowl record 166 yards, and a season at the age of 34 when he rushed for a career-high 1,347 yards and a then-record 24 touchdowns.

John Riggins: A Football Life includes interviews with the following people:

John Riggins

Frank Riggins – John’s older brother

Bill Riggins – John’s younger brother

Lisa Marie Riggins – John’s wife

Joe Namath – New York Jets quarterback, 1965-76

Joe Theismann– Washington Redskins quarterback, 1974-85

Joe Gibbs – Washington Redskins head coach, 1981-92 & 2004-07

Pepper Rodgers – University of Kansas football coach

Len Mohlman – Centralia High School football coach

Emerson Boozer – New York Jets running back, 1966-75

Ron Saul – Washington Redskins guard, 1976-81

Jeff Bostic – Washington Redskins center, 1980-93

John Kent Cooke, Jr. – Former Washington Redskins President

Charles Robb – Former Virginia Governor

Emmy-nominated actor from CBS’ The Good Wife, Josh Charles, narrates.

Following are select quotes from John Riggins: A Football Life:

– “Football was never my life. The guys [and] the relationships were my life. I have an ability to relate to damn near everybody.” – John Riggins

– “I realized in that moment that physically speaking my talents were well beyond Joe [Namath’s] talents. So then I realized, ‘What am I doing here? This doesn’t make sense because it’s always going to be about Joe.’” – John Riggins

– “After that I was pretty much defeated. I look back on it and there were a lot of things going on, but to me it was like, ‘OK, this is as good as it’s going to get.’” – John Riggins on the loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 1979

– “He was just everything you want in a great, big running back. You didn’t hit John; John hit you.” – Joe Theismann

– “John even went to George Allen one time and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you give me a 60 [jersey] number since I’m only going to get the ball once or twice a game?’” – Ron Saul

 

Kremer, NFL Network to do four-part series on player health issues

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When the NFL Network signed on Andrea Kremer to become its player health reporter, I thought it was one of the most significant and unique network hires in recent years. The league essentially was bringing in a reporter to cover what could be potentially the most damaging issue to the future of football.

I did a Q/A with Kremer at the time, and asked her to fill me in on future stories. Turns out Kremer has a busy week ahead. Beginning Tuesday, NFL Network kicks off a four-part series, “The Health of the Game”, on Total Access (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 7-8 p.m. ET), and prior to Thursday’s night game. Kremer handles parts 1, 3, 4, while Steve Cyphers does part 2.

The timing couldn’t be better with three starting quarterbacks, Jay Cutler, Michael Vick and Alex Smith, getting knocked out of games Sunday with concussions.

Here’s the rundown:

Tuesday, Nov. 13: Overview of the Player Health & Safety series

The biggest issue facing the NFL is related to Players’ Health and Safety. In this piece, we put some of the biggest questions surrounding this issue in some perspective.  Reported by Andrea Kremer.

Wednesday, Nov. 14: New Technology – Virginia Tech helmet technology – The “Hit System”

At Virginia Tech and other colleges, football players have chips in their helmets that allow experts on the sidelines to immediately measure the impact of hits to players’ heads during play. Evidence shows fewer head injuries at schools using this system.  Steve Cyphers reports.

Thursday, Nov. 15: Darrelle Revis intro- will air on Thursday Night Football Kickoff show

A month ago, Revis suffered a serious knee injury during play and underwent ACL surgery.  Our exclusive access with Revis shows the physical, mental and emotional strains that a player deals with while rehabbing from this surgery. This is the first in a series of segments on Revis, his knee injury, and the rehab process.  Kremer reports.

Note: Thursday Night Football Kickoff show airs  6 pm ET. Segment will also air during postgame show

Friday, Nov. 16: Youth Football

During a recent Pop Warner game near Boston, five players between the ages of 10 and 12 suffered concussions.  Some experts say younger children should not play football because they are more vulnerable to head injuries.  We talk to these players, parents, coaches and experts.  Kremer reports.

 

 

Hanging with Jimmy Johnson: New NFL Network film examines all of his twists and turns

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There are worse assignments than doing a film on Jimmy Johnson. For NFL Films producer Bennett Viseltear and his staff, it meant spending quite a bit of time at Johnson’s home in the Florida Keys.

“We did have one day when the seas were pretty rough,” said Viseltear of going on Johnson’s fishing boat. “It almost was a little too much for our cameraman.”

Thankfully, the crew survived and likely joined Johnson in some post-voyage beers.

The laid-back Keys made for an interesting setting for latest edition of A Football Life, the terrific documentary series on NFL Network. Wednesday’s show (8 p.m. ET) focuses on the complex career and life of Johnson.

Here’s a link with the preview.

You see the various sides of the driven, if not possessed coach in the college and pros, who eventually retreated to the relaxed lifestyle of fishing and hanging out with the guys on Fox NFL Sunday.

The film includes scenes of Johnson taking Bill Belichick out on his boat and interviews with Dallas owner Jerry Jones, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Terry Bradshaw, Barry Switzer, and many others.

The film leaves you with the sense that Johnson might have left a few titles on the table by fracturing his relationship with Jones and by retiring for good from coaching in 2000. Yet it also reveals that Johnson believes he made the right decision to get out when he did.

It all makes for a compelling film in what has become one of the best sports series on TV. Make sure to set your DVR so you don’t miss another A Football Life.

Here’s Viseltear on the film:

His view of Johnson: He’s a very complex guy. At the same time, he is no non-sense. He won’t spend a moment on something he doesn’t want to do. As a coach, whether he was using his psychology major or not, he knew people. He was a classic button pusher. He knew what it would take to get the best out of you. I could feel him sizing me up in the first couple days we were with him.

On the scenes with Belichick: We heard he invites some current coaches to come meet with him, and we asked if we could shoot the next one. Belichick usually goes down there once during the off-season. They go way back, and their relationship is quite genuine. I don’t know if they talked more football than usual for our benefit, but it was fascinating to listen to from my point of view.

On Jones’ participation: He was up for it. It was a situation where clearly early on they were great for each other. Jimmy couldn’t have done what he did in Dallas without Jerry’s money and backing. But things didn’t work out. In the end, they just couldn’t interact.

On whether Johnson should have won more: Pretty much wherever Jimmy went, he stayed about five years. He only lasted four years (with the Dolphins), and he probably was done after three. Listen, he went 52-9 (with the Miami Hurricanes), won two rings with Dallas, and got Miami to the playoffs three out of four years. It’s hard to win a Super Bowl. They aren’t too many guys out there with two rings.

 

 

 

 

Fearsome Foursome: George Allen’s daughter narrates new NFL Network documentary

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The NFL Network looks at arguably the greatest defensive line in NFL history tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

The nickname, Fearsome Foursome, really says it all. Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, Roosevelt Grier, and Lamar Lundy.

Here’s a link to the preview. Just to show how times have changed, not one of those guys weighed more than 285 pounds. At 260 pounds, Jones might be a quarterback in today’s game.

George Allen’s daughter, Jennifer, wrote and narrated the documentary. In an interview with Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News, she said:

“This project was the most fulfilling endeavor. I grew up respecting these men as both players and as men.  Deacon Jones is like a great uncle to me.  It was a pleasure to be able to talk with Susan Olsen and Phil Olsen, Merlin’s brother who played alongside him at the Rams.  And to meet Lamar’s son, Lamar III, brought me even closer to the heart of Lamar and his complete resilience to press on in the face of all physical adversity.

“I knew Merlin as a child and then again as adult, sitting beside him at dinner parties,” Allen said of Olsen, who died in 2010. “To meet Susan — his high school sweetheart — and his brother who bears such a deep resemblance to Merlin – as they walked me through his last visit home to Utah when he knew he was dying, was terribly moving, and poignant.”

NFL Network hires Andrea Kremer to cover health and safety issues

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This is an interesting development. Is the league really going to turn the spotlight on itself with its own network? Or is this just a token effort to show that the NFL is “serious” about its biggest problem.

Hope to have some answers soon. Meanwhile, here’s the release from the NFL Network:

NFL Network has added veteran sports journalist Andrea Kremer to its ranks, it was announced today. Kremer will be the chief correspondent in a newly-formed unit dedicated to covering NFL player health and safety issues. She will also contribute other reports and features on major topics across NFL Network programming.

“Andrea’s journalistic credentials, particularly in regards to reporting on the NFL, speak for themselves and we’re thrilled to add her talents to NFL Network,” said NFL Network Executive Producer Eric Weinberger. “Reporting on player health and safety across the league is a key initiative for NFL Network and Andrea will do an outstanding job covering this issue.”

Kremer, who has been called “the best TV interviewer in the business of covering the NFL” by the Los Angeles Times, served in the sideline and feature reporter role for the Emmy Award-winning “Sunday Night Football” onNBC, for whom she has also covered the last three Olympic Games. Prior to her work forNBC, Kremer was a correspondent for ESPN, providing in-depth reports for “SportsCenter,” “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown,” among other studio shows.

Producer Arash Ghadishah has joined NFL Network to work with Kremer and other reporters on player health and safety coverage. Ghadishah previously worked as a producer on ABC’s “Nightline” and as a White House producer for ABC News.

 

Promising: NFL Network documentary reflects on Browns’ move from Cleveland in ’95

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Well, nobody should accuse the NFL Network of steering clear of controversial subjects. Its latest A Football Life is about as hotwire as it gets in Cleveland.

Tonight’s episode is Cleveland ’95 (8 p.m. ET). It focuses on the incredible staff that Bill Belichick built during his first head coaching job and how it all fell apart when Art Modell decided to move the franchise to Baltimore. The decision ripped the heart out of the city and probably kept Modell out of the NFL Hall of Fame.

Here is a link with a preview. Looks very promising.

And here’s the release from NFL Network. Again, check out that staff:

On December 17, 1995, the Cleveland Browns played their final game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium before relocating to Baltimore. The latest installment of NFL Network’s Emmy-nominated seriesA Football Life chronicles the Browns’ final season in Cleveland under head coach Bill Belichick, looks at the immediate impact the relocation had on both the city and the organization, and discovers the roots of a football lineage seeded during that time which has reverberated throughout the football world in the 21st century.

Airing Wednesday, October 3 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network,Cleveland ’95: A Football Life details the coaching staff and front office executives who took what they learned during their five years under Belichick and applied it throughout their football careers. From current NFL general managers Ozzie Newsome, Scott Pioli, Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Tannenbaum, to three-time national championship head coach Nick Saban, to former NFL head coach Eric Mangini and current Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, the Cleveland Browns under Belichick consisted of football’s next generation of leaders who continue to impact the game today.

In all, Belichick’s staff in Cleveland included nine future NFL head coaches and general managers, and three head coaches at major college programs.

The one-hour episode includes never-before-seen footage including Belichick meeting with his former staff in team meeting rooms and of Belichick at home. Additionally, pre and postgame footage from the Browns’ final home game is showcased.

Emmy-nominated actor from CBS’The Good Wife, Josh Charles, narrates.

The story of the 1995 Cleveland Browns is told through interviews with the following people:

Bill Belichick– New England Patriots head coach

Ozzie Newsome– Baltimore Ravens general manager

Nick Saban– University of Alabama head coach

Michael Lombardi– NFL Network analyst and former Cleveland Browns front office executive

Scott Pioli– Kansas City Chiefs general manager

Jim Schwartz– Detroit Lions head coach

Eric Mangini– ESPN analyst and former New York Jets/Cleveland Browns head coach

Thomas Dimitroff– Atlanta Falcons general manager

Phil Savage– Former Cleveland Browns general manager

Mike Tannenbaum– New York Jets general manager

Kirk Ferentz– University of Iowa head coach

Matt Stover– Cleveland Browns kicker, 1991-95

Steve Everitt– Cleveland Browns offensive lineman, 1993-95

Earnest Byner– Cleveland Browns running back, 1984-88; 1994-95

Following are select quotes fromCleveland ’95: A Football Life:

– “We wanted a tough, hard-nosed, blue-collar football team. That’s what Cleveland is and that’s what we wanted our football team to be.”– Bill Belichick

– “We had a great group of people there and we were all committed to trying to bring that franchise back [to prominence].”– Nick Saban

– “There was that sense of we had turned the corner. All of that time, all of that work, all of that effort – we were poised to make that next jump.”– Eric Mangini

– “I felt bad for that team, the players and the coaches that were working so hard with less than no support. The owner was nowhere to be found; he was in Baltimore. It kind of felt like you were on a deserted island fending for yourself.” – Belichick

– “When I won in 2000 [with the Baltimore Ravens], I owe a lot of that to Bill Belichick.”– Ozzie Newsome

– “Those years in Cleveland, those teams, those people impacted the NFL. It impacted a lot of football.”– Scott Pioli

– “We got better every year, our program improved every year. I wish that it would have turned out a bit differently, but we tried to do what we could and the best that we could for ourselves, for the team and for the city of Cleveland. I have no regrets about that.” – Belichick

 

 

Rich Eisen: Lack of Time Warner deal hurt NFL Network in Emmys

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Interesting timing with the news of the NFL Network finally working out an agreement with Time Warner Cable.

During an interview with me yesterday, Rich Eisen complained about Time Warner’s failure to make a deal with NFL Network. He mentioned it several times as we talked about his nine-year tenure at the network.

On a personal level, Eisen grew up in Staten Island. It bugged him to no end that the NFL Network wasn’t fully distributed in New York.

“I’d love to be seen in my hometown of New York City,” Eisen said. “I definitely didn’t think nine years later we still wouldn’t be distributed by Time Warner Cable.”

On a professional level, Eisen felt not being fully seen in the nation’s top media market hurt the NFL Network during the Emmys.

“I don’t think we’re nominated for as many Emmys as we should be,” Eisen said. “Everyone says, ‘Why are you worried about that? It’s a popularity contest.’ Well, there are things we do I wish were more recognized in our industry.

“Pop-culture reference. There’s a line in the Silence of the Lambs: ‘We covet things we see every day.’ I think if we were seen every Sunday in New York by a lot of people in our industry, recognition would come our way a bit more.

“I don’t know why Time Warner has such a problem distributing us. Every other distributor is re-upping with us, left-right, up-and-down.

“It’s the quintessential thing of you only can control what you can control, I suppose.”

Now we’ll be able to test Eisen’s theory since NFL Network will be seen in New York. Will it lead to more Emmys?

Eisen is flying back from last night’s horrible game in Charlotte. However, I’m sure he’s happy the deal finally got done.

 

 

 

NFL Network and Time Warner reportedly have deal

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Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg reports the two sides finally have reached an agreement.

He writes:

The National Football League reached agreement with Time Warner (TWC) Cable Inc. to carry the league-owned NFL Network and RedZone Channel, a person with direct knowledge of the situation said.

The multiyear accord may be announced later today, according to the person, who was granted anonymity because the contract hasn’t been signed. New York-based Time Warner, the second-largest U.S. cable company with about 12 million subscribers, had been the only major cable provider without the NFL Network. It isn’t known when the channels will appear on Time Warner systems, the person said.

The agreement comes about a month after the most-watched U.S. sports league reached agreement with Cablevision Systems Inc. to carry the two channels.

NFL Network plans to launch new morning show

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The NFL Network is following the lead of the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive with plans to launch a new live morning show on July 30. From the release:

Debuting Monday, July 30 just as training camps open, the new four-hour “NFL AM” kicks off at 6:00 AM ET each Monday through Friday.  NFL AM will blanket the world of the NFL with seasoned and opinionated talent who will report and debate news and examine the personalities that play the game. The show’s discussion will cover a wide-range of NFL-related topics including the cultural convergence of sports, entertainment and music. Each morning, NFL AMwill collaborate with NFL.com to take a look at the latest in fantasy football news and information.

Beginning Monday, Sept. 3, NFL AM will encore each weekday at 7:00 AM PT for West Coast fans.

It makes sense to have live programming instead of a taped show from the night before. Given that virtually every coach starts their day before dawn, you could expect to see plenty of early morning interviews.

“NFL AM will give fans a great reason to look forward to the morning,” said Mark Quenzel, NFL Network senior vice president of programming and production. “We know that our fans are looking for more football and we are excited to provide a personality-driven show which focuses on football and everything around it. There will be no better way to start their day.”

Here’s the amazing, or rather crazy thing about the show. It will orginate live from the network’s studios in Los Angeles. That means NFL AM begins at 3 a.m. PT, when some of that town’s citizens are just getting in from their PM activities. Hard to imagine that lifestyle.

NFL Network, though, did get some people to sign on. Here are the poor souls who will get their last full night of regular sleep on July 29.

Mark Kriegel (@MarkKriegel), the author of two New York Times best-sellers (Namath: A Biography and Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich), joins NFL Network from FOXSports.com where he spent five years as a national columnist and host of the bi-weekly “Bar Fly on FOX” chat with athletes, celebrities and media. Previously, he was a distinguished media voice on the New York sports scene for 10 years as a columnist for the New York Daily News and the New York Post. He also served as a contributing editor for Esquire magazine. Kriegel’s upcoming book on boxer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, titled The Good Son, will be released in September.

Eric Davis (@_ericdavis_), who played 13 NFL seasons at cornerback, comes to NFL Network after spending last year as co-host of “Tierney and Davis” weekdays on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. In addition, Davis will begin his second season as the radio analyst for 49ers games this fall.  Previously, he served as an NFL analyst for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and for KPIX-TV telecasts of 49ers preseason games. A three-time All-Pro, Davis played six seasons (1990-95) in San Francisco, helping the team to a victory in Super Bowl XXIX. A second-round draft choice from Jacksonville State, Davis also played for Carolina (1996-2000), Denver (2001) and Detroit (2002).
Brian Webber (@bwwebber), a former anchor and reporter for Fox Sports Net and a sideline reporter for NFL games on FOX, joins NFL Network after six years as lead host of Fox Sports’ digital media programming. With Fox Sports Digital, he anchored studio coverage of the NFL, MLB and NASCAR, as well as on-location coverage of the Super Bowl, Final Four and Stanley Cup Final. For the past nine years, Webber has also served as studio host and play-by-play announcer for the Tennis Channel. A graduate of Stanford University, Webber began his broadcasting career began at Fox Sports Net-Bay Area 19 years ago and later included stints as a play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports Net, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network and NCAA Productions.
Nicole Zaloumis (@nicolezaloumis) comes to NFL Network with more than a decade of sports broadcasting experience, most recently as an anchor and reporter for Comcast SportsNet New England since January 2011. Previously, Zaloumis worked for the Big Ten Network, where she co-hosted “The Friday Night Football Report” and “The Women’s Show,” and was a sideline reporter for football games. Earlier in her career, Zaloumis worked for Fox Sports Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix and the NBC affiliate in Washington, DC.

Steve Wyche (@wyche89) begins his fifth season with NFL Network and NFL.com, providing reports from team facilities and games on a variety of programs including NFL GameDay Morning and NFL Total Access. Additionally, Wyche is a regular columnist on NFL.com and is the co-host of the site’s ‘Cover Two’ podcast. Previously, he covered the Falcons for four seasons for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Wyche has more than two decades of sports journalism experience including posts with the Washington Post covering the Wizards and the NBA, and the Miami Herald on the Dolphins, Heat and University of Florida beats.