ESPN Commentator Connections to Super Bowl LI

PHOTOS: ESPN Shows at the Super Bowl
SCHEDULE: ESPN’s Super Bowl-related programming in Houston

ESPN’s commentator team includes Hall of Famers, Super Bowl winners, veteran hosts and insiders and accomplished journalists, many of whom have ties to the Super Bowl teams or the host city:

Atlanta Falcons:

• College football analyst and co-host of ESPN’s Radio’s Russillo & Kanell, Danny Kanell played for the Falcons in 1999 and 2000, two of his seven years as an NFL quarterback.
• NFL analyst Herm Edwards, the former NFL head coach and player, played for the Falcons in 1986, his 10th and final season as an NFL defensive back.
• Senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen covered the Falcons (1985-86) and the NFL (1987-89) for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution early in his Hall of Fame journalism career.
• NFL Front Office Insider Louis Riddick played for the Falcons in 1992 and 1996. He was also coached by the Patriots’ Bill Belichick in Cleveland (1993-95).

New England Patriots:

• NFL analyst Tedy Bruschi is a three-time Super Bowl champion who played his entire NFL career in New England (1996-2008). He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2013.
• NFL analysts Matt Hasselbeck and Tim Hasselbeck grew up in New England and, prior to their own NFL careers, their father, Don, played for the Patriots from 1977-83.
• NFL analyst Randy Moss played four of his 14 NFL seasons for the Patriots (2007-10). He was part of the 2007 team that advanced to Super Bowl XLII with a perfect 16-0 regular-season record.
• SportsCenter host Michael Smith, a former Patriots and NFL reporter for the Boston Globe, has covered four of New England’s Super Bowl appearances.
• NFL analyst Damien Woody was a Patriots first round pick in 1999. He played in New England for five years, winning two Super Bowls.
• NFL reporter Field Yates spent four summers as an intern with the Patriots (2004-07), focusing on coaching and scouting duties.

Houston, Texas:

• Mike & Mike co-host Mike Golic started his NFL career with the Houston Oilers (1986-87).
• SportsCenter Face to Face anchor Hannah Storm covered her first Super Bowl (XX) for 97 Rock Houston.

Super Bowl Opening Night Airs Tonight on ESPN2 Tonight, Hannah Storm, Sage Steele, Tedy Bruschi and Ryan Clark kick off ESPN’s coverage of Super Bowl LI with Super Bowl Opening Night (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2), live from Minute Maid Park in Houston.

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