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Behind the scenes of ESPN+’s NFL PrimeTime
ESPN’s Postseason NFL Countdown will preview the NFL’s Conference Championship games on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 12 p.m. ET. Sam Ponder hosts the three-hour show from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studio with Tedy Bruschi, Matt Hasselbeck, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan, Louis Riddick, Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter.
Countdown Features:
- Eddie’s Advice – Former Titans running back Eddie George gave Derrick Henry advice has led to his emergence as the most dominant runner in the NFL over the last two years. Dianna Russini
- Best of Chiefs Soundtracks – Countdown offers the best in-game sound this season from the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid.
- California Love – Before he became one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, Aaron Rodgers was a scrawny high school quarterback in Northern California just hoping someone would give him a chance. Now, headed home with a chance to play in his second Super Bowl for the Green Bay Packers, Countdown talks to the coaches that knew Rodgers would succeed all along.
- Kyle Shanahan Conversation – Chris Berman – who covered the 49ers during their Super Bowl championship runs in the 1980s and 90s – travels back to San Francisco to sit with the 49ers head coach to discuss the lessons Shanahan learned from his father and to talk about two of the biggest plays of the NFL season.
ESPN’s Countdown is coming off its most-viewed Divisional Playoff shows since 2014. Last weekend in New Orleans, Sunday’s show was the most-viewed regular-season or postseason edition of Sunday NFL Countdown in two years, averaging 1,985,000 viewers, up 53 percent. Season-to-date, Postseason NFL Countdown is averaging 1.5 million viewers, up 21 percent.
ESPN reporters for the NFL Conference Championship games:
- AFC Championship – Jeff Darlington (Titans), Sal Paolantonio (Chiefs) and Jac Collinsworth (Arrowhead Stadium parking lot)
- NFC Championship –Dan Graziano (Packers) Josina Anderson (49ers)
Chris Berman and Tom Jackson return for NFL PrimeTime on ESPN
ESPN coverage of the NFL’s Conference Championship Weekend includes Chris Berman and Tom Jackson’s return to NFL PrimeTime on ESPN (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET). Boomer and TJ – who worked together all season on NFL PrimeTime on ESPN+ – will have a full recap of the Championship games and a preview of Super Bowl LIV. For a behind-the-scenes look at how NFL PrimeTime comes together, visit ESPN Front Row.
Other Championship Weekend NFL programming:
- NFL Matchup (Saturday, 8:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2, and Sunday, 4 and 6:30 a.m., ESPN) will preview both Conference Championships with host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Matt Bowen and Greg Cosell.
- ESPN+ offers a vast library of original NFL programming, including the season-long series Peyton’s Places – with the latest episode featuring Peyton’s visit to Graceland in Memphis to learn about Elvis Presley’s passion for football, NFL’s Greatest Games, NFL Films Presents, Sound FX, and more. ESPN+ will also offer a special NFL PrimeTime Super Bowl preview edition (Monday, 3:30 p.m. ET) with Trey Wingo and Chris Mortensen.
- ESPN will staff both Championship games this weekend with NFL Nation team reporters Rob Demovsky (Packers), Nick Wagoner (49ers), Turron Davenport (Titans) and Adam Teicher (Chiefs), among other experts. This week, ESPN.com features a variety of NFL Playoff stories, including: Wagoner on How Kyle Shanahan Weaponized the 49ers’ Team History; Demovsky on How the Packers Overhauled Everything to Get Back to the NFC Championship; and Davenport on Two Trades Catapulted the Titans to the AFC Title Game.
ESPN NFL shows on NFL Conference Championship Weekend (Jan. 18-20):
| Date | Start (ET) | Episode Title | Network |
| Sat, Jan. 18 | 8:30 a.m. | NFL Matchup
* re-airs Sunday at 4 and 6:30 a.m. (ESPN) |
ESPN2 |
| Sun, Jan. 19 | 9:30 a.m. | NFL’s Greatest Games: 1998 NFC Wild Card Game
(Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers) |
ESPN2 |
| 12 p.m. | Postseason NFL Countdown (three hours) | ESPN | |
| 10 p.m. | NFL PrimeTime
* re-airs at 2 and 4:30 a.m. (ESPN) |
ESPN | |
| Mon, Jan. 20 | 3:30 p.m. | NFL PrimeTime on ESPN+
(Super Bowl Preview) |
ESPN+ |
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Contacts:
bill.hofheimer@espn.com or allison.r.stoneberg@espn.com
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