Tag: CBS

Jan 4, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) waves to fans after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Report: Russell Wilson in talks to go into television

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Quarterback Russell Wilson has been involved in serious talks to go into television as he contemplates the end of his NFL playing career, The Athletic reported Friday.

Replacing Matt Ryan at CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show appears to be the preferred landing spot, per the outlet. Wilson has worked with CBS on occasion in recent years, including a stint during the New York Giants’ bye week in 2025.

No longer with the Giants, Wilson visited the New York Jets on Monday about a possible backup position behind Geno Smith.

Ryan, 40, left CBS to become president of football with the Atlanta Falcons.

Host James Brown and analysts Nate Burleson and Bill Cowher also are on “The NFL Today.”

After an 0-3 start last season, the Giants benched Wilson in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart. Wilson ultimately saw brief action in three more games, finishing the season with 831 passing yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Wilson, 37, won a Super Bowl, made nine Pro Bowls and won 104 games with the Seattle Seahawks from 2012-21. He then spent two seasons with the Denver Broncos and one with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he made a 10th Pro Bowl in 2024.

–Field Level Media

NBC, ESPN set network records for divisional-round games

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NBC and ESPN/ABC followed CBS’ lead by drawing record numbers for their respective NFL divisional-round games.

On Thursday, NBC announced that it averaged 45.4 million viewers for the Los Angeles Rams’ 20-17 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears.

That number from Sunday’s game represented an 8% increase from a comparable contest in last year’s playoffs.

It also marked the most-watched NFL divisional-round broadcast in the network’s history, surpassing a 1994 game when the Kansas City Chiefs rallied with a 21-point fourth quarter to earn a 28-20 victory over the then-Houston Oilers.

Earlier on Sunday, the New England Patriots secured a 28-16 victory over the visiting Houston Texans in an AFC divisional-round game that averaged 37.9 million viewers on ESPN and ABC. That served as the most-watched event in ESPN history, dating back to the network’s launch in 1979. It’s also the best for any sporting event on ABC outside of a Super Bowl.

The Texans-Patriots game peaked at 44.9 million late in the second half, per ESPN.

CBS drew its best Saturday audience for an NFL contest when an average of 39.6 million viewers tuned into watch the Denver Broncos’ 33-30 overtime victory over the visiting Buffalo Bills.

The game peaked at 51.3 million viewers while in overtime, making it the most-watched Saturday program on any network since the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

–Field Level Media

Chiefs-Cowboys most-watched regular-season game in NFL history

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and host Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day drew in an NFL regular-season record audience of 57.23 million viewers on CBS, the network announced on Wednesday.

Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a stirring 31-28 victory over the Patrick Mahomes, who passed for four scores, and the Chiefs in a star-studded showdown.

The average of 57.23 million viewers shattered the previous record audience for a Thanksgiving Day game of 42.1 million, set in 2022 between Dallas and the New York Giants.

Viewership of the Chiefs-Cowboys game peaked at 61.357 million from 7:45-8 p.m. ET.

As for that 2022 record, it also was broken earlier in the day on Thursday.

Fox Sports reported that its Thanksgiving Day game between the Green Bay Packers and host Detroit Lions drew 47.7 million. The Packers recorded a 31-24 victory over the Lions, with viewership peaking at 57.957 million from 4-4:15 p.m. ET.

–Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook carries the ball almost into the end zone on this plus 10-yard carry during the second half of their game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Sept. 7, 2025.

NFL Week 1 delivers big ratings to networks

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Television networks reported a record number of viewers for Week 1 NFL games.

The ratings were determined using Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel audience measurement system, which utilizes more metrics to figure the numbers than in the past.

CBS said late Tuesday that its overall average was 20.38 million viewers, with the national game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers averaging 23.89 million viewers.

The network said both measurements were the highest in Week 1 since 1998.

Fox said its Week 1 NFL singleheader slot averaged 17.9 million viewers, the most for any network in that category since 2015.

NBC’s airing of the Buffalo Bills’ comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens averaged 24.7 million viewers. That figure is the best for a Sunday opener in three years.

–Field Level Media

Aug 3, 2024; Canton, OH, USA; Houston Texans former defensive end J.J. Watt in attendance at the Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

CBS moves J.J. Watt from studio to game analyst

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Following two seasons as an NFL studio analyst for CBS, J.J. Watt will be the color commentator on the network’s No. 2 game-day booth pairing in 2025.

CBS announced Wednesday that Watt will team with Ian Eagle.

Charles Davis, who had partnered with Eagle, will remain part of CBS’ NFL roster in 2025 before taking over in 2026 for the network’s top college football analyst, Gary Danielson, who is retiring after the upcoming season.

Watt, 36, was a five-time All-Pro in a 12-season NFL career with the Houston Texans (2011-20) and the Arizona Cardinals (2021-22).

“There is nothing better than the energy and excitement of being in the stadium on game day in the NFL,” Watt said in a statement. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to return to that atmosphere each week, working with one of the best in Ian. While I certainly miss delivering hits on the field, it will be nice to leave the stadium without taking any, unless Ian decides to try something crazy.”

CBS Sports President and CEO David Berson said in a statement. “JJ is one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL, and a future Hall of Famer. Over the last two years — as a studio analyst and on social media — he’s connected with fans through his passion, insight and desire to truly have fun. We can’t wait for him to now entertain viewers as a game analyst. Listening to JJ and Ian together each week will be a real treat for NFL fans.”

Danielson, 73, is heading into his 36th season as an announcer, his 20th with CBS. This year, he will be teamed with Brad Nessler and reporter Jenny Dell.

“I have had the greatest seat in the house for 36 years and have loved every minute of it,” Danielson said in a statement. “I have discussed the timing of this moment with CBS Sports leadership over the past few years and we felt it was important I remained with the team during our transition to the Big Ten.

“As we enter our second full season of Big Ten football and my 20th at CBS Sports, the timing just feels right. I have so much respect for Charles Davis as both a person and an analyst. He is going to shine in this role and fit so well with this team.”

Danielson was a quarterback for the Detroit Lions (1976-78, 1980-84) and the Cleveland Browns (1985, 1987-88) after playing for Purdue.

–Field Level Media

Apr 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; CBS announcer Greg Gumbel prior to the national championship game in the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Baylor Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Greg Gumbel stepping down from NFL broadcast booth

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NFL on CBS will broadcast the 2023 season without Greg Gumbel for the first time in more than three decades.

Sports Business Journal reported Wednesday that while Gumbel signed an extension with the network, he will no longer call play-by-play for NFL games. Gumbel will continue as studio host for CBS’ college basketball coverage.

Gumbel, 76, has been either the host of “The NFL Today” or calling play-by-play on NFL games for CBS since 1990 – save for 1994-98, when he joined NBC’s pregame show when CBS lost NFL rights.

Gumbel returned to CBS in 1998 and was teamed up with Phil Simms in the broadcast booth. Gumbel went back to the studio in 2003 before returning to the broadcast booth in 2006, where has been ever since.

Gumbel is celebrating his 25th year of hosting the network’s March Madness studio show.

–Field Level Media

Mar 12, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey speaks on the cancelation of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

SEC, ESPN reach 10-year deal for football, basketball rights

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN agreed on a 10-year deal beginning in 2024 that will make the network the exclusive rights holder of the league’s football and men’s basketball games, the two sides announced Thursday.

Though terms were not disclosed, ESPN’s annual fee is expected to be in the low $300 million range, according to multiple media reports. The SEC currently received $55 million from CBS as part of a deal that was made in 1996. The SEC-CBS contract runs through the 2023 season.

ESPN’s family of networks, including ABC, will gain up to 15 premier football games, highlighted by the SEC title game and big rivalries such as Georgia-Florida, Alabama-Auburn and LSU-Arkansas.

“This new agreement was born from a strong foundation which began almost 25 years ago and now reflects a shared vision of the future with the SEC, commissioner (Greg) Sankey and their member institutions,” Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN and sports content, said in a statement. “With all the conference’s games under the ESPN umbrella and adding ABC and ESPN+ to our distribution channels, ESPN will have complete scheduling flexibility, resulting in maximum exposure and adding significant benefits for SEC schools and fans.”

ABC will broadcast an SEC game every Saturday, including a regular late-afternoon kickoff, and will have the option to feature an SEC game on Saturday nights for the first time.

ABC also will air the SEC title game in the late afternoon, and ABC or ESPN will air a late-afternoon SEC game on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement, “This is a significant day for the Southeastern Conference and for the future of our member institutions. Our agreement with ESPN will greatly enhance our ability to support our student-athletes in the years ahead and to further enrich the game-day experience for SEC fans around the world.

“One of our primary goals was to improve the television-scheduling process in ways that will benefit our students, coaches, alumni and fans. By working in collaboration with ESPN, we were able to secure an agreement that includes more lead time for many game-time announcements, and in many ways modernizes the college football scheduling process.”

The deal also allows the SEC to announce kickoff times much earlier, even during the summer.

ESPN+ is guaranteed to stream one nonconference football game and two nonconference men’s basketball games per SEC school each season.

–Field Level Media