NBC is shaking things up on Thanksgiving. The Football Night in America crew, which is usually in the studio for Sunday Night Football, is headed to the broadcast booth in New Orleans that night.
Mike Tirico will call the play-by-play for the Falcons and Saints. Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison will handle color commentary. The regular broadcast crew, Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth, will get the holiday off. Michelle Tafoya will not though. She remains in her sideline role on Thanksgiving.
Tirico has extensive play-by-play experience, including calling Notre Dame games each week for NBC. Harrison and Dungy have considerably less experience calling games, although the former coach does have some game analyst experience. He has worked the Hall of Fame Game broadcast a number of times.
The pregame show will be getting a little extra New Orleans spice to it as well. The show will originate from Emeril’s New Orleans. Owner and celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse will be cooking traditional Cajun dishes during the broadcast. New Orleans musician Trombone Shorty will serve as the house band for the night.
