The Super Bowl is the single biggest game on the American sports calendar, but it certainly is not the only game being played this week. Sports programs across the media landscape are offering previews, prognostications, and patter on Super Bowl LVIII. This competition for scoops and hot takes might be even more competitive than the actual game between the 49ers and Chiefs.
Throughout the week leading up to the Super Bowl, NFL Network has been running a steady stream of related programming. The network’s Super Bowl Opening Night telecast was ably anchored in studio by Colleen Wolfe. She was joined at the desk by Maurice Jones Drew.
The pair talked about how the Chiefs’ defense has carried the team this year. Wolfe then threw to Allegiant Stadium and young Jeremiah Fennell, the 11 year-old wunderkind reporter who set Media Day and the Internet on fire. The unflappable Fennell filed a tremendous interview with Chiefs’ TE Travis Kelce. He didn’t flinch at all, asking the old pro numerous questions.
It was then back to Wolfe and Jones Drew. The latter raised his game discussing whether the 49ers could better defend Kelce than the Ravens did in the AFC Championship game. The attention shifted back to Allegiant where Mike Robinson had a nice interview with Chiefs’ running back Isiah Pacheco.
Both Jones Drew and Robinson have become mainstays on NFL Network. Robinson was a presence from jump street while Jones Drew has grown on me. Wolfe, as always, was excellent presiding over the program.
Similarly, the ladies took center stage on CBS Sports Network’s That Other Pregame Show. Aditi Kinkhabwala and AJ Ross did a nice job reporting from Vegas talking about the pressure to win on 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco defense. Kinkhabwala and Ross are top-notch reporters, really thorough at getting a story and relaying it to viewers.
Ross provided some in-depth statistics on the 49ers issues with runs outside the tackles. She also quoted numerous players showing that she did the work, talked to the teams, and got first-hand knowledge. Panelist Amy Trask added to the festivities with solid commentary on Christian McCaffrey’s outlook against the Chiefs’ stellar defensive front and Brock Purdy’s potential stats in the game.
Katie Mox, a burgeoning talent at CBS Sports Network, has been excellent all season providing odds making and betting insight. This week, she did a nice turn talking about over and under bets for the Super Bowl. Mox consistently lights up the screen with charisma and content.
Speaking of lighting up the screen, Inside the NFL on CW featured an eclectic array of commentators during the week, among them Chad Ochocinco, Ryan Clark, Jay Cutler, and Chris Long. Taking it a step further, the panel welcomed TNT hoops gabber Charles Barkley for a lengthy and laugh-filled interview.
The erstwhile ‘Round Mound of Rebound’ became the ‘Round Mound of Soundbites’ prattling on about coming to Vegas for the Super Bowl for the past 25 years, his betting acumen, and the upcoming big game.
Barkley said that he regrettably bet against Patrick Mahomes against the Bills and Ravens and, in a bold and cutting move, called FS1’s Skip Bayless a fool for saying that Bill Belichick is a glorified defensive coordinator.
Clark made the point that the Chiefs have become somewhat villainous because they have won so many times. Clark made the point that fans now root against them, astutely comparing them to what the Patriots experienced during their dynastic heyday. We are used to seeing Clark in an analysts’ role on ESPN, but he showed real hosting chops running the show on Inside the NFL.
Television debate has been omnipresent leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. The Herd with Colin Cowherd featured one of the best exchanges between Cowherd and sidekick Jason McIntyre. The duo talked about the Andy Reid retirement rumors leading to a discussion on other head coaches who walked away from good teams including Nick Saban, Tony Dungy, Mike Holmgren and Bill Cowher.
McIntyre said that he would put Andy Reid on the Mount Rushmore of all-time coaches. Cowherd lauded Reid for winning with multiple quarterbacks as opposed to Belichick who only won with Tom Brady. His point was a bit deceiving. Yes, Reid has won regular season and playoff games with multiple quarterbacks, but he has only won the Super Bowl with Mahomes.
It should also be noted that Belichick did win a playoff game in the 1994 postseason with Vinny Testaverde as his quarterback with the Browns. He also won 11 games in 2008 with Matt Cassel as his quarterback and went 3-1 in the first four games of 2016 with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett as his quarterbacks while Brady was serving his ‘Deflategate’ suspension.
The quarterback talk continued on ESPN’s Get Up with a discussion of Patrick Mahomes’ growing legacy. The show’s research staff put together a telling graphic of professional athletes who have won three championships and two MVP awards in their first seven seasons.
It is one of the most impressive lists you’ll ever see with Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Joe DiMaggio and Guy Lafleur.
Host Mike Greenberg was blessed with a terrific panel comprised of Mike Tannenbaum, Jeff Saturday, and Marcus Spears. Spears has moved to the forefront at ESPN on a number of different programs. He brings passion, grit, heart and real talk. You must listen to him when he speaks because his words come from experience. Spears does not deal in clichés. His opinions are direct and powerful – dude is a star.
The panel also discussed what is at stake for Kyle Shanahan in this year’s Super Bowl. They made the point that since 2017 the Niners are 0-3 versus the Chiefs in the regular season and playoffs. With all of his genius plaudits, Shanahan has yet to win the Super Bowl and still lives with the Scarlet Letter of being Atlanta’s offensive coordinator in their epic collapse against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
Reputations and perspectives were also bandied about on First Take. The ESPN ratings giant jumped into Brock Purdy’s moniker as a game manager. Jeff Saturday said that the game manager title is not an insult and that Purdy put up similar stats to what Joe Burrow did in his second season in Cincinnati. “He is driving the bus, not being carried on the bus,” Saturday said of Purdy.
In a lively and glib retort, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo stated, “Let’s take it easy Jeff. He’s not Joe Montana.” Russo reminded viewers that Purdy played terribly in the Niners’ playoff game vs. Green Bay and darn near blew the NFC title game vs. Detroit.
Stephen A. Smith gave Purdy props, saying that he’s a “damn good quarterback” – the best that Shanahan has had in San Francisco and as good as Matt Ryan was when Shanahan was in Atlanta.
On NFL Total Access, the NFL Network crew was led by host Kimmi Chex. I really like her style. I lamented the departure of MJ Acosta-Ruiz from the program with Mike Yam taking center stage, but Chex brings a really fun and upbeat tone. She is bright, and asks good questions, not only on Total Access, but in her stints on the NFL GameDay franchise.
The program featured Travis Kelce at Media Day talking openly about how important it is to him and Mahomes to win two straight Super Bowls. Chex then tossed to reporter James Palmer in Las Vegas who provided some information on the Chiefs’ lengthy practice sessions.
Yam joined Maurice Jones Drew and Bucky Brooks for some chit-chat about the brilliance of Patrick Mahomes and what the San Francisco defense is facing. The gist was that Mahomes not only executes the original play but can seamlessly change the play at any time. It was a fast paced program, and Chex was all over it as host.
Of course, no Super Bowl LVIII previews would be complete without some talk of Taylor Swift. The ubiquitous music megastar has dominated the airwaves over the last few weeks with her romance with Travis Kelce and attendance at Chiefs’ games.
On the CBS Mornings news program, Super Bowl talk centered around Swift. A telling graphic showed that, according to Apex Marketing Group, the Chiefs and the NFL have added over $331 million in equivalent brand value since Swift entered the picture.
Reporter Nancy Cordes filed a story about how Swift has created a whole new demographic of fans with football viewership among girls ages 12 to 17 up 53% this season. The Taylor Swift affect works both ways. Cordes reported that viewership of last weekend’s Grammy Awards on CBS rose 86% over last year in the Kansas City market.
From players to prop bets to pop stars, Super Bowl week brought out the best in television conversation. Now, let’s see if the actual game is as entertaining.
John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
