CBS Sports is taking fans back to where it all began. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the modern version of The NFL Today — the 1975 edition hosted by Brent Musburger, Irv Cross, and Phyllis George — the network will stage a weeklong celebration during Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season.
The festivities will culminate with a special vintage broadcast of The NFL Today at noon ET on Sunday, Sept. 21. Host James Brown will be joined by analysts Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, and Matt Ryan, as well as a familiar face from the show’s storied past. Musburger, who steered the program from 1975 to 1990, will return to the CBS Sports studio for the occasion.
In a nod to the groundbreaking look and feel of the original show, CBS will unveil a virtual re-creation of the 1975 set. The broadcast will blend retro graphics and theme music with modern technology, giving viewers both a nostalgic trip and the in-depth analysis they expect from today’s NFL Today. The show will still deliver its weekly mix of highlights, news, and analysis, while also looking back at the program’s five decades of NFL studio coverage.
The celebration won’t be confined to the pregame slot. Throughout the day on Sept. 21, The NFL on CBS will integrate throwback themes into its game coverage, including archival flashback clips and musical cues from the past. Several NFL teams will also join the fun by donning throwback uniforms. The New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are among those scheduled to take the field in retro attire.
CBS Sports will also expand the celebration beyond the television screen. In the days leading up to the Week 3 slate, throwback content will roll out across CBS Sports HQ, CBSSports.com, and the network’s social media channels on Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube. Fans can expect archival features, classic highlight packages, and behind-the-scenes looks at how The NFL Today evolved into the template for modern sports pregame programming.
When The NFL Today debuted on Sept. 21, 1975, it became the first live NFL studio show to take viewers across the country, previewing and highlighting every game on the schedule. Its fast-paced format, innovative production, and personable hosts changed the way fans consumed the league — a model that networks across sports still follow today.
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