Television

This is the second year of the current television contracts with NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and the NFL Network. The pre-game shows have made some changes, with former Steelers coach Bill Cowher joining host James Brown, Boomer Esaison, Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino on CBS's The NFL Today. And over at FOX, after one season on the road, FOX NFL Sunday will return to Los Angeles as Curt Menefee will take over as full-time host. The sole exception will be for the Giants-Dolphins game on October 28th in London, as they will be on location.

The biggest changes are at NBC and ESPN. Michael Irvin's contract with ESPN was not renewed, and former coach Bill Parcells returns to the network after four years as Cowboys head coach. Another pair of former Cowboys, Emmitt Smith and Keyshawn Johnson (who also holds a Super Bowl Ring from 2003 as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), will also provide roles in the studio for Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown. The biggest change though, is at Monday Night Football. Joe Theismann is out after seventeen years in the booth between the Sunday and Monday Night packages, and former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and current Philadelphia Soul (AFL) president Ron Jaworski will take his place alongside Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser. Part of the reason that Jaworski replaced Theismann was because of his chemistry with Kornheiser on Pardon The Interruption, where Jaworski was a frequent guest during the football season. In addition, all Monday Night shows (save PTI) will be based in ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut instead of on-site as a money-saving measure.

NBC's Football Night in America also has two big changes. MSNBC Countdown anchor Keith Olbermann will join Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth as another co-host, while Sterling Sharpe exits as a studio analyst, and former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber takes his place. And in another minor change, Faith Hill takes over singing "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night" for Pink