Football Night in America will surround Peyton Manning's return to Indianapolis with interviews and in-depth analysis, and by capturing the atmosphere within Lucas Oil Stadium, as the Colts (4-2) host the undefeated Denver Broncos (6-0) in tonight's iteration of Sunday Night Football.
Bob Costas interviewed Manning, who is in his second season with the Broncos after serving as the Colts signal caller for 13 seasons, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck for tonight's Week 7 edition of Football Night in America, which will also include highlights, analysis and reaction to earlier Week 7 games. In addition to the interviews and analysis, Football Night will show Manning taking the field for the first time live and cover the Colts' planned tribute to Manning.
Football Night, the most-watched pre-game show in sports, airs each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on
NBC with Costas hosting the program live from inside the stadium. He will be joined on site by
Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst), as well as
NBC NFL analyst Hines Ward, for reaction to the afternoon games and to preview tonight's match-up.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from famous Studio 8H at NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios in New York City. He is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time
Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison; Peter King of Sports Illustrated; Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and
NBC Sports Network; and Scott Pioli, the former NFL Executive of the Year who is new to the
NBC NFL team this season. Carolyn Manno will report from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on the Texans-Chiefs game.
INTERVIEW: Below are excerpts from Costas' interviews with Manning and Luck. If used, please note the mandatory credit: "In an exclusive interview airing tonight on Football Night in America."
PEYTON MANNING WITH BOB COSTAS
On his return to Indianapolis: "There's no question it will be different. I can't tell you exactly sitting here on Saturday night, what it will be like, but I have such wonderful memories of my 14 years here, playing for the Indianapolis Colts. I really feel like I have those memories bottled-up in a time capsule that they are there and nothing can change the way I feel about my time here."
On playing for a different team: "There is an awkward time when you are still a current player playing for another team. It's so much easier to answer some of these questions when you're retired, and you talk about we and we. It was pointed out to me that I don't say the word Colts very often. I think the reason why is because I never had to say (it). I always said we. I always said us. It's different. Forgive me for that. Give me some time. I think it will always be we once I retire, just like Denver will be we as well."
On tonight's game: "It's a game that I never wanted to play. I always wanted to play for the same team for my entire career. I wanted to play for three teams: Newman High School; the University of Tennessee Volunteers; and the Indianapolis Colts because they were the team that drafted me and that was a goal of mine. I got injured, things change and I have transitioned into this second chapter of my football career. The Denver Broncos have welcomed me warmly and helped me with that transition."
On showing his appreciation: "I hope in the game (tonight) that I can have a moment there to show how appreciative I am of the support that I had when I was playing here (in Indianapolis). It's a great place to play football, great fans. It'd be so much easier though if all you had to do was come out and wave and smile, but unfortunately, I've got to figure out how to dodge Robert Mathis all night and try complete a few passes. So I hope I can win that challenge, but there's no question it will be a special night.
ANDREW LUCK WITH BOB COSTAS
On constantly hearing that he's the successor to Peyton and that Peyton is returning this week: "It's not been too bad. I've resigned in my mind that it's part of the job, and, honestly, it's the same questions I've been hearing for about a year-and-a-half now when coming to Indy. In my mind, it's just part of the job description now. It's not been too bad."
On what quarterback did he model himself after growing up: "I loved watching Peyton. I just always thought he was really tough, somewhat of a warrior out there, and he could chunk the ball all over the field. So I always enjoyed watching him."
On the Luck and Manning intersection (Oliver Luck briefly backed up Archie Manning in Houston): "I remember growing up and sitting watching games on Sundays as an
Elementary school kid or a middle school kid and any time the Colts were on, my dad, unfailingly, saying Archie used to make him drive Peyton and Cooper around, or go get McDonald's, or do the rookie grunt work for the old veteran. In our family, we always rooted for them because there was a connection, whether it was Eli or Peyton."
On if this can just be another game: "I think so. I do. I may sound naïve, but we realize as a team it's a good Denver Broncos team coming in here. From an offensive perspective, it's a really good defense coming in here and we know we need to score points. So there's enough to worry about there than to get into anything else in the game."
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