NBC Sports Group Opens 2017 NFL Season with NFL Kickoff and Sunday Night Football

In a season that will see NBC broadcast SUPER BOWL LII on Sunday, February 4, 2018 - just four days before NBCUniversal begins its comprehensive coverage of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games of PyeongChang, South Korea - NBC, home to primetime television's top two shows in SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL and Thursday Night Football, will present a combined 28 regular season and postseason games - the most ever by an NFL broadcast primetime TV partner.

NBC Sports kicks off its season-long coverage with NFL Kickoff 2017 one week from today - Thursday, September 7 - when Tom Brady and the defending SUPER BOWL champion New England Patriots host Alex Smith and the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs in the 200th regular-season game of the NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL package.

In the Sept. 10 opener of SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL - America's No. 1 primetime television show for a record six consecutive years - 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year Dak Prescott and the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys host two-time SUPER BOWL MVP Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

NBC Sports' coverage of the 2017 NFL season features pre-game coverage on NBC with Football Night in America, the most-watched weekly studio show in sports for 11 consecutive years; live streaming of SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL for desktops and tablets on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app; daily studio coverage on NBCSN with PFT Live; daily radio coverage on more than 425 NBC Sports Radio affiliates across the United States; local team coverage on 10 NBC Sports Regional Networks; comprehensive fantasy football coverage online through Rotoworld.com; and additional content across NBC Sports' digital and social media channels.

2017 marks NBC's 12th consecutive season as the premier primetime broadcast home of the NFL. NBC presents 19 regular-season games as part of its SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL package (17 regular-season SNF games, NFL Kickoff 2017, and the annual Thanksgiving night game), five primetime regular-season Thursday games and a late afternoon Christmas Day game, two NFL Playoff games, and SUPER BOWL LII. NBC Sports will also produce three games to be televised exclusively on NFL Network.

NFL KICKOFF 2017 AND SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

The NFL opens the regular season on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with NFL Kickoff 2017 on NBC, as the defending SUPER BOWL champion New England Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with a special edition of Football Night in America.

Sunday Night Football, the No. 1 primetime show on television, kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 10, when the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Sunday night opener marks the 11th meeting between the Giants and Cowboys in NBC's SNF package - the most-played matchup in the show's history (since 2006). Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

Calling both matchups is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 32nd season as THE VOICE of the NFL's premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth; and two-time Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya. NBC's coverage of NFL Kickoff 2017 and SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL is led executive producer Fred Gaudelli and Emmy Award-winning director Drew Esocoff. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series in eight of the last nine years.

For the second year in a row, country music superstar Carrie Underwood will perform Oh, Sunday Night, the opening theme for Sunday Night Football. The 2017 edition will debut on Sunday, Sept. 10, prior to NBC's first SNF broadcast of the 2017 NFL season. This marks the second season that Oh, Sunday Night will serve as the theme for Sunday Night Football.

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA

Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, is hosted by Mike Tirico, who will report from Gillette Stadium on Thursday, and AT&T Stadium on Sunday. Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from Gillette Stadium on Thursday night, and from NBC Sports Group's Studio 1 on Sunday night. Patrick will be joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time SUPER BOWL winner Rodney Harrison, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com and PFT Live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Radio.

Beginning on Sept. 10, and continuing throughout the regular season, Kathryn Tappen, Paul Burmeister, and Heather Cox will alternate reporting from the site of one of the high-profile afternoon games.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NBC kicks off its Thursday Night Football slate on Nov. 9, as Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals host Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks in a matchup of the past two NFC West champions. The Nov. 9 matchup is the start of NBC's six consecutive Thursdays with primetime NFL games, and is followed by Titans-Steelers on Nov. 16; the New York Giants visiting Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins on Thanksgiving night; the Dallas Cowboys hosting Washington on Nov. 30; Saints-Falcons on Dec. 7; and Broncos-Colts on Dec. 14.

Mike Tirico begins his first season as the play-by-play voice of Thursday Night Football on NBC, alongside Cris Collinsworth (analyst) and sideline reporter Heather Cox.

TWO NFL SPECIALS DEBUT ON NBC THIS WEEKEND - "ON A MISSION: ATLANTA RISING" & "DO YOUR JOB - PART 2"

This Saturday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. ET, the one-hour "On a Mission: Atlanta Rising," special profiling Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC owner Arthur Blank will debut on NBC. The documentary will examine Blank's personal and professional life from his childhood through February's dramatic SUPER BOWL defeat and beyond.

One day later, on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. ET, the Falcons' SUPER BOWL LI opponent New England Patriots will be featured on NBC, in the debut of the NFL Films-produced special "Do Your Job - Part 2." Narrated by Boston native and Academy Award-nominated actor Edward Norton, the hour-long show provides an inside look at the 2016 Patriots' SUPER BOWL season, featuring interviews with Robert Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels, and key front office personnel.

NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, tablets, and connected TVs via "TV Everywhere," giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC's broadcasts. Powered by Playmaker Media, the NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, and Xbox. (NOTE: NBC Sports does not have NFL LIVE streaming rights to mobile devices.)

PFT LIVE - WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON NBCSN

Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live on NBCSN at 7 a.m. ET. The two-hour PFT Live provides all-encompassing coverage of the NFL, including the most current news and analysis, thought-provoking debates, and interviews with a wide variety of NFL newsmakers. The program is a simulcast of NBC Sports Radio's PFT Live national program that airs daily beginning at 6 a.m. ET.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA

SNF ON FACEBOOK: - At nearly 3.5 million LIKES strong, the SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Facebook page provides social-first stories, photos and video every week. In addition, the SNF Facebook page will feature weekly Facebook Live interviews with Michele Tafoya and player from each team leading up to the game, and Facebook Live Q&A's with Tony Dungy on Sundays.
SNF ON TWITTER: Using tweets, photos, and videos, @SNFonNBC provides unique content with SNF talent, production crew and NFL players. Additionally, Michele Tafoya will provide real-time tweets from the sideline to provide followers with updates all game long.
SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Going into its sixth season, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL gives the SNF fan a look at photos through the filters of Instagram. Fans get a look around each SNF city, as well as access inside the production trucks, the locker rooms, on the field and on the sideline, as our social media producer captures the best photos of Sunday night and posts in real time. In addition, SNF on Instagram will utilize Instagram stories to maximize fans' exposure to the SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL footprint.
SNF ON SNAPCHAT: For the second season, NBC Sports' Snapchat account will be creating content on the platform at each SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL game, including Kickoff and from the SNF Bus. The NBC Sports Snapchat account will take fans behind the scenes to the FNIA set and around cities where SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL comes to town, utilizing lenses and filters to customize content specifically for the Snapchat audience.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS RETURNS FOR 2017 NFL SEASON

NBC Sports Group's SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL bus returns this season to travel the country, visiting the host cities of select SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL games. The bus will bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy to various SNF locations, before arriving at its final destination, SUPER BOWL LII in Minneapolis, Minn., in February. Fans will get a closer look at behind-the-scenes action of SNF broadcasts on the bus, which will take fans from the field, to the studio and in the production trucks. Features of the bus include an interactive replica of the control room, a replica of the FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA desk, life-size "Photo Bomb" wall, and more.

The bus will arrive in each city two to three days prior to the game, making stops at local landmarks and events before heading to the game site. Once at the stadium, the SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL bus will give fans the opportunity to interact with America's most-watched primetime television show with exclusive activities, memorabilia and a 55-inch monitor housing social media elements.

NBC SPORTS RADIO

NBC Sports Radio will surround the 2017 NFL season with daily coverage across more than 425 radio affiliates, highlighted by PFT Live, featuring NFL insider and FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA commentator Mike Florio daily from 6-9 a.m. ET; Safety Blitz with Rodney Harrison and Dan Schwartzman; featuring three-time All Pro and two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison and Dan Schwartzman; Going Deep with Amani and Dan, featuring former Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer; NFL Insider Michele Tafoya; and Schwartzman.

To listen to a live stream of NBC Sports Radio, or find your local affiliate, visit www.NBCSportsRadio.com

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NFL markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, will surround the 2017 NFL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most in more than 40 million U.S. households.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum superstar artist, Carrie Underwood, will perform "Oh, Sunday Night," the opening theme for primetime television's No. 1 program, NBC's Sunday Night Football. Country music superstar Underwood, the season-four winner of AMERICAN IDOL in 2005, made her SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL debut to open the 2013 NFL season.

Oh, Sunday Night" is set to the music of "Somethin' Bad," a chart-topping duet from Underwood and Miranda Lambert which was released in 2014 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Underwood worked with the songwriters of "Somethin' Bad"- Chris DeStefano, Brett James, and Priscilla Renea - to rewrite the lyrics for Sunday Night Football. The result, "Oh, Sunday Night," was produced by Mark Bright and Chris DeStefano. This NFL season marks the fifth for Underwood as the star of NBC's SNF show open.

Ten NFL players, who have accounted for 30 PRO BOWL selections, four SUPER BOWL rings, and six first-round draft picks (five in the top 10) will participated in the open with Underwood. Players include Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown, Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr, New England Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower, Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones, Oakland Raiders LB Khalil Mack, Denver Broncos LB Von Miller, Arizona Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson, New York Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul, and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.

Carrie Underwood emerged from the promise of her 2005 AMERICAN IDOL win to become a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, and film. A seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner, she has amassed over 100 major honors, sold 64 million records worldwide, and recorded 26 #1 singles, 13 of which she co-wrote, with a catalog of songs that have been streamed more than 2.6 billion times worldwide.

The Grand Ole Opry member demonstrated her creative diversity in 2013 starring as Maria von Trapp in NBC's three-hour holiday blockbuster, the Emmy®-winning The Sound of Music Live!, whose airings attracted 44 million viewers. The reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Underwood claimed her fourth win in the category amid the ongoing success of her chart-topping platinum fifth studio album, Storyteller, which produced four #1 hits. This November, Underwood will co-host the CMA Awards for a tenth consecutive year.

SNF IS NO. 1 PRIMETIME PROGRAM ON TELEVISION, WITH NBC/NFLN TNF RANKING NO. 2

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL finished the 2016-17 TV season as primetime's #1 TV show in all key metrics for a record sixth consecutive year - tying AMERICAN IDOL for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on live plus same day data provided by The Nielsen Company. NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the seventh consecutive TV season. SNF's six-year run at the top marks the only six times on record that a sports series has been the highest-rated and most-watched show of the primetime TV season In addition, NBC/NFL Network Thursday Night Football ranks as primetime TV's No. 2 show in average viewers and household rating, and No. 3 among Adults 18-49.

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