Why does the CBS NFL broadcast have a 70s feel? Explaining NFL Today’s 50th anniversary tribute with Brent Musburger originally appeared on The Sporting News
History will take center stage during this Sunday’s episode of “The NFL Today.”
The CBS program has adapted successfully to football’s evolving media landscape, maintaining strong viewership even as its cast has changed over the years.
But its roots go back to the 1970s, when the show first laid its foundation. This Sunday, it will celebrate that legacy, featuring familiar visual elements and bringing in a broadcasting icon from its past.
Here’s what you need to know.
“The NFL Today” has been a fixture on television screens for half a century. What better way to honor the program than by bringing back a retro set, wardrobe, and cast members that reflect its origins?
Anchors will reportedly sport vintage outfits reminiscent of the show’s 1975 debut. The episode will also feature a special guest: veteran broadcaster Brent Musburger.
Musburger, 86, enjoyed a storied career in sports broadcasting. He began at CBS, spending 17 years with the network, and was the first host of “The NFL Today” before being dismissed in 1990. He was succeeded by Greg Gumbel.
Musburger’s presence on the broadcast isn’t a surprise. He was a fixture on the program during the 1970s and 1980s, serving as “The NFL Today’s” first-ever host.
He formally stepped away from CBS in 2017, citing a desire to move to Las Vegas and help his family launch a sports handicapping business.
“A love of sports allows me to live a life of endless pleasure,” Musburger said in a statement. “And make no mistake, I will miss the arenas and stadiums dearly. Most of all, I will miss the folks I have met along the trail.”
He returned to broadcasting shortly thereafter, calling Raiders games with the nascent Vegas Sports Information Network, a company he founded. He still lends his voice to the channel occasionally. But it was at CBS where he made his mark. On Sunday, he’ll get the chance to reprise that role all these years later.
“The NFL Today” has served as CBS’ lead NFL pregame show for the better part of six decades. The program formally got its start in 1964 and starred Frank Gifford. At the time, “The NFL Today” was a 15-minute regional broadcast that saw local reporters offer insight via interviews and occasional clips. In 1967, the program was expanded to 30 minutes — a welcome addition given the expanding nature of the league.
In 1974, the show was abandoned, replaced by a live program aptly titled “The NFL on CBS.” It proved something of a revolutionary offering, becoming the first live pre-game show and the first program to show halftime highlights of other games.
Still, there’s nothing like the classic. CBS brought back the program in 1975, handing the reins of the broadcast to Musburger, Irv Cross and Phyllis George. Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder.
Musburger anchored “The NFL Today” for 17 years before being dismissed. He was replaced by Gumbel, who was joined by Terry Bradshaw. The program has undergone a fair few changes in the years since — Jim Nantz and James Brown have taken hold of the program, being joined by a host of former NFL standouts. The show remains a pivotal offering to NFL fans more than 50 years after its creation.
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