As you prepare to watch the Carolina Panthers take on the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, CBS will count down to kickoff with a special episode of their pregame show, The NFL Today. The pageantry and fanfare will kick off at 2 p.m. ET and The Super Bowl Today will be hosted by James Brown.
Brown will, as always, be joined by co-hosts Boomer Esiason, Tony Gonzalez, Bill Cowher and Bart Scott. Ian Eagle and Greg Gumbel will also contribute. CBS has announced that New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who appears on the CBS-produced Showtime program Inside the NFL, will also join the crew for the pregame show. NFL Insider Jason LaCanfora and NFL officiating expert Mike Carey will also be present on set to discuss the upcoming matchup.
The Super Bowl Today will be broadcast live from Super Bowl City, a set built by CBS in San Francisco, as well as from a set in front of Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. It will feature past and present player interviews and an exploration of the history of the game as well as a look toward the future of the Super Bowl.
To commemorate the 50th Super Bowl, there will be a number of special features highlighting the history of this event over the past five decades. Sean McManus, the chairman of CBS Sports, announced that the pregame show will also feature a segment with the six living men who have called Super Bowls in the past. The segment will feature Jim Nantz, Jack Whitaker, Joe Buck, Dick Enberg, Greg Gumbel and Al Michaels.
Viewers can also expect interviews with Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Both players have been featured heavily in the news leading up to the big game, and there's a lot to discuss. Manning may be headed toward retirement and he's staring down what is likely his last opportunity to add another Super Bowl ring to his long list of career accomplishments. Newton, of course, is appearing in his first Super Bowl after a MVP-caliber season that led to a 15-1 regular season record and two big playoff victories.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera will sit down with one of the analysts for a one-on-one interview, as will Broncos general manager John Elway. Rivera was a member of the storied 1985 Bears team, the only team in league history to finish a season 18-1 with a Super Bowl win, and his Panthers have an opportunity to be the second. Elway was the quarterback the last time the Broncos won the Super Bowl during the 1998 season.
Trent Green, Amy Trask, Tracy Wolfson, Evan Washburn, Allie LaForce and Jim Rome will all make appearances and help cover the excitement leading up to the game.
Additionally, the show will feature a couple of musical acts to break up the football analysis. As part of the ongoing Super Bowl 50 NFL Tailgate Party, British rock singer-songwriter Seal and country music artist Sam Hunt are set to perform in front fans during the pregame festivities at Levi's Stadium. Both performances will be shown on CBS during the four-hour window of Super Bowl Today.
The broadcast will run until 6 p.m. ET, when the Super Bowl on CBS Kick-Off Show begins. It will feature live musical performances, including the national anthem sung by Lady Gaga. There will be a segment honoring past Super Bowl MVPs, and each team will be introduced. Super Bowl 50 kicks off at 6:30 p.m.
How to Watch
When: Sunday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Where: San Francisco and Santa Clara, Calif.
Commentators: James Brown, Tony Gonzalez, Boomer Esiason, Bill Cowher, Bart Scott
Online: CBS Sports