DENVER BRONCOS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS ON SEPTEMBER 17 KICKS OFF
RETURN OF THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON CBS AND NFL NETWORK

Chiefs Legend Tony Gonzalez Joins Studio Team in Return to Kansas City

Academy Award-Winner Forest Whitaker to Narrate Opening Tease

CBS Sports and NFL Network kick off the second year of their partnership televising Thursday Night Football this Thursday, Sept. 17 (8:25 PM, ET) with Denver at Kansas City from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.  This year’s Thursday Night Football schedule again showcases marquee match-ups with 13 of the 16 gamesfeaturing Division rivalries.  

The announce team of Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and reporter Tracy Wolfson return to call the Thursday Night Football action along with NFL Rules expert Mike Carey.

The Thursday Night Football open this week will be narrated by Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker.

The Thursday Night Football broadcast again brings viewers closer than ever to the action with the return of “Mic’d Up,” showcasing enhanced sounds and reactions from players throughout the game.  In addition, the Denver-Kansas City telecast will feature “Pylon Cam,” providing high-resolution, high-definition images from the goal lines and sidelines on each side of the field.  

NFL Network and CBS Sports again provide complete pregame coverage beginning at 6:00 PM, ET on NFL Network with TNF GameDay and continuing on CBS and NFL Network at 7:30 PM, ET with NFL THURSDAY NIGHT KICKOFF.  

TNF GameDay previews the Broncos-Chiefs matchup from NFL Network’s studios in Los Angeles, Calif. Host Rich Eisen is joined by analysts Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin and Kurt Warner to provide news and analysis two hours before kickoff, while host Melissa Stark and Gonzalez join from outside Arrowhead Stadium.

James Brown, Deion Sanders and Bill Cowher return to anchor NFL THURSDAY NIGHT KICKOFF.  Joining the show this week as an analyst is Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez.  The show will originate from inside Arrowhead Stadium.  

Among the pregame topics discussed on TNF GameDay are:

TNF GameDay takes to the field to demonstrate how to defend Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, using players from Piper High School in Kansas City

Why Peyton Manning has had so much success against the Chiefs?

What makes the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense so special?

Stark and Gonzalez interview newly-enshrined Pro Football Hall of Famer Will Shields

Immediately following the game, the TNF Postgame show airs live on NFL Network and CBS from both Kansas City and Los Angeles providing highlights, analysis and live interviews.

Digitally, Verizon Wireless customers using the free-to-download NFL Mobile app on smartphones will have access to live video of Thursday Night Football. Fans can also access live streaming video of Thursday Night Football, including TNF GameDay and TNF Postgame on NFL Network through NFL.com/Watch on desktop, on the Watch NFL Network app on tablets, and on the NFL on Xbox app (Xbox 360 and One), via participating cable and satellite providers. For more information, log on to NFL.com/Watch.

For the 16 games of the 2014 schedule, THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL on CBS and NFL Network (and over-the air stations) averages a national household rating/share of 7.6/13, up 52% compared to a 5.0/8 in 2013 and 12.3 million viewers, up 52% compared to 8.1 million for the 13 games in 2013 on NFL Network and over-the-air stations, making it the highest-rated and most-watched THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL season ever.      

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CBS Sports Contacts:

Jen Sabatelle  212/975-4120  jsabatelle@cbs.com

Dan Sabreen  212/975-5936  dsabreen@cbs.com

Jerry Caraccioli 212/975-7466  gwcaraccioli@cbs.com

NFL Network Contact:

Alex Riethmiller 954/599-4154  Alex.Riethmiller@NFL.com

Andrew Howard 310/845-4579  Andrew.Howard@NFL.com