ESPN’s Monday Night Football team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and reporter Lisa Salterswill call the 2015 Pro Bowl Presented by McDonald’s from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday, January 25 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), kicking off the start of Super Bowl XLIX week. The telecast will also be available via WatchESPN and in Spanish on both ESPN Deportes (commentators: Alvaro Martin, Raul Allegre and reporter John Sutcliffe) and ESPN Deportes Radio (Kenneth Garay and Sebastian Martinez Christensen).
ESPN analyst Cris Carter will join fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin as alumni team captains, while the staffs of the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys will coach the respective teams, which will be determined through a draft process on Wednesday. Active NFL player captains include Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, Browns cornerback Joe Haden, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray and Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.
ESPN’s planned production elements for Pro Bowl will include:
- Players wearing microphones;
- In-game coaches audio and from coach-quarterback communication;
- Live talk-backs with Carter and Irvin;
- Aerial coverage via Spidercam;
- Next-gen NFL stats applications;
- Inside the locker room access;
- Sideline interviews with Salters;
- Special booth appearance by comedian/impersonator Frank Caliendo;
ESPN will be home to the annual Pro Bowl game through 2022, as part of the company’s new eight-year rights agreement with the NFL. ESPN last televised the Pro Bowl in South Florida in 2010. The game also aired on ESPN from 1988-94 and 2004-06, and on ABC from 1975-87 and 1995-03.
Pro Bowl Pregame: Chris Berman to Anchor Two-HourPostseason NFL Countdown from University of Phoenix Stadium
Chris Berman will host a special two-hour Postseason NFL Countdown Presented by Snickers(6 p.m., ESPN) from University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona leading into Pro Bowl. He will be joined by analysts Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and Ray Lewis, as well as NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen providing headlines and league news.
ESPN will also have a one-hour Countdown from its Bristol, Conn. studios earlier in the day (12 p.m.), hosted by Wendi Nix with analysts Brian Dawkins and Jeff Saturday that previews Pro Bowl and the Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots matchup in Super Bowl XLIX.
Live ESPN Coverage of Pro Bowl Practices on SportsCenter on Friday, Jan. 23
ESPN’s Monday Night Football team of Tirico, Gruden and Salters will offer live coverage onSportsCenter from the Pro Bowl team practices at Scottsdale Community College on Friday, Jan. 23, from 12-3:30 p.m. ET. Team Irvin is schedule to be on the field from 12:40-1:40 p.m., while Team Carter will practice from 2:15-3:15 p.m.
ESPN NFL-themed programming on Sunday, Jan. 25:
Time (ET) | Show | Network |
8-9 a.m. | Colin’s Football Show | ESPN2 |
10 a.m.-12 p.m. | SportsCenter | ESPN |
12-1 p.m. | Postseason NFL Countdown Presented by Snickers | ESPN |
6-8 p.m. | Postseason NFL Countdown Presented by Snickers | ESPN |
8-11 p.m. | 2015 Pro Bowl Presented by McDonald’s | ESPN |
11 p.m.-12:30 a.m. | SportsCenter | ESPN |