The NFL is mixing things up, as always, as the season winds down. With just two weeks left, a lot of playoff aspirations are on the line as the league has its first Saturday game of the season, a triple-header, with major standings implications.
Over the course of the day, it will be the Los Angeles Chargers, trying to secure their seed, going against the New England Patriots, before the Cincinnati Bengals try to keep their season alive against a Denver Broncos team that could qualify with a win. Then, to finish the day off, the Los Angeles Rams will have a Division title on their mind as they take on the Arizona Cardinals.
But an NFL game isn’t complete without the voice of the announcing crew. For the entirety of Saturday, here are the names who will be available in the booth and on the sidelines calling all the action.
NFL Week 17 Saturday Crew
As the action kicks off with the Chargers and the Patriots, a few familiar names will be on call for fans tuning in.
Play-by-play | Chris Rose
Chris Rose has been in the sports media limelight since basically the start of the century. A career that began with The Best Damn Sports Show Period on Fox Sports has since spanned multiple networks and sports, including the MLB. However, since 2012, Rose has been a regular on the NFL Network.
He is the host of NFL GameDay Final, NFL GameDay Highlights, as well as the postgame edition of NFL Total Access after Thursday Night Football. On occasion, he has been the play-by-play announcer after discovering his talents in the field as the lead play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Browns radio.
Now, fans all over get to see his talents on full display in a critical Week 17 matchup.
Analyst | Ross Tucker
A former OL with a nearly 7-year-long career, Ross Tucker was among the earliest players to make the switch into sports media. Beginning as a writer for SI after injuries forced him to retire in 2008, he became a regular member of the NFL Radio circuit, hosting The Morning Kickoff with Ross Tucker.
Since 2018, he has taken on a more prominent role in the league. For CBS, he serves as an analyst for both the NFL and college football games. Additionally, he is the main television analyst for the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason.
Sideline Reporter | Steve Wyche
After a four-year career with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution covering the Atlanta Falcons, Wyche became a member of the NFL Network team as a reporter and senior writer. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength in establishing his credentials.
His success led to a regular spot on the NFL AM weekday morning show. For most fans, Wyche is remembered for breaking the Colin Kaepernick story in 2016.
When the Bengals take on the Broncos in one of the most consequential regular season games in quite some time, the team on the call is going to be of equally high stature.
Play-by-play | Kevin Harlan
One of the most well-recognized men in the business, Kevin Harlan on the commentary booth is a recipe for money. Whether it is the NBA or the NFL, Harlan provides exceptional insight, passion, and energy for the position. It is what has allowed him to build out a 40-year career in the field.
Responsible for announcing more than 500 NFL games, placing him in the top 10 all-time. Similarly, he is third all-time in the total number of network television sports broadcasts doing play-by-play for one of the four major sports. His legacy is, as he likes to call it, GOOD.
Analyst | Trent Green
Trent Green was a pioneer for names like Troy Aikman and Tom Brady to follow, as a quarterback who found success in the world of sports media. After a 15-year career in the league, including a Super Bowl ring, Green made the transition to media post-retirement. Beginning as a color analyst on regional NFL games in 2009, he branched out to the NFL Total Access show as well.
Eventually, his success led to a call by CBS. Joining Greg Gumbel as an NFL analyst, he even got the chance to work with Kevin Harlan, a duo so successful, that the pair has become a regular over the past decade.
Sideline Reporter | Melanie Collins
Beginning at Penn State, Melanie Collins has quickly made a name for herself in the world of sports media. Initially limited to the program, she would cover the basketball, baseball, and football teams at the school. Eventually, she joined CBS Sports.
Today, she is a regular on the sidelines for the CBS Sports NFL Broadcast. Occasionally, she also makes the trip over to ESPN as a special guest on SportsNation.
When the Los Angeles Rams lock horns with the Arizona Cardinals with the NFC West up for grabs, the NFL will be trotting out some legends to take over the broadcast announcing duties.
Play-by-play | Rich Eisen
Beginning as a staff writer in 1990, Rich Eisen has gone step-by-step in his career in sports media. After first being discovered by ESPN in 1996, Eisen spent seven years with the company, before making the transition to the NFL Network.
Since 2003, he has become one of the premier names for the NFL Network. The main host for NFL Total Access, host for NFL GameDay Morning when it first launched, and host of NFL GameDay Highlights, Eisen is the guy for the NFL. He also performs hosting duties for NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football pregame, halftime, and postgame shows.
Analyst | Kurt Warner
The greatest undrafted player in the history of the NFL, Kurt Warner didn’t just break molds as a quarterback when he won league and Super Bowl MVP. Since retirement, he has become one of the more prominent figures in sports media, first joining the Iowa Barnstormers broadcast team, before becoming an analyst for the NFL Network in 2010.
A regular on NFL Total Access and the Thursday Night Football pregame show. Since 2010, he has been a common presence as a color analyst for the NFL Network’s coverage on Fox Sports. Initially, he began teaming up with Chris Rose or Chris Myers for the duty.
Sideline Reporter | Jamie Erdahl
The host of Good Morning Football, Jamie Erdahl has become a major part of the NFL Network programming in just two short years. Before her stint with the NFL Network began, she was the sideline reported for the SEC on CBS.
Even after joining the Network, she has regularly taken on sideline reporting responsibilities, alongside the NCAA, March Madness, and NBA coverage that she does for CBS/Turner.