List of Pro Bowl broadcasters

The following is a list of the television networks and announcers who have broadcast the National Football League's Pro Bowl throughout the years.

1950s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s)
1951 not televised
1952 NBC Harry Wismer Bill Stern
1953 NBC Bud Foster Mark Scott
1954 DuMont Tom Harmon Red Grange
1955 not televised
1956 not televised
1957 not televised
1958 NBC Joe Tucker Van Patrick
1959 NBC Jim Gibbons Van Patrick
Notes
  • From the 1951 thru the 1964 seasons, the Pro Bowl television rightsholders were the Los Angeles Newspaper Charities, as opposed to the National Football League. Since the 1965 season, the NFL has owned the telecast rights.
  • The DuMont Television Network obtained rights to the 1955 game from the Los Angeles Newspaper Charities just one week before the game date. As they had trouble lining up affiliates to cover the game on such short notice, the telecast was cancelled.
  • Both NBC and CBS passed on the rights to the 1957 game. ABC apparently considered televising the game, but could not gain enough clearance of affiliates to make a telecast feasible. So for the third straight year, there was no telecast.

1960s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s)
1960 NBC Bob Kelley Ray Scott
1961 NBC Lindsey Nelson Frankie Albert
1962 NBC Lindsey Nelson Chuck Thompson
1963 NBC Chuck Thompson Ken Coleman
1964 NBC Chris Schenkel George Connor
1965 NBC Ken Coleman Gordie Soltau
1966 CBS Jack Drees Frank Gifford
1967 CBS Lindsey Nelson Pat Summerall
1968 CBS Jack Buck Tom Brookshier
1969[1] CBS Jack Whitaker Pat Summerall

1970s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Sideline reporter
1970 CBS Don Criqui Frank Gifford Frank Glieber
1971 CBS Jack Whitaker Frank Gifford Bruce Roberts
1972 NBC Curt Gowdy Al DeRogatis
1973 CBS Frank Glieber Alex Hawkins Bruce Roberts
1974 NBC Curt Gowdy Al DeRogatis
1975 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Alex Karras
1976 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Alex Karras
1977 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Alex Karras
1978 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Don Meredith
1979 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Don Meredith

Notes

1980s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Sideline reporter(s)
1980 ABC Al Michaels Howard Cosell and Fran Tarkenton Lynn Swann
1981 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Fran Tarkenton Lynn Swann
1982 ABC Al Michaels[4] Fran Tarkenton Lynn Swann and Russ Francis
1983 ABC Frank Gifford Howard Cosell and Fran Tarkenton Lynn Swann
1984 ABC Frank Gifford O. J. Simpson Lynn Swann
1985 ABC Frank Gifford Don Meredith Lynn Swann
1986[5] ABC Frank Gifford O. J. Simpson[6] and Joe Namath Tim Brant[7]
1987 ABC Al Michaels Frank Gifford Lynn Swann[8]
1988 ESPN Mike Patrick Roy Firestone and O. J. Simpson[9] Tom Jackson
1989 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann Tom Jackson

Notes
  • In 1980 (the first year that the Pro Bowl was in Hawaii), Al Michaels filled-in for Frank Gifford on play-by-play. Gifford was in Austria covering the World Championships of Skiing.
  • Although Hawaii does not have an NFL team of its own, the Pro Bowl games played there from 1980–2009 were still subject to the NFL's blackout policies, requiring the game to be blacked out within the state of Hawaii if all seats were not sold out by the specified 72-hour deadline.[10][11]

1990s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Sideline reporter(s)
1990 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann Chris Berman and Tom Jackson
1991 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann Chris Berman and Tom Jackson
1992 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann Chris Berman and Tom Jackson
1993 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann Chris Berman and Tom Jackson
1994 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann Chris Berman and Tom Jackson
1995[12] ABC Al Michaels Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf Lynn Swann and Lesley Visser
1996 ABC Al Michaels Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf Lynn Swann and Lesley Visser
1997 ABC Al Michaels Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf Lynn Swann and Lesley Visser
1998 ABC Al Michaels Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf Lynn Swann and Lesley Visser
1999 ABC Al Michaels Dan Dierdorf and Boomer Esiason Lesley Visser and Dan Fouts

2000s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Sideline reporter(s)
2000 ABC Al Michaels Boomer Esiason Lesley Visser[13] and Dan Fouts
2001 ABC Al Michaels Dan Fouts and Dennis Miller Eric Dickerson and Melissa Stark
2002[14] ABC Al Michaels Dan Fouts and Dennis Miller Eric Dickerson and Melissa Stark
2003 ABC Al Michaels Dan Fouts Melissa Stark and Lynn Swann
2004[15] ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire Suzy Kolber and Chris Mortensen
2005[16] ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya
2006 ESPN Mike Patrick Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya
2007 CBS Greg Gumbel Phil Simms and Dan Dierdorf Shannon Sharpe
2008 Fox Kenny Albert Daryl Johnston Tony Siragusa and Brian Baldinger
2009[17] NBC Al Michaels Cris Collinsworth Andrea Kremer and Tiki Barber

Notes
  • In 2003, John Madden declined to be part of the announcing crew due to his aviatophobia and claustrophobia. He was replaced on the telecast by former San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts, whom Madden had replaced on the Monday Night Football crew. This was also the case in 2009, when Cris Collinsworth filled in for Madden on NBC's coverage.
  • In 2004–2006, ABC (who by the early 2000s, had been suffering through several years of dismal ratings) sold its rights to the Pro Bowl (which had been part of the Monday Night Football package since 1995) to sister network ESPN. In those years, the ESPN Sunday Night Football crew covered the game. Prior to the game being moved to ESPN, ABC considered moving the game to Monday night.
  • Under the eight year television contract beginning in 2006, the network that broadcasts the Super Bowl would also get the Pro Bowl. Typically, CBS and Fox would utilize their "B" or "Number 2" broadcasting crew.
  • The 2007 game on CBS was held on the Saturday after Super Bowl XLI because of the Grammy Awards.

2010s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Sideline reporter(s)
2010[18] ESPN[19] Mike Tirico Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski Michele Tafoya and Suzy Kolber
2011 Fox Thom Brennaman Brian Billick and Terry Bradshaw Tony Siragusa and Jay Glazer
2012 NBC Dan Hicks Mike Mayock and Doug Flutie Alex Flanagan and Randy Moss
2013[20] NBC[21] Al Michaels Cris Collinsworth Michele Tafoya and Doug Flutie
2014 NBC Al Michaels Cris Collinsworth Michele Tafoya and Doug Flutie
2015 ESPN Mike Tirico Jon Gruden Lisa Salters
2016 ESPN Mike Tirico Jon Gruden Lisa Salters
2017 ESPN Sean McDonough Jon Gruden Lisa Salters
2018 ESPN/ABC Sean McDonough Matt Hasselbeck Lisa Salters and Louis Riddick[22]
2019 ESPN/ABC Joe Tessitore Jason Witten and Booger McFarland Lisa Salters
Disney XD
Notes
  • The 2010 game was the first time ever that the Pro Bowl was held prior to the championship game. It was held the weekend before Super Bowl XLIV.[23] NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the move was made after looking at alternatives to strengthen the Pro Bowl.[24] The game was also moved up in order to prevent a conflict that would have occurred if the game had taken place on February 13 or 14 (CBS would have rights, and based on the 52nd Grammy Awards, would have moved the game to the Saturday, as they did in 2007), with the game facing against the NBA All-Star Game, Winter Olympics, and Daytona 500.
    • CBS gave up the rights to the 2013 game to NBC.[25]
  • ESPN currently has the rights to air the Pro Bowl, It began in 2015. Starting in 2018, the game will be simulcast on broadcast network ABC, marking the return of the Pro Bowl to network television for the first time since 2013, while being ABC's first telecast since 2003.[26] In 2019, ESPN's telecast of the Pro Bowl also aired on children's channel Disney XD.

2020s
Year Network Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Sideline reporter(s)
2020 ESPN/ABC[27] Joe Tessitore Booger McFarland Lisa Salters
Disney XD
2021 Not held because of the coronavirus pandemic
Notes
  • Early in the first quarter of the 2020 Pro Bowl, an ABC News special report (which was also simulcast on ESPN, but not Disney XD) interrupted the game following up on the developing story of NBA star Kobe Bryant's death.[28] Disney XD's simulcast abruptly ended[29] with roughly six minutes remaining in the second quarter due to the breaking news of Bryant's death.
  • ABC, ESPN, and Disney XD aired a television special in place of the 2021 game—the Pro Bowl Celebration[30]—which would feature segments and interviews honoring the Pro Bowl roster, and highlights of the 2020 season, and promoting the digital Pro Bowl event.[31][32]

See also

References
  1. 1969 NFL Season Pro Bowl - CBS Radio Broadcast on YouTube
  2. ABC Monday Night Football Pro Bowl 1978 on YouTube
  3. 1986 ABC NFL Pro Bowl Promo on YouTube
  4. 1982 Pro Bowl Dorsett 4yd TD run on YouTube
  5. 1985 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  6. Aloha Bears-1986 on YouTube
  7. 1986 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  8. 1987 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  9. 1988 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  10. "NFL lifts TV blackout as Pro Bowl nears sellout". Archived from the original on 2009-02-11.
  11. "Pro Bowl Blackout Date Extended". KHOU-TV. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011.
  12. "1995 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2008.
  13. 2000 Pro Bowl (ABC) on YouTube
  14. 2002 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  15. 2004 Pro Bowl (55 NFC vs 52 AFC) on YouTube
  16. 2005 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  17. 2009 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  18. 2010 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  19. "40th Season of Monday Night Football". [(ESPN)]. April 14, 2009. Archived from the original on September 4, 2009.
  20. 2013 Pro Bowl on YouTube
  21. Fang, Ken (January 26, 2012). "NBC Kicks Off Super Bowl Week With the 2012 Pro Bowl From Hawaii". Fang's Bites (blog). Archived from the original on 2012-01-27. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  22. 2018 Pro Bowl Full Game on YouTube
  23. "Pro Bowl to precede Super Bowl". [(ESPN)]. December 30, 2008. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  24. "2010 Pro Bowl moving to Miami, will be played before Super Bowl". NFL.com. December 30, 2008. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  25. "Notes: CBS Gives 2013 Pro Bowl to NBC (Also: Olympic Streaming, Music City Bowl)". Sports Media Watch. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  26. Malloy, Tim; Lucas Shaw (September 8, 2011). "'Monday Night Football' to Remain on ESPN Through 2021". TheWrap.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  27. "2020 NFL Pro Bowl Returns to Orlando for the Fourth Straight Year on Sunday, January 26". August 8, 2019.
  28. "Pro Bowl becomes tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant". ESPN. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  29. "Disney XD simulcast of the 2020 Pro Bowl ends due to the breaking news of Kobe Bryant's death". YouTube. Google LLC. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  30. Lucia, Joe (January 28, 2021). "The "Pro Bowl Celebration" seems like it will mostly be highlights and interviews". Awful Announcing.
  31. "The "Pro Bowl Celebration" seems like it will mostly be highlights and interviews". Awful Announcing. 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  32. "The 2021 Pro Bowl Celebration presented by Verizon Premieres Sunday, Jan. 31, at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC and Disney XD". ESPN Press Room U.S. 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
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