Cris Collinsworth Shocks Fans by Missing Ravens-Bengals Clash for an Unforeseen Reason That No One Expected.QQ
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The NFL’s Thanksgiving nightcap is serving up a heavyweight AFC North clash as the Baltimore Ravens host the Cincinnati Bengals under the primetime lights. It’s the final course of the holiday triple-header, and it comes with plenty of intrigue-starting with the return of Joe Burrow and the Ravens’ climb back into the playoff picture after a brutal 1-5 start to the season.
NBC has the broadcast, which means Mike Tirico will be in the booth handling play-by-play. But this time, he won’t be joined by his usual partner, Cris Collinsworth. Instead, Jason Garrett-former Cowboys head coach and a regular on Football Night in America-will slide into the analyst chair for the Thanksgiving call.
This isn’t a surprise move by NBC. Since the network began airing Thanksgiving night games in 2012, Collinsworth has traditionally taken the night off.
The reasoning is simple: with NBC covering Sunday Night Football every week, adding a Thursday game into the mix would mean Collinsworth calling three games in just eight days. That’s a heavy lift, even for a veteran like him.
And make no mistake-Collinsworth is very much still in the mix. He just hit a major milestone last Sunday night, calling his 500th NFL broadcast as the Los Angeles Rams rolled over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’ll be back in the booth this coming Sunday for the Denver Broncos-Washington Commanders matchup.
Managing broadcast workloads during a packed NFL schedule is a delicate balance. Networks want to keep their top talent fresh, especially with the playoff push and postseason looming.
That’s why you’ll see different strategies in play. Fox, for example, is giving Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt the weekend off after they call the Packers-Lions game on Thanksgiving Day.
It’s all about managing the grind of a long season.
NBC has leaned on a rotation of familiar faces to fill Collinsworth’s shoes during Thanksgiving week in past years. Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, and Drew Brees have all stepped in. Now it’s Garrett’s turn again-a move that brings a different flavor to the broadcast without sacrificing football IQ.
Thanksgiving games always draw massive audiences. The stakes are high, the spotlight is bright, and the matchups often carry playoff implications.
Naturally, there’s a temptation to roll out the “A” team for the occasion. But the long view matters, too.
Keeping Collinsworth fresh for the stretch run and postseason may be the smarter play.
So while the Ravens and Bengals battle it out for crucial positioning in the AFC, NBC will be rolling with a slightly different look in the booth. But come Sunday, the familiar duo of Tirico and Collinsworth will be back at it-just in time for the final playoff push.
