Chris Berman Reunites with Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson on Special NFL PrimeTime
Postseason NFL Countdown (ESPN, 12 p.m. ET):
Host Sam Ponder, analysts Matt Hasselbeck, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan and Charles Woodson; plus, NFL Insiders Louis Riddick, Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter preview Sunday’s NFL Conference Championship games.
Reporters covering the Conference Championship Games:
- AFC: Jaguars (Jeff Darlington) at Patriots (Dianna Russini)
- NFC: Vikings (Josina Anderson) at Eagles (Sal Paolantonio)
Features:
- Gronk and Robbie: In her Countdown feature story debut, Sarah Spain tells how Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski inspired 12-year-old Robbie Barnicoat of Naples, Fla., to learn to talk again – a result of his battle with epilepsy syndrome.
- Doubting Blake: Doubters of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles are everywhere – from the twitter handle @BortlesFacts, to Jadeveon Clowney calling the quarterback “trash,” to the recurring segment on Dan LeBatard’s radio show listing 70 quarterbacks better than Bortles. One victory removed from leading his team to the Super Bowl, Bortles is having the last laugh. Jeff Darlington reports.
- Eagles D-Line: Philadelphia Eagles red-zone defense stopped the potent Falcons offense and put the Eagles in the NFC championship game. Countdown’s Jac Collinsworth visits with players on vaunted the Eagles defensive line.
- The Minnesota Miracle: New Orleans and Minnesota personalities – sports editors at The Times Picayune (New Orleans) and The Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Vikings radio broadcast team Paul Allen and Pete Bercich, Vikings practice squad receiver Cayleb Jones, and others – share their experiences at the moment Stephon Diggs scored the winning touchdown now known as the Minnesota Miracle. Josina Anderson narrates.
- The Scapegoats: In interviews with Jim Trotter, former NFL players – Earnest Byner (The Fumble/Cleveland Browns), Trey Junkin (botched snap/New York Giants), Brandon Bostic (misplayed onside kick/Green Bay Packers) – describe the experience of being a playoff scapegoat, much like Saints Marcus Williams after Sunday’s Minnesota Miracle.
ESPN’s NFL Championship Sunday Programming:
| Date | Time (ET) | Show | Networks |
| Sun, Jan 21 | 4 a.m. | NFL Matchup | ESPN, ESPN App
(re-air at 6:30 a.m.) |
| 12 p.m. | Postseason NFL Countdown | ESPN, ESPN App | |
| 10 p.m.* | NFL PrimeTime | ESPN, ESPN App |
*Time is approximate.
NFL PrimeTime: Chris Berman and Tom Jackson Reunite on Championship Sunday (ESPN, 10 p.m.):
Award-winning broadcaster Chris Berman will reunite with longtime TV partner Tom Jackson to host a special NFL PrimeTime edition after the Conference Championship games on ESPN, Sunday at 10 p.m. ET. Berman and Jackson, who worked together for a record 29 years (1987-2015) on ESPN NFL studio shows including NFL Primetime from 1987-2005, will be joined on the program by ESPN NFL analyst Keyshawn Johnson.
Berman will also host NFL PrimeTime immediately following Super Bowl LII on Sunday, Feb. 4, with analysts Randy Moss and Steve Young from the field at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis – part of his new role announced last year.
NFL Matchup (ESPN, Sunday at 4 a.m.):
Sal Paolantonio, Louis Riddick and Greg Cosell offer Xs and Os preview of the 2017 NFL Conference Championship games.
ESPN Digital:
- Greatest plays in NFL playoff history: Vikings’ miracle game winner makes the list – Mike Reiss, ESPN.com
- Bill Belichick rewriting the record books for head coaches in playoffs – Mike Reiss, ESPN.com
- No ‘secret formula’ to stop Gronk, but here’s a start for Jaguars – Matt Bowen, ESPN.com
- Next stop, Super Bowl? Tracing Case Keenum’s strange NFL journey – Courtney Cronin, ESPN.com
- Biggest injury questions for NFL playoff teams – ESPN.com
- Daunte Culpepper made a great first impression with the Vikings – Jerry Bembry, The Undefeated
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