It’s been roughly five months since the 2023-2024 NFL regular season began, and just two teams remain. In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs are in their fourth Super Bowl in five seasons. In the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers are back in the championship for the first time since 2020. The Chiefs and 49ers will square off in Super Bowl LVIII on February 11.
With the game scheduled for Sunday evening, every major sports network will provide pregame coverage of the Super Bowl and offer insight into each matchup. With so many programs to choose from, we narrowed the list to five TV shows you should watch to prepare for the Super Bowl. Our picks are scattered across various networks, including NFL Network, ESPN, and The CW.
Good Morning Football (2016-)
"It's too simple to just say 'Mahomes' is the reason the @Chiefs will win Sunday. The D has been the story all season long. One of those defenders- I say Trent McDuffie- will have to make a game-changing play."
– @PSchrags pic.twitter.com/NRMpylx7O2— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) February 7, 2024
The best NFL morning show is Good Morning Football, which airs on NFL Network from 7 a.m. ET to 10 a.m. ET Monday through Friday. The morning show features a panel of NFL reporters, television personalities, and former players discussing the biggest stories in the NFL. The hosts include Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt, Jamie Erdahl, and Jason McCourty.
Good Morning Football is not strictly about X’s and O’s, though the hosts will break down highlights when necessary. The hosts keep things loose and conversational rather than ripping off tiresome hot takes for clickbait. This week, it’s all about the Super Bowl, with the show featuring expert analysis for each team and interviews with players and celebrities in Las Vegas for the game.
Watch Good Morning Football on the NFL Network.
Inside the NFL (1977-)
Inside the NFL is one of the most iconic football shows on television. Since 1977, Inside the NFL has given fans an inside look into the past weekend’s games. The show’s hosts, typically former players, analyze each highlight and debate the upcoming weekend of games. This season, Inside the NFL moved from Paramount+ to The CW with a new crew: Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, Jay Cutler, Chad Johnson, and Chris Long.
One of the best parts of the series is the Mic’d Up segment, where the cameras capture what the players are saying on the field and sidelines. Inside the NFL‘s camera crew caught a lovely interaction between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at the AFC Championship.
Watch Inside the NFL on The CW and Netflix.
The Pat McAfee Show (2019-)
Pat McAfee’s rise from NFL punter to media mogul is unprecedented. After eight seasons in the NFL, McAfee retired in 2017 to join Barstool Sports. Since becoming a media personality, McAfee has become a WWE commentator, signed a $120 million deal with FanDuel, and left FanDuel to join ESPN for a rumored $85 million over five years. Now, McAfee hosts a daily sports talk show, The Pat McAfee Show, from 12 p.m. ET to 3 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
McAfee’s gift is his ability to combine analysis with comedy to create an entertaining sports show. Because of his giant platform with ESPN, McAfee lands huge guests during football season, like Aaron Rodgers and Nick Saban. During Super Bowl week, McAfee interviewed Adam Schefter, Lincoln Riley, Shannon Sharpe, and other prominent NFL personalities. Joined by his eclectic sidekicks, McAfee continues to push sports talk shows to new limits.
Watch The Pat McAfee Show on Hulu and YouTube.
First Take (2007-)
If Dwayne Johnson is the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, Stephen A. Smith is a close second. The larger-than-life media personality headlines First Take, ESPN’s premier debate show airing from 10 a.m. ET to 12 p.m. ET every weekday. The motto of First Take is to “embrace debate.” For two hours, Smith verbally spars with a panel of guest hosts about topics in the sports world, with Molly Qerim serving as the moderator.
These past few days of First Take have been NFL-heavy because of the Super Bowl on February 11. Segments included a spirited debate about Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes as San Francisco QB Brock Purdy, Super Bowl storylines, and the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator by the Washington Commanders. With Smith’s boisterous style, viewers can expect multiple viral moments per show.
Watch First Take on ESPN.
The NFL Today (1961-)
The announcers for CBS Sports’ presentation of Super Bowl LVIII and the announcers for the historic Slimed-filled alternate telecast on Nickelodeon, all on stage for CBS Sports’ Super Bowl LVIII Media Day on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/J0xBPMjP7z
— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) February 7, 2024
Super Bowl LVIII will air on CBS and Paramount+ at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on February 11. However, CBS Sports is providing fans with seven hours of pregame coverage leading up to kickoff. The NFL Today is the pregame show to watch for fans looking for football-focused coverage,
Starting at 2 p.m. ET on Super Bowl Sunday, The NFL Today will broadcast live from the Bellagio and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, providing pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage. James Brown anchors The NFL Today and will be joined by analysts Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, J.J. Watt, Boomer Esiason, and NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Watch The NFL Today on CBS and Paramount+.
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