Week 12 is now in the books, and the next wave of NFL action arrives on Thursday with three featured matchups throughout Thanksgiving Day.
As always, the day kicks off with the Detroit Lions, who will host the Green Bay Packers on Fox. That will be followed by the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Dallas Cowboys on CBS, and the night will wrap up on NBC when the Cincinnati Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens.
However, NBC's broadcast will look a bit different. While the network will still operate under its "Sunday Night Football" production style, longtime color commentator Cris Collinsworth-who just called his 500th career game on Sunday-won't be in the booth.
Mike Tirico will remain on play-by-play, and Melissa Stark will handle sideline duties, but filling in for Collinsworth will be former NFL coach and current NBC analyst Jason Garrett.
The reasoning for Collinsworth's absence is simple: he doesn’t work on Thanksgiving.
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NFL fans has mixed reactions to the news:
“Garrett is the worst analyst in all of football. Any chance Peacock will offer a radio simulcast? (ND fans know the pain),” a fan said.
Someone else added, “He’ll be enjoying Thanksgiving in Fort Thomas, KY instead of having to watch the Bengals do what it is they do. Good for him.”
Another person wrote, “Good, now I can watch without having to listen to Cris.”
“He wasn't kidding around when he said he was taking a week off after his 500th game,” one more fan commented.
Collinsworth spent eight seasons in the NFL as a standout wide receiver for the Bengals. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, earned three consecutive All-Pro selections, and recorded four seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.
He's managed to surpass that success in his broadcasting career with NBC, earning high praise from some of his closest colleagues.
"I spent 13 years with Cris and loved every moment," said Al Michaels, who worked 263 games with Collinsworth. "He has humor and understands the game on a level that's almost unparalleled. There are others who understand it as well, but Cris has the ability to make it very accessible."
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