NFL Continues To Dominate With Over 101 Million Viewers For Super Bowl LVI

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Courtesy of the NFL

This past Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI between the Rams and Bengals on Feb. 13 averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 112.3 million viewers, the most-watched show in five years.

The big game’s total reach of 167 million viewers includes numbers from an array of platforms, including NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, NFL Digital platforms and Yahoo Sports mobile.

Telemundo became the first-ever Spanish-language broadcast network to air the Super Bowl and averaged 1.9 million viewers, becoming the most-watched NFL game in U.S. Spanish-language history.

“The Super Bowl once again delivered a massive audience, which included NBC and the unmatched power of broadcast television as well as first-ever presentations on Peacock and Telemundo, and led into our most-watched Olympics coverage in four years,” says Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

Along with the massive ratings for the Super Bowl, the viewership carried over to NBC’s coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The post-Super Bowl ratings delivered the top NBC Olympics audience since opening Sunday of 2018 Winter Games.

“We’re gratified that our strategy of combining the two most powerful events in the world–the Super Bowl and the Olympics–on ‘Super Gold Sunday’ has paid off in such a big way,” says NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua. “We look forward to continuing this strategy into the future.”

In 2021, NFL games accounted for 75 of the top 100 most watched events on television, according the the Sports Business Journal. Ninety-five of those 100 most-watched events were all sporting events.

Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tom Brady’s Tampa Buccaneers was the most watched event with 91.63 million viewers. Brady’s Buccaneers had 11 of the most viewed NFL matches.

The Titans AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens in January of 2021 was the 18th most-watched event, reeling in 24.7 million viewers

Titans Sign Defensive Lineman Da’Shawn Hand As Reserve

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Photo: Alison P. McNabb/Tennessee Titans

With the NFL offseason beginning, the Tennessee Titans have signed defensive lineman De’Shawn Hand to the reserve squad/future contracts.

Future contracts go into effect on the first day of the new league year. Since there are no practice squads during the offseason, teams are allowed to sign players for the offseason as they prepare for the next season.

Hand signed to the team’s practice squad at the end of the 2021 season. He was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

He played 29 games with 11 starts over four seasons (2018-21) with the Lions and recorded 54 tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery during this tenure. Hand, a former player at Alabama, posted nine sacks and 71 tackles in 50 career games.

Other players the Titans signed futures deals with:

  • Safety Jamal Carter
  • Offensive lineman Christian DiLauro
  • Tight end Austin Fort
  • Offensive lineman Derwin Gray
  • Quarterback Kevin Hogan
  • Receiver Cody Hollister
  • Linebacker Joe Jones
  • Receiver Mason Kinsey
  • Offensive lineman Daniel Munyer
  • Offensive lineman Jordan Roos
  • Linebacker Tuzar Skipper
  • DB Shyheim Carter (Alabama)
  • DB Rodney Clemons (SMU)
  • LB Nate Hall (Northwestern)
  • LB Kobe Jones (Mississippi State)
  • DB Chris Williamson (Minnesota)

NFL Announces Regular Season Games To Be Played In Munich, London & Mexico City

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The NFL has announced the expansion of its reach overseas as it will stage a game in Munich, Germany for the first time ever in the 2023 season.

Following an application process, FC Bayern Munich Stadium, the home of the Bundesliga champions, was selected as the venue for two of the four International Series games to be played in Germany over the next four years. Frankfurt Stadium will also host two games.

“We are very pleased to welcome Munich and Frankfurt to the NFL family and are excited to reward our fans in Germany for their passion by bringing them the spectacle of regular-season NFL football,” says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “We look forward to staging our first game in Germany at FC Bayern Munich’s fantastic stadium later this year and to exploring areas of broader collaboration with the Bundesliga.”

This past December, the NFL announced that four NFL teams–Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers–have been granted access to Germany for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization as part of its International Home Marketing Areas (IHMA) initiative.

“We are very pleased to welcome the NFL International Series to Munich,” says Dieter Reiter, Lord Mayor of Munich. “It is a great honor for the state capital Munich to be the first German city to stage a regular-season NFL game. Many Munich residents are big football fans and they will be thrilled that this spectacular sporting event is coming to their city.”

The NFL has seen an increase in support as well as strong years of fan growth in Germany, where it now has 19 million fans. Weekly NFL television viewership on partners ProSieben and DAZN has grown by more than 20% annually since 2017. Additionally, millions of fans tuned in for Super Bowl LV last February, making it the third consecutive season of record German Super Bowl viewership. Germany is a leading market outside North America for NFL Shop sales, fantasy football participation and sales of the Madden NFL video game.

“We are looking forward to partnerships with Munich and Frankfurt that will extend beyond the games and help us to deliver accelerated growth in Germany,” says Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK. “The strong interest we received underlined what a fantastic opportunity regular-season games offer for a host, ranging from significant economic benefits and global exposure to the chance to become a hub for the growth of the NFL’s fan engagement, community and grassroots activities.”

The game in Munich will be one of five international games staged by the NFL in 2022, including one in Mexico and three in the UK–two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a Jacksonville Jaguars home game at Wembley Stadium. Home teams for international games will be announced in the coming weeks, with dates and matchups to be confirmed in conjunction with the 2022 NFL schedule announcement later this year.

The Tennessee Titans played a game in London in 2018 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Due to the AFC South rival Jaguars playing two games in England, there is a strong possibility the Titans could see themselves back in Britain.

Mike Vrabel Named NFL Coach Of The Year

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Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was named the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press at the NFL Honors last night (Feb. 10).

“It is an honor and a privilege to play and coach in this league,” said Vrabel in his acceptance speech. “Having coached in the Pro Bowl [last week], I know our game is in good hands. My job and every coach’s job is to teach, develop and to make a connection, and to make an impact.”

In January, Vrabel was also named 2021 Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).

“I want to thank our owner, Amy Adams Strunk, and I want to thank my family. I want to thank my wife Jen, I want to thank my sons Tyler and Carter. I want to thank my best friend–I want to thank [John Streicher] ‘Stretch’ [the team’s Coordinator of Football Development],” Vrabel continued. “This is a reflection of our 91 players that helped us win 12 games, and our coaching staff. Thank you, and this is a pleasure.”

Vrabel led this season’s Titans squad record of 12-5 during the regular season as well as becoming the AFC’s No. 1 seed. This triumph came with some struggles along the way as the Titans played half its season without superstar running back Derrick Henry. With injuries plaguing the whole team, Vrabel and his staff had to play 91 different players in a single season, the most in NFL history.

The third-year coach was recently given a contract extension with the Titans organization, which added an extra four years to his current contract.

Titans Extend Contracts For General Manager Jon Robinson & Head Coach Mike Vrabel

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Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans are committing to their future after announcing the contract extensions of general manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel.

Both are getting an extra four years on their already existing contracts.

“I am proud to say that Jon and Mike will be leading our football team for years to come,” says Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk. “I have seen the team improve on a yearly basis under their direction, and I know their singular goal is to deliver a championship for our fans. Together they have developed a culture within our organization that has been essential to our success. Their values align with mine and what I want the Titans to be. They demand excellence from themselves and others, work well together, are always striving to improve and they care deeply for our players and staff.”

Robinson joined the Titans as general manager in 2016 and has already become the second most-winningest GM in franchise history (62 wins) behind the late Floyd Reese (111 wins). Robinson has made huge impacts on the team since his arrival, including drafting Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard, Jeffery Simmons, and A.J. Brown. He also made other moves like trading for Ryan Tannehill and Julio Jones, among others.

Vrabel was hired as the head coach in 2018 and his since led the Titans t0 three straight playoff appearances and two consecutive AFC South titles. This past season, Vrabel led an injured team, who was without Henry for half the season, to the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Vrabel is a frontrunner of Associated Press‘ NFL Coach of the Year and was named 2021 NFL Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association.

Voice Of The Titans Mike Keith, More To Be Inducted Into TSSAA Hall Of Fame

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The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) is inducting 11 new members into its 2022 Hall of Fame Class, including “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith.

Keith has been the Titans Radio announcer for nearly 25 year, as well as an instrumental force in forming the partnership with TSSAA as the title sponsor for its Mr. Football awards. He continues to contribute to the TSSAA by broadcasting multiple events for TSSAA at its state championships, including football, basketball, baseball, wrestling and much more.

Those being inducted this year along with Keith include: Steve Chauncy, administrator from Nashville; Jackie Parton, administrator from Sevierville; the late Ted Anderson, coach from Memphis; Jim Brown, coach from Granville; Bob Chambers, coach from Elizabethton; Randy Frazier, coach from Gleason; Glenn Tackett, coach from Franklin; Sharon Watson, coach from Collierville; Bill Marbet, official from Columbia; and Junior Moree, official from Sweetwater.

These new members will be honored at the TSSAA Hall of Fame annual luncheon at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Murfreesboro on Saturday, April 2. The Hall of Fame luncheon, which begins at 11:00 a.m., will not only honor the new inductees and their families, but also honor past inductees into the TSSAA Hall of Fame.

Tickets will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 14 at www.tssaa.org. All ticket orders will be available for pick-up on the day of the luncheon. There will be no ticket sales at the door.

For more information on the luncheon and the inductees, visit the TSSAA’s website.

College Corner: Jill Jelnick, UTK’s Kennedy Chandler, MTSU Football

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Jill Jelnick Joins Belmont’s Bruins Sports Network

Belmont University Athletics has announced that Fox Nashville’s Sports Director Jill Jelnick will serve as a contributing broadcaster for Bruin Sports Network’s baseball and softball broadcasts on ESPN+.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jill Jelnick to our Bruin Sports Network broadcasts on ESPN+,” says Assistant Athletic Director for Broadcasting & Media Relations Greg Sage. “Jill’s experience and enthusiasm will enrich our broadcasts and the overall presentation of our softball and baseball programs.”

Jelnick will serve as lead play-by-play announcer for select Belmont softball and baseball games. She served as play-by-play broadcaster for the 2021 Texas Collegiate League and color analyst for the American Athletic Conference, UTSA and Incarnate Word.

“I am ecstatic to be joining the Bruin family in the booth this year,” says Jelnick. “Looking forward to sharing the excitement of Belmont softball and baseball with the fans, as well as telling the personal stories of Belmont’s remarkable student-athletes.”

Jelnick joins WTVF’s Steve Layman and WKRN’s Emily Proud as Nashville television affiliate broadcasters within the Belmont Athletic’s broadcast team.

 

Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler Named Bob Cousy Award Top 10 Finalist

Kennedy Chandler. Photo: Courtesy of the University of Tennessee Athletics

The University of Tennessee freshman Kennedy Chandler has been named as one of 10 finalists for the 2022 Bob Cousy Award.

This season, Chandler is the team’s second-leading scorer and assists leader this season, averaging 13.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. Chandler has scored in double figures 11 times this season and has led the Volunteers in scoring four times.

Chandler’s 4.7 apg ranks fourth in the SEC, while also ranking seventh in the SEC in field goal percentage and third amongst guards. His 1.75 assist/turnover ratio is seventh-best in the SEC. Chandler has also posted elite defensive numbers this year. Through his 19 games this season, Kennedy has posted a team-high 43 total steals.

The Bob Cousy Award is awarded each year to the top point guard in college basketball. Chandler is the only true freshman among the top 10 finalists. The list will be narrowed down to five finalists in late February.

 

 

MTSU Football Opens 2022 Season At James Madison 

The Middle Tennessee State University football team has announced it will face James Madison University in its 2022 season opener on Sept. 3.

The game is a late replacement for the previously scheduled home game against Missouri. The Tigers recently informed the Blue Raiders they would not be coming to Murfreesboro.

“We lost the Missouri game last fall as they chose to contractually buyout the game,” says Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “Every avenue was taken in order to keep the game but to no avail. Missouri will have to pay us $800,000 to exercise the buyout part of the contract. There were not a lot of options so we are thankful JMU was willing to work with us.”

This will be just the second time these two programs have played each other. JMU won the first meeting 24-22 during the 1994 season.

The complete 2022 schedule will be announced at a later date by Conference USA.

Vanderbilt Football Promotes Joey Lynch, Hires Alex Bailey

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Joey Lynch. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt head football coach Clark Lea has announced the promotion of Joey Lynch to offensive coordinator and has hired Alex Bailey as the wide receivers coach.

Lynch takes on his new role after spending the 2021 season as Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks coach.

Prior to Vanderbilt, Lynch served as offensive coordinator at Colorado State in 2020 following 11 seasons at his alma mater Ball State. He started as wide receivers coach before moving to tight ends. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2014 and assistant head coach in 2019. Lynch was nominated for the Broyles Award in 2019 after leading the Cardinals to rank 16th nationally in total offense.

“Joey is a smart coach who pours his heart into his work,” says Lea. “He is a valued member of our Vanderbilt football family and I am beyond excited to watch him continue to grow our offense in the coordinator position as we move from Year 1 to Year 2 in our systems.”

Bailey joins Vanderbilt after spending one year at Colorado State, preceded by six seasons at Ball State. He coached receivers and served as recruiting coordinator for the Cardinals.

During Bailey’s tenure, wide receiver Justin Hall was named an All-MAC receiver four consecutive years and finished his career as the nation’s active leader in career receptions. Bailey also mentored KeVonn Mabon and Jordan Willians who finished third and fourth, respectively, in career receiving yards at Ball State.

“I’m thrilled to announce Alex Bailey as our new receivers coach,” says Lea. “Alex has established a strong reputation within the coaching community as a successful teacher, mentor and recruiter. We will be leaning on Alex to develop the next wave of great wide receivers here in Nashville.”

Lynch and Bailey are reuniting after spending 2015-19 together on the staff at Ball State.

The Commodores are coming off a 2-10 season where they failed to win a single SEC game in Lea’s first year as head coach. Vanderbilt opens the 2022 season Aug. 27 at Hawai’i and are set to play Elon in the home opener on Sept. 3.