NEW YORK, Aug. 20 /TMRZoo.com/ — Former NFL All-Pro defensive lineman and Super Bowl champion Warren Sapp will join analysts Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth and host James Brown to complete an all-star lineup on INSIDE THE NFL when the series launches this September on SHOWTIME. The announcement was made today by Matthew C. Blank, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks Inc. and Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports and Executive Producer, THE NFL ON CBS.
INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 10 (9:00 PM, ET/PT). The show, produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films, will air on SHOWTIME each Wednesday during the NFL season through February 11, 2009.
The 31-year-old, Emmy(R) Award-winning program will continue to deliver in-depth highlights from every game, every week, coupled with the analysts’ breakdown of the upcoming matchups and debates over the league’s hot topics.
“This is a dream job,” said Sapp, who has served as a guest analyst on CBS Sports’ NFL pre-game show, THE NFL TODAY. “It’s the job I’ve always talked about wanting after my playing career. INSIDE THE NFL has been a staple of television for a long time. The show digs deeper into the games and the issues surrounding the league more than any other football show out there. I think this new approach will be fresh. For my part, I just came off the field and I’ve got 13 years of experience in the trenches to bring to the table.”
“With his defensive perspective, Sapp is the perfect complement to Simms and Collinsworth,” said Blank. “And having just come off the field, his energy will help push the boundaries of the show to new limits. We are thrilled to have him on SHOWTIME.”
“Warren Sapp never held back on the field and we don’t expect him to hold back in his commentary,” said McManus. “Football fans tuned in to watch him play each week, we expect them to do the same each week to hear what he has to say.”
Sapp was drafted 12th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1995. After only two years in the league he was named to his first of seven Pro Bowls in 1997. He was named 1999 Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the NFL All-Decade team and recorded 77 sacks as a Buccaneer, the second highest in team history. In 2002, Sapp led the Buccaneers to the best record in team history (12-4) and to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. In 2004, Sapp signed with the Oakland Raiders. After a down year in ’04 and an injury plagued season in ’05, Sapp returned to his All-Pro form in 2006. Sapp played one more season with the Raiders in ’07 before announcing his retirement on Jan. 4, 2008. Along with co-hosting INSIDE THE NFL in 2008, Sapp will serve as studio analyst and game commentator for The NFL Network. Sapp and his wife, JaMiko Vaughn, have been married since 1998. The couple has two children, Mercedes and Warren, II.
Past hosts throughout 31 years of the award-winning INSIDE THE NFL have included Chuck Bednarik, Nick Buoniconti, Cris Carter, Collinsworth, Bob Costas, Len Dawson, Jerry Glanville, Merle Harmon, Jimmy Johnson, Peter King, Dan Marino and Al Meltzer.
Sean McManus and Steve Sabol of NFL Films serve as Executive Producers of INSIDE THE NFL.
