NEW YORK -- The NFL on CBS is getting back one of the league's most-watched games and historic rivalries for the 2024 season. For the first time since the 1993 season, CBS will be airing the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys matchup.
The last time CBS had Eagles and Cowboys, CBS had the NFC package and NBC had the AFC package. CBS has carried the NFC package of games since the NFL television contracts awarded packages to the NFC and AFC following the 1970 merger. Times were changing around the NFL with their television package, which CBS became aware of prior to that Eagles-Cowboys broadcast.
Jim Nantz, who was the play-by-play announcer of the last Eagles-Cowboys game to air on CBS, shared an interesting story involving Cowboys owner Jerry Jones that happened the night before (the game aired on Halloween in 1993).
"All of a sudden, Mr. Jerry Jones sticks his head in the room," Nantz said. "He points to me as I walk out and says to me, 'You know what's going on with these TV negotiations?' I don't know what he's talking about. He says, 'You're gonna lose the NFL if you're not careful.'"
Fox was bidding for the NFC rights, which were owned by CBS. Then a fledging network, Fox debuted in 1986 and didn't have any sports programming. They sought the NFC package from CBS, and the major media markets that came with it.
"Then I realized he was sending a message for me to take back to New York," Nantz said. "You guys better get this together because Fox is coming on big time. When I was a kid growing up, October 30 we called it 'Mischief Night.' So I didn't know what kind of mischief Jerry Jones was up to. What kind of hijinks he was up to, but I think he's serious!
"I got on the phone with the hierarchy of CBS and said I just want you to know Jerry Jones singled me out of a meeting and basically said. 'We're in trouble.' I'm just the messenger here.
"Sure enough, a month-and-a-half later. We lost the NFL."
CBS lost the NFC package to Fox that December and didn't broadcast the NFL until it was rewarded the AFC package in 1998 in the next television contract. CBS has not lost the NFL since, being a broadcast partner for the league for 26 consecutive years. The current NFL television contract runs until the 2033 season, with CBS being the home of the AFC and the AFC Championship.
The current NFL television contract has a cross-flexing option between the conferences, which is different than in years past. CBS can carry NFC vs. NFC games and Fox can carry AFC vs. AFC games. AFC games on Fox also don't have to be in the home team's stadium, same with the NFC games on CBS as in years past.
CBS prioritized broadcasting Eagles-Cowboys for their NFL slate of games this year. Eagles-Cowboys is the highlight game of CBS' NFL schedule, which will be aired in Week 10 (Nov. 10) in the 4:25 p.m. ET slot.
Nantz and Tony Romo will be on the call.
"I love it," Romo said on calling Eagles-Cowboys. "I mean, Jim called that game! It's a great rivalry that I've been a part of and I'm excited for both teams to continue it. You get to narrate a movie that gets played out live."
Calling the rivalry again comes full circle for Nantz, as it will be 11,333 days since Nantz last was in the booth for Eagles-Cowboys.
"It's all set up for us to return," Nantz said in his broadcasting voice. "It was all part of the set up!"
