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| Show Name: NFL Monday Night Football | |
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| Format: Sports | |
| Running time: 180 minutes or until game ends | |
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Production Companies: National Football League | |
| Locations | |
| * Various NFL stadiums * ESPN Studios, Burbank, California, U.S. (for pregame program) | |
| Picture telecast information | |
| Picture Format: 480i 16:9, High Definition (HDTV) | |
| On-Air Personalities | |
| Game Broadcast Commentators | |
| Mike Tirico (play-by-play) Jon Gruden (color commentator) Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) | |
| Studio Hosts | |
| Chris Berman (host) Stuart Scott (co-host, analyst) Tom Jackson (analyst) Cris Carter (analyst, commentator) Mike Ditka (analyst, commentator) Keyshawn Johnson (analyst, commentator) Steve Young (analyst, commentator) Trent Dilfer (analyst, commentator) | |
| Broadcast information | |
| Original run: 1970-present First game televised: Cleveland Browns Vs. New York Jets, September 21, 1970, Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH, won by Browns, 31-21 | |
Monday Night Football began in 1970 on ABC. As of the end of the 2009 season, Monday Night Football has had 626 games. In 2005, the series moved to ESPN. ESPN, much like ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Company. Monday Night Football can also be seen in Canada on The Sports Network (TSN) and Réseau Info-Sports (RIS), and in most of Europe on ESPN America. On 29 March 2010 it was announced that MNF would be shown on ESPN UK, in most of Australia on ESPN Australia, in Portugal on Sport TV 3 and Sport TV HD and on TV 2 Sport (Denmark) in Denmark, and in some regions of the world outside the U.S. on ESPN International. A Spanish language version airs on ESPN Deportes in the U.S. and on ESPN International in Latin America. The games are also made available on regular over-the-air television stations in each participating team's local market, so that households without cable television can still see the telecast. It is also available in Portuguese on ESPN Brasil.
Announcers
ABC
- Al Michaels (1986–2005)
- Frank Gifford (1971–1985, 1986–1989; when Al Michaels was working postseason baseball)
- Keith Jackson (1970–1985)
- Gary Bender (#2, 1987)
- Frank Gifford (1986–1998)
- Dan Dierdorf (1987–1998)
- Boomer Esiason (1998–1999)
- Dan Fouts (2000–2001)
- John Madden (2002–2005)
- Howard Cosell (1970–1983)
- Don Meredith (1970–1973, 1977–1984)
- Fred Williamson (1974 preseason only)
- Alex Karras (1974–1976)
- Fran Tarkenton (1979–1982)
- O.J. Simpson (1983–1985)
- Joe Namath (1985)
- Lynn Swann (#2, 1987)
- Dennis Miller (2000–2001)
- Lynn Swann (1994–1997, Super Bowls)
- Ron Jaworski (#2, 1997)
- Lesley Visser (sideline reporter, 1998–1999 and during Wild Card playoffs and Super Bowl XXXIV)
- Eric Dickerson (2000–2001)
- Melissa Stark (2000–2002)
- Lisa Guerrero (2003–2005)
- Suzy Kolber (#2, 2005; Super Bowl XL)
- Jim Lampley (halftime and Super Bowl XIX co-host)
- Keith Jackson (Super Bowl XXII host)
- Chris Berman (halftime host, 1996–1997 and during Wild Card playoffs and Super Bowls)
- Brent Musburger (studio host, 1990–1995)
- Robin Roberts (playoffs and Hurricane Katrina telethon co-host, 2005)
- Dick Vermeil (playoffs and Super Bowl, 1990–1995)
- Peter King (1995)
- Steve Young (playoffs and Super Bowl)
- Brian Billick (playoffs and Super Bowl)
- Michael Strahan (playoffs and Super Bowl)
Wild Card Playoffs (early game)
- Mike Patrick (play-by-play, 1996–2005)
- Paul Maguire (color commentator, 1996–2005)
- Joe Theismann (color commentator, 1996–2005)
ESPN
- Mike Tirico (lead play-by-play, 2006–present)
- Joe Theismann (color commentator, 2006)
- Tony Kornheiser (color commentator, 2006–2008)
- Ron Jaworski (color commentator, 2007–2011; #2 color commentator, 2006)
- Jon Gruden (color commentator, 2009–present)
- Lisa Salters (sideline reporter, 2012–present)
- Sean McDonough (#2 play-by-play, 2012–present)
- Steve Young (#2 color commentator, 2009, 2016-present)
- Lindsay Czarniak (#2 sideline reporter, 2014–present)
- Trent Dilfer (#2 color commentator, 2010–2015)
- Mike Ditka (#2 color commentator, 2007–2008)
- Mike Greenberg (#2 play-by-play, 2007–2009)
- Mike Golic (#2 color commentator, 2007–2009)
- Suzy Kolber (sideline reporter, 2006–2011 (as fill-in only 2011)
- Brad Nessler (#2 play-by-play, 2006, 2010–2011)
- Rachel Nichols (sideline reporter, 2011–2012; #2)
- Wendi Nix (sideline reporter, 2011) (Week 1, 4)
- Sal Paolantonio (sideline reporter, 2011, 2013; #2)
- Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter, 2006–2010)
- Dick Vermeil (#2 color commentator, 2006)
- Ed Werder (sideline reporter, 2011) (Week 3)
Monday Night Football Records
- Most Points
- 59 – Philadelphia, November 15, 2010 (59-28 vs. Washington)
- 55 – Indianapolis, October 31, 1988 (55-23 vs. Denver)
- 52 – San Francisco, December 23, 1991 (52-14 vs. Chicago)
- 51 – New Orleans, November 24, 2008 (51-29 vs. Green Bay)
- 50 – San Diego, December 20, 1982 (50-34 vs. Cincinnati)
- 49 – Philadelphia Eagles , November 15, 2004 (49-21 vs. Dallas Cowboys)
- 49 – Kansas City Chiefs, December 13, 2004 (49-38 vs. Tennessee Titans
- 48 – Detroit Lions, October 19, 1981 (48-17 vs. Chicago Bears)
- 48 – Green Bay Packers, October 17, 1983 (48-47 vs. Washington Redskins)
- 48 – Baltimore Ravens, December 19, 2005 (48-3 vs. Green Bay Packers)
- 48 – Tennessee Titans, October 11, 2004 (48-27 vs. Green Bay Packers)
- Most one-sided games
- 45 points – Baltimore 48, Green Bay 3 – December 19, 2005
- 42 points – Miami 45, N.Y. Jets 3 – November 24, 1986
- 42 points – Seattle 42, Philadelphia 0 – December 5, 2005
- 38 points – San Francisco 52, Chicago 14 – December 23, 1991
- 38 points – San Francisco 41, Atlanta 3 – November 9, 1992
- Highest scoring games
- 95 points – Green Bay 48, Washington 47 – October 17, 1983
- 87 points – Kansas City 49, Tennessee 38 – December 13, 2004
- 87 points - Philadelphia 59, Washington 28 - November 15, 2010
- 84 points – San Diego 50, Cincinnati 34 – December 20, 1982
- 82 points – Dallas 43, Seattle 39 – December 6, 2004
- 80 points – New Orleans 51, Green Bay 29 – November 24, 2008
- 79 points – Oakland 45, Pittsburgh 34 – October 20, 1980
- 78 points – Indianapolis Colts 55, Denver Broncos 23 - October 31, 1988
- 78 points – Dallas 41, Philadelphia 37 – September 15, 2008
- Lowest Scoring Games
- 3 points – Pittsburgh 3, Miami 0 – November 26, 2007
- 9 points – Jacksonville 9, Pittsburgh 0 – September 18, 2006
- 10 points – San Francisco 7, N.Y. Giants 3 – December 3, 1990
Wild Card Playoff
On April 22, 2014, the NFL announced that it had exercised an option in ESPN's recent contract extension for Monday Night Football rights to air a first-round Wild Card playoff game on the channel after the conclusion of the 2014 season. This was the first time that an NFL playoff game was ever broadcast exclusively on cable television in the United States, in lieu of any of the league's broadcast network partners (CBS, Fox, or NBC). However, it was not the first time the ESPN NFL family had broadcast playoff games, with ESPN's network partner ABC having aired playoff games and Super Bowls through the 2005 season under the Monday Night Football package.
The MNF broadcast team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and sideline reporter Lisa Salters called the game, the first of the 2014–15 NFL playoffs. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27–16. As with all MNF games, the matchup was simulcast on WJZY in Charlotte and KASW in the Phoenix market to allow local viewers over-the-air access to the game.
However, the cable-only playoff game experiment would only last 1 season. On May 11, 2015, it was announced that ABC would simulcast a Wild Card playoff game with ESPN for the 2015 season. This was the first NFL game broadcast nationally on ABC since MNF left the network at the end of the 2005 season. The game, announced by the broadcast team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Lisa Salters, was the first of the 2015–16 NFL playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 30–0. The ABC/ESPN simulcast will continue for the 2016 season as well.
Pro Bowl
Also as part of the 2011 rights agreement, ESPN was given the exclusive rights to the Pro Bowl from 2015 through 2022. The games will be called by the MNF crew of Sean McDonough, Steve Young, and sideline reporters Lisa Salters.