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ESPN makes huge ‘Simpsons’ announcement for Week 14’s Cowboys-Bengals clash

ESPN revealed that the December 9 Monday Night Football broadcast of the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Dallas Cowboys matchup in Dallas will feature a “Simpsons”-themed alternative cast. The special broadcast will showcase Bart Simpson with the Bengals against Homer Simpson and the Cowboys.

“Bart Simpson sides with Joe Burrow and the Bengals while Homer aligns with Dak Prescott and the Cowboys,” according to an announcement from ESPN.

“For most of the game, Bart and Homer will let their new Bengals and Cowboys teammates manage the action. But the iconic father and son duo won’t sit on the sidelines for the entire game. Each will select key opportunities to play offense and/or defense. Replacing a player and joining his other 10 teammates on the field,” the release from ESPN indicated.

The “Simpsons Funday Football” broadcast will air live from Atom Stadium in Springfield, available on Disney+ and ESPN+ during the NFL’s Week 14 game.

Bengals and Cowboys, Simpsons-style

ESPN makes huge ‘Simpsons’ announcement for Week 14’s Cowboys-Bengals clash
Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

An animated Bengals-Cowboys matchup will unfold in “The Simpsons” universe.

“Each Bengals and Cowboys player will appear as a motion-enabled, animated player for the special primetime matchup,” Disney added.

“Through state-of-the-art tracking technology enabled by NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Sony’s Beyond Sports, combined with Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking, fans enjoying ‘The Simpsons Funday Football’ will see every snap, run, pass, score, and more from the real-life Bengals and Cowboys matchup at AT&T Stadium as it happens,” the media giant continued.

The NFL began targeting younger audiences with special broadcasts in 2021, starting with a Nickelodeon simulcast of the Wild Card game between the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. The success of that broadcast paved the way for more child-friendly NFL programming.

Now, it’s time for the older fans to get in on the fun too.

This marks Disney’s second collaboration with the NFL for an animated broadcast. Last season, they debuted the concept with a matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars, where players transformed into toys and played in Andy’s room from Toy Story.

More immersive than NFL’s last season offering

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This new broadcast promises to be more immersive than last season’s offering. As reported by the Hollywood Reporter, the entire voice cast—Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith—will contribute to the production. These actors will actively participate through a mix of prerecorded segments and live interviews during the event.

The broadcast will feature animated segments with ESPN personalities, including Stephen A. Smith, Peyton and Eli Manning, and others, with content crafted by “Simpsons” creators specifically for the telecast.

Marge and Lisa Simpson will conduct player interviews. Additionally, Drew Carter, Mina Kimes, and Dan Orlovsky will be “Simpson-ized” as they call the game, bringing the iconic Springfield style to the commentary booth.

The layout will resemble the CBS/Nickelodeon Super Bowl LVII broadcast, where SpongeBob and Patrick served as color commentators and Sandy Cheeks took on the role of sideline reporter. While these broadcasts target a younger audience, they have successfully delivered impressive visuals and plenty of laughs.

The “Simpsons” broadcast on Disney+ and ESPN+ will offer a third viewing option for the primetime game. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will remain in charge of the traditional “MNF” broadcast on ESPN, ESPN+, and ABC, while the Manning Brothers will host “The Manningcast” on ESPN2 and ESPN+.



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