Context:

Cris Collinsworth will not be calling the Thanksgiving night game on NBC, as he takes a break from broadcasting three games in eight days. Instead, Jason Garrett will fill in for him alongside Mike Tirico during the matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. Collinsworth, who recently celebrated his 500th NFL game, will return for the next game featuring the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders. NBC has opted for this strategy to maintain analyst freshness throughout the long season, despite the high ratings potential of Thanksgiving games. This decision reflects a broader trend of networks managing talent availability during busy holiday schedules.

Dive Deeper:

• Cris Collinsworth has consistently opted out of Thanksgiving broadcasts since NBC began airing them in 2012 to avoid the strain of multiple games in quick succession.

• Mike Tirico will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Thanksgiving game, while Jason Garrett, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, will take Collinsworth's place.

• Collinsworth's recent 500th game was marked by a significant matchup, where the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

• NBC has previously rotated in analysts like Tony Dungy and Drew Brees for Thanksgiving coverage, indicating a pattern of utilizing various talents to manage broadcasting schedules.

• Despite the potential for high viewership on Thanksgiving, the network's focus appears to be on keeping Collinsworth and other analysts rested for the playoff push.

• Other networks, such as Fox, are also managing their announcing teams by giving Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt time off after the Thanksgiving games.