The election night maestro is now using his big board to analyze the tightening NFL playoff race.
Donald PadgettEverybody’s favorite "Chartthrob," Steve Kornacki, joined the crew of Football Night in America ahead of Sunday evening’s game between the Denver Broncos and defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs to apply his number crunching expertise to the NFL’s tightening playoff race. He also appeared on the game’s halftime show as well. It’s all part of his new recurring gig on Sunday Night Football’s programming and the original map daddy in khakis says it’s a dream come true.
“I’ve been a fan of the game since I was kid and SNF has been must-see TV for me since it started back in ’06,” Kornacki said in a statement. “Truly a thrill to get this chance, especially as the season reaches its most exciting point.”
Kornacki, who was recently voted one of the sexiest men alive, joined the Sunday night team of host Mike Tirico, Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio on Football Night in America which is the most-watched studio show in sports, airing prior to the popular Sunday Night Football game.
“Steve captivated millions of viewers during election season and we’re excited that this Sunday he will turn his focus to playoff season,” Sam Flood, executive producer of NBC Sports, said. “As we push to the playoffs, who better to spot the trends, make the call about division and conference races, and identify the toss-up games that can flip the standings than the man in the khakis.”
While some were skeptical of Kornacki’s appearance on the show, he turned out to be every bit as knowledgeable about breaking down the NFL playoff picture as he was breaking down incoming returns on election night. He brought along his giant touchscreen and effortlessly moved from team to team, conference to conference, first explaining where teams stood at the start of the day, and where they stood following the outcome of the games. Kornacki went heavy on the percentages and probabilities rather than point out the different scenarios a team had to make the playoffs. (And it makes sense given that he's an avid sports fan and has long hosted viewing parties.)
Judging from the positive feedback on social media, Kornacki was the big winner of the night and left viewing pining for more.
Koracki indicated he was very pleased with his latest gig, and couldn’t wait to share his big board expertise with a new audience.
“I spent the last year using the Big Board to map out all of the various roads to 270 and I can’t wait to put it to use breaking down all of the paths to the playoffs,” Kornacki said.
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