Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season is here, and this Monday night’s game brings a special surprise for football fans. This week, the Cincinnati Bengals will face the Dallas Cowboys in an exciting, real-time animated showdown set in the iconic world of The Simpsons.
Springfield’s Atoms Stadium will be the venue for “The Simpsons Funday Football”, a family-friendly event where Bart Simpson will team up with Joe Burrow and the Bengals, while Homer will join Cooper Rush and the Cowboys.
Actors Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith will return to voice their characters in fun pre-recorded skits and segments. Fans will also enjoy the show’s iconic theme song and other classic jingles.
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What is NFL Monday Night Football?
In 1970, when the merger between the NFL and the newly formed American Football League (AFL) took place to create an expanded league, Commissioner Pete Rozelle envisioned adding a weekly Monday night game to complement the traditional Sunday afternoon matchups.
Although both CBS and NBC experimented with Monday night NFL and AFL broadcasts in the 1960s, neither network was willing to commit to a weekly show.
It was then that Rozelle turned to ABC, which at the time was trailing behind in viewership. ABC agreed to the proposal and began airing Monday Night Football, an event that not only revolutionized the sports format on U.S. television but also marked a turning point in how sports were covered on TV.
What will happen during The Simpsons Monday Night Football?
This will be a special broadcast of Monday Night Football for Week 14, where the Cincinnati Bengals will face the Dallas Cowboys. The game will take place on a digital field inspired by *The Simpsons* universe, offering fans a unique experience.
In this event, iconic characters from the series, like Bart and Homer Simpson, will be on the field, while Marge and Lisa provide commentary from the sidelines. The original ESPN broadcast analysts in the U.S., Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, and Drew Carter, will be in the Connecticut studio, but their animated versions will be integrated in the style of *The Simpsons*.
According to a press release, fans can expect the presentation to visually and audibly capture the unique, humorous style of The Simpsons, thanks to extensive collaboration between the show’s creators, the NFL, and ESPN.
Where and what time to watch the special Simpsons Monday Night Football broadcast?
In the United States:
- 7:50 PM on ESPN+/Disney+ – The Simpsons Fun Day Football
- 8:15 PM on ESPN+/ESPN/ABC – Bengals vs. Cowboys
- 8:15 PM on ESPN+/ESPN2 – MNF with Peyton and Eli
In Mexico:
- 6:50 PM on ESPN+/Disney+ – The Simpsons Fun Day Football
- 7:15 PM on ESPN+/ESPN/ABC – Bengals vs. Cowboys
- 7:15 PM on ESPN+/ESPN2 – MNF with Peyton and Eli
2024 Monday Night Football Schedule
- Week 15 (December 16): Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings (8:00 PM ET; ABC, ESPN+)
- Week 16 (December 23): New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers (8:15 PM ET; ESPN)
- Week 17 (December 30): Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers (8:15 PM ET; ESPN, ABC, ESPN+)
- Week 18: TBD
