<P> For 2011, then ESPN now CBS play - by - play man Brad Nessler took over the Thursday night broadcast . He was joined by NFL Network draft analyst and NBC Notre Dame color man Mike Mayock, and the pairing spent three seasons calling games . </P> <P> As a result of CBS taking over production responsibilities for the Thursday Night Football broadcasts, its number one broadcast team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms took over the broadcast booth . With NBC adding games in 2016, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, the broadcast team of NBC Sunday Night Football, are required under league contract to do the same . NBC had initially hired former Monday Night Football play - by - play man Mike Tirico for Thursdays before the league nixed the idea of any separate broadcast teams for Sunday and Thursday nights . Tirico would eventually call three Sunday Night Football games, including the Thanksgiving night game which is in the SNF package, in order for NBC to allow Michaels over a week's rest before the end of the season . Tirico would also call the December 22, 2016 TNF game alongside Collinsworth, as well as two NBC - produced Thursday Night Special game broadcasts on December 18 and Christmas Day, respectively, both alongside former USFL and NFL quarterback Doug Flutie . On May 31, 2017, it was announced that Mike Tirico would replace Al Michaels full - time for NBC's Thursday Night Football games . </P> <P> For 2017, CBS hired Tony Romo as its lead color commentator . Numerous complications needed to be resolved, namely Romo's reluctance to cover both Sunday and Thursday nights as required under the Thursday Night Football contract, and the fact that Simms remains under contract with CBS through the next several years . However, the network confirmed via press release that Romo's duties would include Sunday and Thursday games . </P> <P> Each game telecast is preceded on NFL Network by TNF GameDay, which broadcasts live from the site of each game and currently features Rich Eisen as its host, with Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin and either Marshall Faulk or Kurt Warner as analysts . The show generally begins two hours before game time (6: 00 p.m. Eastern Time). </P>

Who's calling the thursday night football game