SHOW TO FEATURE LIVE PERFORMANCE BY ED SHEERAN
AT JULIAN B. LANE RIVERFRONT PARK
NFL Network’s GameDay Kickoff airs Thursday, Sept. 9, 3 PM & 6 PM ET
NBC Sports’ Special Pregame Show airs Thursday, Sept. 9, 7 PM ET on NBC and streams live on Peacock; Simulcast on NFL Network beginning at 7:30PM ET
Precedes NFL Kickoff Game:
DALLAS COWBOYS vs. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS on NBC and Peacock
NEW YORK [August 16, 2021] – The NFL welcomes fans back for the 2021 season with 2021 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 22. Four-time GRAMMY award winning singer, songwriter ED SHEERAN will perform live at JULIAN B. LANE RIVERFRONT PARK in Tampa prior to the Cowboys – Buccaneers game at Raymond James Stadium.
To further celebrate the return to football, the 2021 KICKOFF EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 22 will take place starting at 12:00 PM ET on Thursday, September 9 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Kickoff Experience is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis and the NFL OnePass app is required for admission.
Attractions at 2021 Kickoff Experience will bring fans closer to the NFL through football-themed interactive games and other activities including:
- Appearances by Buccaneers Legends
- Photo ops with the Vince Lombardi Trophy and all 55 Super Bowl rings
- NFL Kickoff Photo Frames
- Bud Light Legends Bar
NFL Network’s KIMMI CHEX will host festivities on the Kickoff Experience Stage with guest hosts comedian/actor DESI BANKS and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Team Reporter CASEY PHILLIPS.
Activities on the Kickoff Experience Stage will highlight the local Tampa Bay community with featured appearances by the Florida A&M University Marching Band, Buccaneers cheerleaders, mascot and drumline, local musicians, NFL Legends, and more.
At approximately 7:00 PM ET ED SHEERAN – who recently unveiled “Bad Habits,” his first official new release since 2019 – will take the stage for a headline performance. To date, Sheeran has amassed more than 60 billion streams and sold over 50 million albums.
Sheeran’s performance will be streamed in full on NFL.com, the NFL app, and on select NFL social media accounts. Portions of the performance will be televised in NBC and NFL Network’s pregame show coverage.
Following Ed Sheeran’s performance, fans are encouraged to stay for the 2021 NFL KICKOFF WATCH PARTY and view the Cowboys – Buccaneers game live on screens throughout Julian B. Lane Park. Fans are invited to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy the game comfortably. Access to the Watch Party is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis and the NFL OnePassapp is required for admission.
In addition to the live telecast of NFL Kickoff on NBC and livestream on Peacock, the Cowboys – Buccaneers game will be streamed live across all devices via NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, NFL.com, and the NFL app. Additionally, fans on mobile devices can stream the game via the Cowboys and Buccaneers mobile properties, Yahoo Sports, and other Verizon Media and NFL properties. Live audio coverage of the game will be broadcast nationally by Westwood One Radio and carried on SiriusXM, TuneIn, and Game Pass. Universo’s Spanish language coverage will begin at 8 PM ET.
NBC Sports’ Football Night in America team will be live on-site at Raymond James Stadium for pregame coverage beginning at 7 PM ET. AL MICHAELS will call the action alongside CRIS COLLINSWORTH. MICHELE TAFOYA will report from Raymond James Stadium. Three-time Super Bowl referee TERRY MCAULAY is the Sunday Night Football rules analyst.
In addition to presenting sponsor EA Sports Madden NFL 22, top-tier sponsors for NFL Kickoff include Bud Light, Microsoft, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Smirnoff, SNICKERS and Verizon.
On Wednesday, September 8 at 10 PM ET, fans can tune in to “2021 NFL Kickoff Presented by Castrol” on NFL Network. Additionally, editions of “NFL GameDay Kickoff” air on Thursday, September 9 at 3 PM and 6 PM ET on NFL Network, with Emmy-nominated host RICH EISEN, Pro Football Hall of Famers KURT WARNER and MICHAEL IRVIN, former NFL head coach STEVE MARIUCCI, NFL Network Insider IAN RAPOPORT and analytics expert CYNTHIA FRELUND.
Fans can visit NFL.com/2021Kickoff for more details on Kickoff festivities in Tampa and download the NFL OnePass app.
HISTORY OF NFL OPENING KICKOFF EVENTS
| DATE | LOCATION | NETWORK | TALENT | GAME |
| 9/5/2002 | Times Square, New York | CBS, MTV, VH1 and ESPN | Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Alicia Keys, Eve, Cast of Broadway musical Rent with Joey Fatone of NSYNC | San Francisco at NY Giants (ESPN) |
| 9/4/2003 | The National Mall, Washington, DC | ABC | Aerosmith, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Britney Spears, Good Charlotte | NY Jets at Washington (ABC) |
| 9/9/2004 | Gillette Stadium, New England/ Metropolitan Park, Jacksonville | ABC | Boston Pops, Mary J. Blige, Destiny’s Child, Elton John, Toby Keith, Lenny Kravitz (NE); Jessica Simpson (Jax.) | Indianapolis at New England (ABC) |
| 9/8/2005 | Gillette Stadium, New England/ Los Angeles Coliseum, LA/Detroit | ABC | Green Day, Santana, Michelle Branch, Ozzy Osbourne, Trisha Yearwood (NE); Kanye West, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte, Rihanna (LA); Rolling Stones (taped from Detroit) | Oakland at New England (ABC) |
| 9/7/2006 | Heinz Field, Pittsburgh/Miami | NBC | Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride (Anthem) (Pitt.); Diddy, Cassie, Yung Joc, Tego Calderon (Miami) | Miami at Pittsburgh (NBC) |
| 9/6/2007 | Monument Circle/RCA Dome, Indianapolis | NBC, NFLN | John Mellencamp, Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Hinder, Keyshia Cole & Voices of Unity Youth Choir (Anthem) | New Orleans at Indianapolis (NBC) |
| 9/4/2008 | Columbus Circle, New York City/Giants Stadium, New Jersey | NFLN, NBC | Natasha Bedingfield, Keith Urban, Usher | Washington at New York Giants (NBC) |
| 9/10/2009 | Point State Park/Heinz Field, Pittsburgh | NFLN, NBC | Tim McGraw, The Black Eyed Peas, Harry Connick Jr. (Anthem) | Tennessee at Pittsburgh (NBC) |
| 9/9/2010 | Jackson Square (Parade & Concert) /Superdome, New Orleans | NFLN, NBC | Dave Matthews Band, Taylor Swift, Harry Connick Jr., Colbie Caillat (Anthem) | Minnesota at New Orleans (NBC) |
| 9/8/2011 | Lambeau Field,Green Bay | NFLN, NBC | Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5 | New Orleans at Green Bay (NBC) |
| 9/5/2012 | Rockefeller Center, New York / MetLife Stadium, New Jersey | NFLN, NBC | Mariah Carey, No Doubt | Dallas at New York Giants (NBC) |
| 9/5/2013 | Baltimore Inner Harbor/ Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver | NFLN, NBC | Keith Urban, Danielle Bradbery (Anthem) | Baltimore at Denver(NBC) |
| 9/4/2014 | CenturyLink Field, Seattle | NFLN, NBC | Pharrell Williams, Soundgarden, Ariana Grande (Anthem) | Green Bay at Seattle (NBC) |
| 9/10/2015 | Gillette Stadium, New England | NFLN, NBC | Ellie Goulding, Train | Pittsburgh at New England (NBC) |
| 9/8/2016 | Civic Center Park, Denver | NFLN, NBC | Dierks Bentley, OneRepublic, Andra Day (Anthem) | Carolina at Denver (NBC) |
| 9/7/2017 | Christopher Columbus Park, Boston / Gillette Stadium, New England | NFLN, NBC | Guster, Flo Rida, Maren Morris (Anthem) | Kansas City at New England (NBC) |
| 9/6/2018 | Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia / Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia | NFLN, NBC | Shawn Mendes | Atlanta at Philadelphia (NBC) |
| 9/5/2019 | Grant Park, Chicago / Soldier Field, Chicago | NFLN, NBC | Meghan Trainor, Rhapsody, Meek Mill | Green Bay at Chicago (NBC) |
| 9/10/20 | Kansas City / Arrowhead Stadium | NFLN, NBC | Alicia Keys | Houston at Kansas City (NBC) |
| 9/9/2021 | Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, Tampa / Raymond James Stadium | NFLN, NBC | Ed Sheeran | Dallas at Tampa Bay (NBC) |
ABOUT ED SHEERAN:
Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist. From record-breaking sales across his recorded music and live performances, and a plethora of award wins to his name, the British singer-songwriter is the boundless talent behind some of the biggest songs in history. The four-time GRAMMY award winner has consistently resonated with fans across the world with his peerless songcraft and exceptional music palate. With four multiplatinum, critically acclaimed albums under his belt – ‘+’ (2011), ‘x’ (2014), ‘÷’ (2017) and ‘No.6 Collaborations Project’ (2019) – Sheeran has amassed more than 60 billion streams and sold over 50 million albums, globally to date; he is also one of only six artists to have three songs – “Thinking Out Loud,” “Perfect,” and “Shape Of You” – earn RIAA Diamond-certification, for sales equivalents exceeding 10 million in the US alone. An unparalleled live performer, Sheeran’s most recent, two-year ÷ world tour made history becoming the most-attended and highest-grossing tour of all time.
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