1. Over the weekend, news broke that ESPN\u2019s purchase of NFL Network has been approved by government regulators.<\/p>\n
What does that mean for you, the NFL fan?<\/p>\n
We don\u2019t know yet, and there\u2019s still a lot to figure out, but ESPN president Burke Magnus shared some insight in late November when he joined me on SI Media With Jimmy Traina.<\/p>\n
One thing viewers need to understand is that NFL Network will still exist as NFL Network. Obviously, with ESPN taking control, things will be different, but there will be some integration with ESPN talent. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we dive in and really start thinking about how we combine these two things in many ways, even though they\u2019ll continue to be separate networks, what I hope is that it\u2019s a \u20181 + 1 = 3\u2019 situation,\u201d Magnus said on the podcast. \u201cThey have a ton of talented voices over there that cover the NFL, we obviously do too. It\u2019s a 24\/7 endeavor for both of us at this point year-round with coverage of this league that is so popular and commands so much attention all day, every day. That\u2019s gonna be a really exciting exercise to see how we can take the best of what they do and the best of what we do, create some overlaps and accrue to the benefit of NFL fans over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Magnus added, \u201cGood Morning Football in my estimation is the greatest success story on the NFL Network, period. So, it\u2019s an exciting proposition to figure out what that looks like going forward and how they can contribute to what we do and vice versa.\u201d<\/p>\n
Will we see NFL Network and ESPN talent cross over from network to network?<\/p>\n
\u201cI think for sure,\u201d said Magnus. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to blend them to such a degree that their identities start to meld. I think the NFL Network has a very different brand and very different voice in many ways. We like that. That\u2019s important. Take the draft for instance. I think what we do on the NFL draft and what they do the on the NFL draft is not identical and I think that\u2019s a good thing. It stands to reason that talent would flow in both directions.\u201d<\/p>\n
One major thing that viewers will be interested to know about ESPN\u2019s purchase of NFL Network is that this means there won\u2019t be any more Monday Night Football doubleheaders or side-by-side games.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we take control of NFL Network, the doubleheaders will go away,\u201d Magnus said. \u201cThe scheduling for both our games and their games changes. We\u2019d go back to one game a week on Monday Night Football and there would be a schedule of games on NFL Network. So yeah, that\u2019s part of the construct.\u201d<\/p>\n
When those NFL Network games would air is still TBD.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0NBC went all out for its first Sunday Night Basketball broadcast last night. Bob Costas opened the show. <\/p>\n
Bob Costas appears on NBA on NBC coverage for the first time since 2002!<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcfa NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com\/fMxhceF3KF<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Caitlin Clark made her debut. <\/p>\n Caitlin Clark didn’t seem ecstatic about Reggie Miller comparing her to Payton Pritchard. https:\/\/t.co\/LtTY3of9uh<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Jj6HfxSvNm<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The game featured the two biggest markets in the Knicks and Lakers.<\/p>\n But at the end of the day\u2014and this is not a knock on NBC in any way, shape or form\u2014despite all the bells and whistles, Sunday Night Basketball is just another regular-season NBA game.<\/p>\n 3. Anybody who has a job has made a mistake. People are going to make mistakes. That is life. But if you\u2019re the person who put together a Black History Month appreciation post for the Chicago White Sox, HOW ON EARTH DO YOU OMIT FRANK THOMAS???<\/p>\n I Guess the black player who made you rich over there and holds all your records is forgettable! Don\u2019t worry I\u2019m taking Receipts!<\/p>\n \u2014 Frank Thomas (@TheBigHurt_35) February 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 4. Marshawn Lynch is the guest on Bill Maher\u2019s podcast this week. I\u2019m embedding the clip below because it\u2019s pretty SFW, but I have to link out to the best clip, by far<\/a>, because it\u2019s very NSFW.<\/p>\n The great Marshawn @MoneyLynch<\/a> this week at @ClubRandom_<\/a>! pic.twitter.com\/TsIc5Gad5a<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bill Maher (@billmaher) February 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 5. I\u2019m old enough to remember when athletes would regularly use the service formerly known as Twitter to get the attention of those they wanted to meet, so it was nice to see Rams wideout Puka Nacua give us a throwback over the weekend.<\/p>\n Love skydiving https:\/\/t.co\/evgL5lqw7M<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Puka Nacua (@AsapPuka) January 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 6. This week\u2019s SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with\u00a0The Ringer\u2019s\u00a0Bryan Curtis about all the latest sports media news.<\/p>\n Topics discussed include: Mike Tirico calling his first Super Bowl for NBC, ratings for the AFC and NFC championship games, Tony Romo backlash, Tom Brady\u2019s improvement as an analyst, the problem with NFL rules analysts, college football\u2019s strong ratings despite being a mess off the field, ESPN\u2019s promotion for next year\u2019s Super Bowl, the state of podcasts, The\u00a0Washington Post\u00a0reportedly shutting down its sports section, Radio Row and more.<\/p>\n Following Curtis, SNY’s Sal Licata joins me for our weekly \u201cTraina Thoughts\u201d segment. This week, we talked about the fallout from the massive snow storm that hit our areas,\u00a0whether NFL playoff games should be played at a neutral site<\/a>, blunders by Sean Payton and Sean McVay, Bill Belichick getting snubbed by the Hall of Fame, the Super Bowl and show recommendations.<\/p>\n You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple<\/a> and Spotify<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina<\/a> on YouTube.<\/p>\n 7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: The weekend got off to a crappy start with the news of Catherine O\u2019Hara\u2019s passing. I\u2019ve seen so many things that I\u2019ve wanted to share, such as Macaulay Culkin\u2019s Instagram tribute<\/a>. And this insane video<\/a>.<\/p>\n But nothing will top a Moira Rose compilation.<\/p>\n Be sure to\u00a0catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts<\/a>\u00a0and check out the\u00a0Sports Illustrated Media Podcast\u00a0hosted by Jimmy Traina on\u00a0Apple<\/a>,\u00a0Spotify<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Google<\/a>. You can also follow Jimmy on\u00a0X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n