End of an Era As DirecTV, Andrew Siciliano Sign Off for Final Time
![End of an Era As DirecTV, Andrew Siciliano Sign Off for Final Time End of an Era As DirecTV, Andrew Siciliano Sign Off for Final Time](https://www.si.com/.image/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/MTk1MDQ1MzUzMTkwOTI2MDUw/andrew-siciliano.jpg)
1. NFL Sunday Ticket has been with DirecTV since 1994. Andrew Siciliano has hosted DirecTV’s presentation of the Red Zone channel since 2009.
Both runs are over now. Google/YouTube will have full rights to NFL Sunday Ticket beginning next season, and a decision has been made to only continue with one version of Red Zone. NFL Network’s Scott Hanson hosts the Red Zone channel that goes to cable providers, and that’s the version that will be available on Google/YouTube.
“On Red Zone, we’re going to focus on the Red Zone produced by NFL Media,” Dhruv Prasad, the NFL senior vice president, media strategy & strategic investments, recently told Front Office Sports. “And that’s what will be available on YouTube.”
If you listen to the SI Media Podcast on a regular basis or if you’re a longtime reader of Traina Thoughts, you know that Red Zone isn’t my cup of tea. However, I’m in the minority of NFL fans. Red Zone is enormously popular and has changed the way a significant number of people watch football.
While the DirecTV version of Red Zone is going away, there hasn’t been an official word on whether Siciliano will be used on the edition that will be part of Google/YouTube.
When Siciliano signed off after his 18th season and 308th episode on Sunday, he gave a heartfelt message but did not say goodbye or address the status of his show.
A final sign-off for @AndrewSiciliano and DirecTV’s Red Zone channel. pic.twitter.com/Xz2su2iIMj
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 9, 2023
Hanson closed out his show on Sunday by shouting out Siciliano and DirecTV.
On NFL RedZone, Scott Hanson salutes Andrew Siciliano and DirecTV for the Red Zone Channel, the inspiration for Hanson’s version. And it signs off for the 2022-23 season. pic.twitter.com/xF7xBwrycX
— Ken Fang -- Very Asian (@fangsbites) January 9, 2023
Given Siciliano’s popularity and the lack of fanfare regarding his final episode, I wonder whether we’ll see him contribute to the new version of Red Zone in some way. Could we see a set up where he and Hanson split duties between the 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. games? Or maybe they rotate weeks? Neither of those scenarios would surprise me.
2. The Lions’ social media accounts went all-in Sunday night after Detroit beat Green Bay and kept the Packers and Aaron Rodgers out of the playoffs. They made sure to remind everyone that Rodgers had said some not-so-flattering things about Detroit during the season.
We kept the receipts 📝
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 9, 2023
And they mocked media members who gave Detroit no chance to win in Lambeau.
𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏 team. pic.twitter.com/U25CNp8Tya
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 9, 2023
3. Lions’ running back Jamaal Williams gave the most both-ends-of-the-spectrum postgame interview you’ll ever see after Detroit’s 20–16 win against Green Bay.
how do you not love Jamaal Williams pic.twitter.com/wHduIF5sxP
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 9, 2023
4. The Chiefs busted out the play of the season on Saturday against the Raiders.
So this just happened? 😂
— NFL (@NFL) January 7, 2023
📺: #KCvsLV on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/nMh7vXuCB4 pic.twitter.com/rbasxmK9yJ
Coach Andy Reid later explained that Christmas was the inspiration behind the play.
#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on the snow globe play. pic.twitter.com/spNQoSBpAT
— Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) January 8, 2023
5. The Bengals made no secret about being upset that Roger Goodell and the NFL could've potentially screwed them over with a coin flip deciding home field for their playoff game had the Ravens beat them on Sunday. Since Cincinnati beat Baltimore, there will be no coin flip, but Bengals’ defensive back Eli Apple still made sure to troll the commissioner.
Eli Apple wanted our camera to see this after the #Bengals 8th straight win. @fox19 pic.twitter.com/uV2V4T62ea
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) January 8, 2023
Here's the video. pic.twitter.com/omE1GzdbPq
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) January 8, 2023
Earlier, running back Joe Mixon celebrated a touchdown by doing his own coin flip.
Mixon really had a coin in his glove 😂#BudLightCelly | @budlight pic.twitter.com/eg8evfvtsT
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 8, 2023
6. The latest SI Media Podcast features a conversation with author and reporter Jim Miller. The bulk of the discussion is about ESPN’s coverage of Damar Hamlin’s injury on Monday Night Football and why the network deserves nothing but praise.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.
You can also watch the SI Media Podcast on YouTube.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Happy 45th birthday to Chad Johnson, who once gave us a valuable lesson on Hard Knocks.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.