Former NFL MVP and five-time Pro Bowl running back LaDainian Tomlinson has joined NFL Network and will serve as an analyst on the network's new Sunday morning "First on the Field" show, it was announced Wednesday.
On Kickoff Sunday (Sept. 9) and every Sunday during the season, NFL Network will be there when you wake up with First on the Field at 7:00 AM ET featuring hosts Melissa Stark and Sterling Sharpe, Tomlinson and NFL Insider Michael Lombardi.
First on the Field, a two-hour Sunday morning spin around the league, will become the first live pregame show to originate from NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, NJ. The show will feature live reports from game sites, and in the final 30 minutes will have "coast-to-coast" segments featuring live discussions with talent from NFL GameDay Morning (Sunday, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM ET).
Collectively the First on the Field and NFL GameDay Morning roster (Tomlinson, Sharpe, Michael Irvin, Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp) earned three NFL MVP trophies, was selected for 33 Pro Bowls, accounted for 649 touchdowns and captured six Super Bowl rings.
"We are excited to add LaDainian Tomlinson to the NFL Network team and what better way to introduce him on a new show to kick off NFL Sundays," said NFL Network Executive Producer Eric Weinberger. "Our seasoned First on the Field roster will benefit from the fresh off-the-field perspective from one of history's top running backs."
Melissa Stark joined NFL Network last season as a contributing reporter. First on the Field marks her first full-time regular broadcasting position since anchoring MSNBC's coverage of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. She also served as a correspondent for NBC's The Today Show. Previously, Stark spent three years as a sideline reporter for ABC's Monday Night Football and was a correspondent and regular contributor to ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown.
A five-time Pro Bowl receiver with the Green Bay Packers, Sterling Sharpe was among the first talent to join NFL Network in 2003. He is also featured on the network's twice weekly Playbook Xs-and-Os show. Previously, Sharpe spent seven years as an NFL analyst for ESPN and one season with NBC. Sharpe never missed a game in seven seasons with the Packers and ranks second in club history with 595 receptions. He led the NFL in catches three times, touchdown catches twice and receiving yards once.
LaDainian Tomlinson joins NFL Network after a storied 11-year NFL career with the San Diego Chargers (2001-09) and New York Jets (2010-11). Tomlinson earned NFL MVP honors in 2006 after scoring a league-record 31 touchdowns and topping the league with 1,815 rushing yards. A first-round draft choice in 2001, Tomlinson posted eight consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (2001-08) and ranks second all-time in rushing touchdowns (145) and fifth in career rushing yards (13,684). Tomlinson's teams were 37-10 when he rushed for 100 yards. He also had four career 200-yard rushing games - tied for third-most all-time. Michael Lombardi begins his fourth season with NFL Media, serving as an analyst, reporter and NFL Network's "General Manager." In addition, Lombardi offers his unique perspective on each week's games in his signature NFL.com "Front Office View" column every Monday during the season. Lombardi has more than two decades of NFL front office experience with the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers.
"First on the Field" will be streamed live on NFL Mobile from Verizon and will feature companion programming on NFL.com and digital products.
NFL Network broadcasts seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For fans on the go, all NFL Network programming is streamed live on NFL Mobile from Verizon. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.