To commemorate the 50th anniversary of “The NFL Today,” CBS Sports treated viewers to a special throwback during Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season—a virtual set designed in a retro style.
The show, filmed at the CBS Broadcast Center, skillfully blended design elements from the show's original run, spanning from 1975 to 1980. As J.P. LoMonaco, vice president of design for CBS Sports, explained to NCS, "The virtual set, powered by Zero Density, also included a digital recreation of a common way to present on-screen information during the earlier days of television — a physical sign set up on-camera."
This virtual set, powered by Zero Density, even recreated the old-school method of displaying on-screen information: a physical sign with slide-out panels for changing team names and data, reminiscent of an old-style stadium scoreboard.
The September 21, 2025, anniversary show featured a unique blend of past and present. Brent Musburger, a co-host of “NFL Today” from 1975 to 1990, joined current hosts and analysts James Brown, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, and Matt Ryan.
Adding to the nostalgic feel, the opening sequence included a vintage Jeep commercial, reflecting the show's current sponsor. The broadcast also boasted retro graphics and the original theme music. To achieve this, LoMonaco and his team meticulously recreated animated and insert graphics inspired by the late 1970s aesthetic, all rendered in a modern 16:9 aspect ratio and high definition, with added “filters” to evoke the vintage look.
Even the show's open was recreated, though with the current talent roster and Musburger receiving a “featuring” credit. CBS also produced a retro-style production card, completing the immersive throwback experience.