Some fans might look at the matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers in Week 17 as nothing too special. Both teams have secured a spot in the playoffs and are playing good football.
However, there is a lot riding on this game for the Vikings. A win will put them in a position to win the NFC North and get the top seed in the NFC playoffs. Meanwhile, the Packers have an opportunity to close the door on those hopes and intensify the rivalry between these two teams.
The NFL moved this game into the late afternoon slot to get more eyes on it. It's hard to blame them since it should be a hard-fought game between two teams who genuinely don't like each other with playoff implications on the line.
But what will the game presentation be like? And will the officiating have any kind of impact on the game between the Vikings and Packers? Let's take a look at who will be tasked with calling the game on Sunday.
Who are the announcers and referees for Vikings vs. Packers today?
Announcers for Vikings vs. Packers
FOX will broadcast the late afternoon game on Sunday. Some notable names will be handling this game according to Awful Announcing.
Play-by-play: Kevin Burkhardt
Color commentary: Tom Brady
Sideline reporters: Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
Kevin Burkhardt and Erin Andrews should be familiar to most people who watch the NFL on FOX. Those two are staples of the network's NFL broadcasts and are well respected for the job they do each week.
Tom Rinaldi may not be as recognizable based on his name, however he has covered sports since 1998 for CNN/SI and joined ESPN in 2003. He's contributed to numerous shows on the network, including Sundy NFL Coutdown, SportsCenter, and Outside the Lines.
The big name that will have people talking is Tom Brady. The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is a seven-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Super Bowl MVP, and three-time league MVP. He is new to commentary, but should provide an interesting look at the game.
Referees for Vikings vs. Packers
Let's take a look at which officials will call the game according to Football Zebras.
R: Carl Cheffers
U: Brandon Cruse
DJ: Mike Carr
LJ: Robin DeLorenzo
FJ: Eugene Hall
SJ: Nate Jones
BJ: Martin Hankins
RO: Kirt Shay
RA: Brian Davies
Carl Cheffers held multiple positions before becoming a head official in 2008. He handled multiple Super Bowls and is one of the most respected referees in the league. However, he is disliked by most Kansas City Chiefs fans for a controversial holding call on offensive tackle Eric Fisher during a two-point conversion attempt in the 2017 postseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers where KC ended up losing 16-18.