GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – With THE NFL TODAY coming to Lambeau Field for the Packers’ Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions, Local 5’s Tom Zalaski caught up with former NFL MVP and NFL TODAY analyst Matt Ryan, who shared his thoughts on Sunday’s game and why CBS chose Titletown as the broadcast site.
Ryan pointed to Lambeau’s history and the high-stakes matchup as a natural draw.
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“[The game] being on CBS and for so long the NFC being heavy FOX-centric and we’ve got an opportunity to have our crew there in Lambeau, it’s special,” Ryan said. “But then you talk about the matchup. The Detroit Lions going against the Green Bay Packers. In division. High expectations for both. You throw in the [Micah Parsons] trade on top of that, it’s made it really, really interesting.”
Ryan said there are countless storylines in play, but the blockbuster trade that brought Micah Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark adds a fresh layer of intrigue.
“Sometimes you get very lucky in this industry,” Ryan said. “Storylines happen to fall right into your lap and when the decision was made that we were going to go live from Green Bay in Week 1, we had no idea. But it does add an extra element of excitement to see all the energy that’s been around Micah Parsons showing up in Green Bay this past week.”
While THE NFL TODAY travels to different stadiums throughout the season, Ryan emphasized that the show is about more than analysis — it’s about connecting with fans. And for him, Green Bay always carries a special meaning.
“I go back to my first time ever going to Lambeau, I was a rookie,” Ryan recalled. “We played there late September or early October my rookie season in 2008, so it was Aaron Rodgers’ first year as a starter and my first year starting. Seeing the neighborhood as you’re driving in and then the stadium appears out of nowhere. Being in that locker room, walking down the long hallway from the visitor locker room, that’s my overarching memory.”
Ryan added that the aura of Lambeau Field never faded throughout his career.
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As CBS prepares to spotlight Green Bay this weekend, Ryan says the passion of Packers fans combined with the historic setting should make for an unforgettable start to the NFL season.
You can watch the full 13-minute interview with Matt Ryan in the media player above, where he dives deeper into the matchup, the Parsons trade, and his memories of playing at Lambeau.
