2019 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20 TO CELEBRATE START OF THE NFL’S 100TH SEASON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

SHOW TO FEATURE LIVE PERFORMANCE BY INSPIRE CHANGE ADVOCATES MEEK MILL, MEGHAN TRAINOR AND RAPSODY AT GRANT PARK

NBC’S FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA KICKS OFF THE SEASON AT HISTORIC SOLDIER FIELD

NBC/NFL Network Special on Thursday, Sept. 5, 7:30 – 8:10 p.m. ET

Precedes NFL Kickoff Game:
CHICAGO BEARS vs. GREEN BAY PACKERS on NBC

The NFL kicks off its 100^th season with “2019 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20” – 7:30 PM ET Thursday, September 5. Artists and Inspire Change advocates MEEK MILL, MEGHAN TRAINOR and RAPSODY will perform live before the Green Bay – Chicago game at GRANT PARK in Chicago.

To further the celebration of both the NFL and the Bears 100^th season, 2019 KICKOFF EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20 will take place on Thursday, September 5 and will be open to fans from 12:00 PM CT to 10:30 PM CT at Grant Park. Kickoff Experience is free and open to the public and brings fans closer to the NFL through sponsors’ interactive experiences and dynamic promotions. Additionally, Bears’ Legends will be onsite to sign autographs throughout the afternoon: JIM MCMAHON, MATT FORTE and CHARLES TILLMAN.

Fans are also encouraged to stop by the Madden NFL 20 Experience at Grant Park for a chance to watch NFL Legends MICHAEL VICK, CHAD JOHNSON, music artists, Twitch streamers and fans compete in the first ever EA SPORTS Madden NFL Twitch Prime Crown Cup.

At approximately 6:30 PM CT Meek Mill will headline the musical acts of the day on the Kickoff Main Stage. Preceding his performance will be the musical acts from Inspire Change advocates Meghan Trainor and Rapsody.

Following Meek Mill’s performance, fans are encouraged to stay and make history together as the Green Bay – Chicago game is shown live on massive screens throughout Grant Park. This will be a first-of-its-kind NFL KICKOFF WATCH PARTY for fans onsite. Throughout the game, Bears’ and Packers’ Legends will be on stage along with the integration of Bears’ fan rituals and a free-to-play game for interactive fan experience.

A portion of both Meek Mill’s and Meghan Trainor’s performances will be featured in simulcast coverage of the 40-minute pregame show from Chicago from 7:30 – 8:10 PM ET on NBC and NFL Network.

The show leads into the opener of the NFL’s 100^th season between Green Bay – Chicago. The historic NFC North matchup has been one of the NFL’s greatest rivalries throughout the last several decades and will start the season off at Soldier Field (NBC, streamed live via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app across all platforms , Westwood One Radio Sports, 8:20 PM ET).

AL MICHAELS will call the action alongside CRIS COLLINSWORTH. MICHELE TAFOYA will report from the sideline, and three-time Super Bowl referee TERRY MCAULAY, Sunday Night Football’s rules analyst, will join Al and Cris in the booth. The Football Night in America team of MIKE TIRICO, LIAM MCHUGH, TONY DUNGY, RODNEY HARRISON, CHRIS SIMMS, MIKE FLORIO and KATHRYN TAPPEN will also be on site from Chicago.

2019 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20 will be executive produced by RICKY KIRSHNER, the Executive Producer of the Super Bowl pregame and halftime shows, and directed by GREGG GELFAND.

In addition to presenting sponsor EA Sports Madden NFL 20, top-tier sponsors for NFL Kickoff include Bose, Bud Light, Microsoft, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Snickers and Verizon.

HISTORY OF NFL OPENING KICKOFF EVENTS

DATE	LOCATION	NETWORK	TALENT	GAME
9/5/2002	Times Square, New York	CBS, MTV, VH1 and ESPN	Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Alicia Keys, Eve, Cast of Broadway musical Rent with Joey Fatone of NSYNC	San Francisco at NY Giants (ESPN)
9/4/2003	The National Mall, Washington, DC	ABC	Aerosmith, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Britney Spears, Good Charlotte	NY Jets at Washington (ABC)
9/9/2004	Gillette Stadium, New England/ Metropolitan Park, Jacksonville	ABC	Boston Pops, Mary J. Blige, Destiny’s Child, Elton John, Toby Keith, Lenny Kravitz (NE); Jessica Simpson (Jax.)	Indianapolis at New England (ABC)
9/8/2005	Gillette Stadium, New England/ Los Angeles Coliseum, LA/Detroit	ABC	Green Day, Santana, Michelle Branch, Ozzy Osbourne, Trisha Yearwood (NE); Kanye West, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte, Rihanna (LA); Rolling Stones (taped from Detroit)	Oakland at New England (ABC)
9/7/2006	Heinz Field, Pittsburgh/Miami	NBC	Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride (Anthem) (Pitt.); Diddy, Cassie, Yung Joc, Tego Calderon (Miami)	Miami at Pittsburgh (NBC)
9/6/2007	Monument Circle/RCA Dome, Indianapolis	NBC, NFLN	John Mellencamp, Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Hinder, Keyshia Cole & Voices of Unity Youth Choir (Anthem)	New Orleans at Indianapolis (NBC)
9/4/2008	Columbus Circle, New York City/Giants Stadium, New Jersey	NFLN, NBC	Natasha Bedingfield, Keith Urban, Usher	Washington at New York Giants (NBC)
9/10/2009	Point State Park/Heinz Field, Pittsburgh	NFLN, NBC	Tim McGraw, The Black Eyed Peas, Harry Connick Jr. (Anthem)	Tennessee at Pittsburgh (NBC)
9/9/2010	Jackson Square (Parade & Concert) /Superdome, New Orleans	NFLN, NBC	Dave Matthews Band, Taylor Swift, Harry Connick Jr., Colbie Caillat (Anthem)	Minnesota at New Orleans (NBC)
9/8/2011	Lambeau Field, Green Bay	NFLN, NBC	Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5	New Orleans at Green Bay (NBC)
9/5/2012	Rockefeller Center, New York / MetLife Stadium, New Jersey	NFLN, NBC	Mariah Carey, No Doubt	Dallas at New York Giants (NBC)
9/5/2013	Baltimore Inner Harbor/ Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver	NFLN, NBC	Keith Urban, Danielle Bradbery (Anthem)	Baltimore at Denver (NBC)
9/4/2014	CenturyLink Field, Seattle	NFLN, NBC	Pharrell Williams, Soundgarden, Ariana Grande (Anthem)	Green Bay at Seattle (NBC)
9/10/2015	Gillette Stadium, New England	NFLN, NBC	Ellie Goulding, Train	Pittsburgh at New England (NBC)
9/8/2016	Civic Center Park, Denver	NFLN, NBC	Dierks Bentley, OneRepublic, Andra Day (Anthem)	Carolina at Denver (NBC)
9/7/2017	Christopher Columbus Park, Boston / Gillette Stadium, New England	NFLN, NBC	Guster, Flo Rida, Maren Morris (Anthem)	Kansas City at New England (NBC)
9/6/2018	Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia / Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia	NFLN, NBC	Shawn Mendes	Atlanta at Philadelphia (NBC)

ABOUT MEEK MILL

Meek Mill is a critically-acclaimed multiplatinum hip-hop artist, criminal justice reform advocate and entrepreneur that hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Meek evolved from Philadelphia’s hottest underground rapper to one of the world’s preeminent musical artists, having released a slew of smash studio albums and singles, including “Ima Boss,” “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro),” and “Going Bad,” among many others. His latest studio album, CHAMPIONSHIPS, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s “Top 200 Albums,” marking his second chart-topper following his 2015 album DREAMS WORTH MORE THAN MONEY. In addition to serving as the President of Dream Chasers, Mill is the co-chair of the REFORM Alliance, which launched in January 2019 and aims to advance criminal justice reform and eradicate outdated policies that perpetuate injustice in the United States.