HBCU GO Kickoff Show Will Include Steve Wyche Exclusive Interviews With Sean Payton And Carson Vinson

The veteran broadcaster will be included on several HBCU GO broadcasts throughout the season.

Mar 1, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL Network chief national reporter Steve Wyche during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

HOUSTON - On Monday evening, Steve Wyche of the NFL Network announced that he will join the 2025 HBCU GO Kickoff Show this Saturday, Aug. 23. The broadcast will air at 11:00 AM CT/12:00 PM ET on HBCU GO.

The network confirmed that Wyche will have a recurring role again this football season. He will be in the booth as a color analyst for the Hampton-Howard game, which is known as the "Truth and Service Classic." Wyche, a Howard graduate, has been on the broadcast for the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowls since the game kicked off four seasons ago.

Steve Wyche Announcement | Steve Wyche X Account

WYCHE'S INTERVIEWS

Why Sean Payton?

Wyche will conduct two significant interviews on Saturday's program. The first will be with Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who is recognized as one of the most innovative offensive-minded coaches in the league, particularly during his time with the New Orleans Saints.

Under Payton's leadership, future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees helped create one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history.

This morning, sources from HBCU GO informed HBCU Legends that Payton will discuss how he developed part of his offensive strategy based on insights from Archie "Gunslinger" Cooley Jr., the former head coach of Mississippi Valley State.

Jerry Rice, Archie Cooley, Wille Totten | Jerry Rice X Account

Cooley's innovative offense, which featured Willie "Satellite" Totten as the quarterback and his top wide receiver, Jerry Rice, set numerous NCAA records. Both Totten and Rice are celebrated figures as HBCU football icons.

San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh invited Cooley to discuss his offensive approach. Walsh later incorporated some of Cooley's techniques, which became part of the renowned West Coast Offense. Additionally, he drafted Jerry Rice as the 16th overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft.

Rice, primarily paired with quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young, enjoyed a remarkable NFL career. He is widely regarded as the greatest of all time (GOAT) among wide receivers, having won multiple Super Bowl titles and been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Wyche-Payton interview will provide additional texture to the legend of Archie Cooley Jr. - The Ol' Gunslinger, as Jerry Rice would call him.

Carson Vinson Interview

Wyche will also sit down with Alabama A&M offensive lineman Carson Vinson, who was the only HBCU football player selected this season when the Baltimore Ravens picked him as the 141st overall pick in the fifth round.

Early reports indicate that Vinson is having a productive training camp and has a strong chance of making the team's 53-man roster.

STEVE WYCHE' ROLE

Wyche, who was a regular guest towards the end of last season, will partner with co-hosts Tolly Carr and Nicole Hutchinson on the first show.

All of the seasoned broadcasters are HBCU alums; Wyche and Hutchinson hail from Howard University, and Carr graduated from Winston-Salem University.

The 2025 football season will be officially broadcast on HBCU GO, featuring the first two games:

1. Hampton will face Jackson State, and
2. Fayetteville State will compete against Benedict College

Stay tuned for additional broadcasting news coming from HBCU GO.

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