The season finale of ESPN’s Monday Night Football falls during the holiday so it’s no surprise our production team was dreaming of a “White” Christmas in planning the open for this week’s Falcons-Saints game.
A Betty White Christmas, that is.
The legendary 89-year-old actress (pictured above) who stars in the TVLand sitcom Hot in Cleveland (Wednesday nights, 10 ET/9 CT) and the upcoming NBC show Off Their Rockers is the star of next week’s holiday-themed open, which was shot yesterday in California.
ESPN’s production team was looking to cast a warm grandmotherly type, and White was the perfect choice.
Everyone knows and loves Betty White. Her popularity spans all age groups and demographics — especially in the sports world after her memorable turn in this Super Bowl commercial last year.
Monday’s open highlights the competing NFC South teams and their dueling quarterbacks, Drew Brees and Matt Ryan, not to mention White’s incredible comedic timing.
Tune in Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET to see the open and what should be one of the best games of the MNF season.
p.s. If fans are wondering whether White is a football fan, she is . . . though her favorite sport is golf.
