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Actress and known Los Angeles sports superfan Brenda Song made her NFL color-commentary debut Saturday, joining CBS LA’s broadcast of the Rams-Saints preseason game in the third quarter.
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody star drew lots of internet buzz during her limited airtime, particularly for her call of a 100-yard pick-six of Spencer Rattler by Rams safety Alex Cook. “We’re going home. Byeeeee!” Song exclaimed as Cook passed the Saints’ 50-yard-line.
While the NFL and its national media partners control all regular-season broadcasts, individual clubs take the production reins during preseason games. The lower-stakes environment makes these broadcasts ripe for experimentation, and the Rams tell Front Office Sports they had been planning Song’s appearance for months.
After dropping some serious Rams knowledge in a viral interview clip early last year, the actress has adopted an informal ambassador role for the team, appearing in the Rams’ 2025 schedule release video a few months later. Kurt Gies, Rams director of social media and influencers, describes Song’s color analyst debut as “the natural next step” in the team’s relationship with her.
To prepare, Gies says Song attended training camp earlier this week, where she “requested [the] media guide, game release, and roster flip card so she could continue studying heading into the game.”
“She already knew many of the rookies, including the undrafted free agents,” he added, “and was rattling off stats from the previous preseason game, including Ethan Evans’s 61-yard average punt.”
High-profile guest media moments of all kinds—whether by A-listers like Song, other athletes, or even players’ partners—have become increasingly common across pro sports, employed by both teams and leagues alike. However, the trend isn’t always equally embraced by fans: Some viewers took to social media to criticize Song’s booth appearance yesterday, pointing out that she may have been taking the place of a sports media professional.
Song seemingly addressed some of this feedback in a hit on ESPN’s late-night SportsCenter broadcast after the game. “I’m a couch analyst, okay,” she told the anchors. “I will tell you all the reasons why we’re the best team and why your team is not going to win.”
Regardless, it’s likely not the last time we’ll see Song—or other Los Angeles-dwelling, celebrity fans—in Rams-affiliated content this season. Gies tells FOS the team is “always looking for authentic and creative ways to bring entertainment and culture to the Rams House.”
