Total Pro Sports
For NFL fans, Sundays are more than just about watching football. They’ve become a weekly tradition. If you’re one of the millions who tune into NFL RedZone, you’ve probably heard Scott Hanson say his iconic line, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are entering the witching hour.” It’s a phrase that has stuck with fans everywhere and perfectly reflects the thrilling chaos of NFL Sundays.
But what exactly is the “witching hour,” and how did it become such a big part of football culture? Let’s find out.
The “witching hour” is when the NFL gets real. There’s no exact start time, but it usually kicks off between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET as the early games head into the fourth quarter. This is when everything hangs in the balance: teams fighting to win, others trying to hold on, and last-second drama changes the outcome of games. As Hanson puts it, it’s the time “where losses become wins and where wins become losses.”
It’s not just for casual fans, either. If you’ve got a fantasy team, bets on the line, or just love chaos, this is your hour. Hanson didn’t invent the phrase, though. It actually traces back to NFL broadcasting legend Brent Musburger, who used it on NFL Today on CBS. Behind the scenes, it was a favorite term of CBS analysts Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder and Mike Francesa. Hanson brought it into NFL RedZone, and now it’s a Sunday tradition.
NFL RedZone is every football fan’s dream. It’s a seven-hour, non-stop broadcast that airs every Sunday during the NFL regular season, running from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Hanson starts with his signature line: “Seven hours of commercial-free football… starts now.” And he means it: no ads, just wall-to-wall action.
NFL RedZone is every football fan’s dream. It’s a seven-hour, non-stop broadcast that airs every Sunday during the NFL regular season, running from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Hanson starts with his signature line: “Seven hours of commercial-free football… starts now.” And he means it: no ads, just wall-to-wall action.
The show flips between games to show live touchdowns, big plays, and critical moments. You don’t have to channel-surf or miss out on anything. Hanson’s energy and ability to juggle multiple games simultaneously make it even better. It’s no wonder RedZone has become a Sunday favorite for millions of fans since it debuted in 2009.
But now that the 2024 NFL regular season is over, RedZone has officially signed off until next year. It’s a bittersweet moment for fans, knowing they’ll have to wait until fall 2025 to hear Hanson’s iconic lines again.
The witching hour is when NFL Sundays hit their peak intensity. By this time, most of the early games are in crunch time. You’ll often see multiple one-score games unfolding at once, with teams desperately trying to clinch a win or avoid a crushing loss....
