On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings will host the Jacksonville Jaguars at US Bank Stadium. The Vikings have won four of their last five games to claw back into the playoff picture while Jacksonville is struggling with a 1-10 record so far.
But, there is another intriguing angle to Sunday's game beyond what happens on the field.
In the press box, in front of the microphone for CBS Sports, will be Beth Mowins. Mowins will become the first-ever female announcer to call a Viking game. on broadcast television. She'll do play-by-play along with former NFL kicker Jay Feely when the game airs locally on WCCO-TV.
Mowins' has NFL experience. In 2015 she became the play-by-play voice for Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders preseason TV broadcasts.
In September 2017, Mowins became the first woman to call a nationally televised NFL game when ESPN selected her as the play-by-play announcer for the Week 1 game between the Chargers and Broncos that was part of the season-opening Monday Night Football doubleheader.
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Mowins spoke to Vikings.com about the opportunity, and said:
"It's really rewarding and humbling at the same time to be able to pursue a career that you love and to be able to remember that little girl who dreamed about doing this and now being able to let it play out, and to be a part of the NFL on CBS and to call games in a place like Minnesota. When I was coming of age back in the late '70s, early '80s, [I was] watching the Purple People Eaters and Fran Tarkenton and Chuck Foreman, so it means a lot to be in a place that has such a rich tradition and history. And to be able to couple that with the excitement and the feel you get walking into [U.S. Bank Stadium] – the newness of it and the promise of the future. I was actually there for [Super Bowl LII], so it's going to be real exciting for me to be able to go back there and call a game with Jay Feely."
The Vikings and Jags kick off at Noon Sunday.