Hallmark Channel may have cancelled the Kitten Bowl, before last year, but it the format does live on. You can watch the Kitten Bowl on YouTube, and more information on that is available here.
So with that in mind, we now flash back to our exclusive with USC Trojans and Detroit Lions legend Rodney Peete, one of three celebrities who did color commentary for Kitten Bowl V.
This post is being re-published from February 2018.
The co-host of Roggin and Rodney on AM 570 Los Angeles, M-F noon-2, once played for the Philadelphia Eagles, and his wife, actress Holly Robinson Peete, is from Philly, so the Peetes will be pulling for Eagles in Super Bowl 52.
Rodney Peete was gracious enough to grant us an exclusive interview ahead of the Kitten Bowl, and in addition to that event, we talked several other topics including his new reality show premiering on Hallmark Channel, his Chicago Bears family connections, the battles against the Michigan State Spartans and UCLA Bruins during his USC days and much much more.
Peete spent the beginning and bulk of his career with the Detroit Lions, and concluded it with the Carolina Panthers; thus staying on the feline brand here. Rodney Peete says that he is known first and foremost as a member of the Lions.
“I spent the most time there, my first five years in the league were in Detroit,” he said.
They were the team that drafted me. If I’m out in a crowd and people are recognizing me or whatever, the number one thing that comes up is I’m a Detroit Lion, more people identify me with that. Because they took a chance on me that’s probably where I’m most loyal.”
Cincinnati Bengals (of course, a big cat mascot team) legend Boomer Esiason will do play-by-play for Kitten Bowl V. Peete will be joined by Hallmark Channel’s Dean Cain and Alison Sweeney in providing color commentary throughout the broadcast.
Kitten Bowl V will be hosted by Beth Stern, model and wife of Howard Stern.
Of course, this is all for a very noble cause. Through its first four years, Kitten Bowl (“game preview” at this link) has inspired the adoption of more than 13,000 animals. There is a 100% adoption rate for the baby kitties in the game, and they even have their own trading cards.
“The North Shore Animal League does a great job of finding these kittens and then helping them in finding them a home,” said Peete. “They have been incredible to work with.”
The incredible catletes include Tomcat Brady, Rob Gronkcatski, Mew Brees and J.J. Swat. “there’s even going to be a special appearance by Joe Montuna,” Peete said.
His new reality series, “Meet the Peetes” premieres on Hallmark Channel February 8th at 10 pm. It centers around his wife, who has numerous TV credits.
“Age 40 and above it’s ’21 Jumps Street’ all the way,” Peete says when people recognize his wife. “For those who are younger, it’s ‘Hanging with Mr. Cooper and a couple other things.”
The Peeters have been married for 22 years, and have four kids, ranging in ages from 12-20. One of their children, Rodney Jr. was diagnosed with autism at age 3.
He currently works for the Dodgers.
Peete is also the first QB in USC history to win the Johnny Unitas award, honoring the nation’s best senior signal caller. That same season, he finished runner-up to future Lions backfield mate Barry Sanders in Heisman Trophy balloting.
He is also the son of Willie Peete, former assistant coach with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, during Rodney’s time with the Lions.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.