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Earlier this month, CBS Sports and NFL Network announced that Rihanna‘s guest feature on Jay Z’s “Run This Town” will open each game of Thursday Night Football this year. However, in light of the NFL’s Ray Rice controversy, the song has been pulled from tonight’s Baltimore Ravens game and replaced with a special report on the Rice incident.
Instead of using the song, which was supposed to have played under narration by actor Don Cheadle, CBS Sports officials tell Sports Illustrated that the network will now open its pregame with a report on the Rice incident from CBS This Morning anchor Norah O’Donnell, who interviewed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reports that the network has licensed the track and plans to use it in the future.
Earlier this week Rice was let go by the Baltimore Raves and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after video emerged online of Rice knocking his now-wife unconscious in an Atlantic City, New Jersey hotel elevator. Rihanna, of course, was herself the victim of domestic violence at the hands of then-boyfriend Chris Brown.
The Thursday Night Football pregame show will air at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, September 11.
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cbs Football night open Rihannas run this thursday tonight town wont
