CBS’s NFL Pregame Show Gets Roasted for Its In‑Your‑Face Arby’s Steak Nugget Plug

Sunday, September 13, marked the first full slate of NFL games this year, and the usual hum of tailgate grills was louder than ever. CBS rolled its pre‑game show out of Minneapolis, right where the Minnesota Vikings were about to square off with the Green Bay Packers.

Instead of just talking touchdowns, the network decided to hand out a different kind of bite: Arby’s steak nuggets. In a sponsored segment that felt more like a mini‑infomercial than a sports preview, former player‑turned‑analyst Nate Burleson leaned into the camera and declared, “Steak nuggets should be positioned as an alternative to the regular nugget. You’ve got to upgrade your nugget routine!”

Burleson was doing his job—selling the product with the kind of conviction only a former NFL wide‑receiver can muster. Still, many fans wondered whether the whole segment was a little… excessive. After all, who’s actually munching on chicken nuggets at a Minnesota tailgate?

Within minutes of the segment airing, Twitter lit up. One user wrote, “Nothing says authentic tailgating like the CBS pre‑game crew passing out Arby’s nuggets,” while another dismissed the bit as “low‑class” and “lame.”

“Dear @NFLonCBS, doing a live Arby’s commercial as part of your pre‑game show is not only lame, but it’s as low class as you can get! 👎🏻,” tweeted Dayton Jenks.

Other comments were equally blunt: “They giving out Arby’s steak nuggets on the CBS broadcast, lemme cut this shit off,” posted JT, and “Arby’s steak nuggets ad directly in the middle of the CBS broadcast—where is the shame?” asked kels.

Even with the backlash, the reality is simple: the NFL is big business, and pre‑game shows are sold on sponsorship dollars. CBS likely saw the steak‑nugget spot as a way to crank up revenue before the season really gets going.

That said, fans reminded each other that tailgating is ultimately personal. “Preferably with beer and a hot dog, offered by a stranger in a parking lot wearing the same shirt as you,” one commenter quipped, highlighting that a good tailgate doesn’t need a corporate endorsement.

Whether you’re a fan of Arby’s or not, the episode underscores a growing tension between authentic fan experiences and the commercial demands of modern sports broadcasting. As the season rolls on, we’ll probably see more of these “in‑your‑face” ad moments—whether we like it or not.