Frasier: Which Super Bowl Champion Plays A Special Role In The Reboot?

Television Sitcoms

One wouldn’t expect sports to become a dividing factor between Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and his ex-wife, Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth). And yet, in Episode 7 of the “Frasier” reboot series, “Freddy’s Birthday,” the couple goes to war to impress their sports-loving son when they’re both reluctantly invited to Freddy’s (Jack Cutmore-Scott) party at a local bar.

Frasier and Lilith quickly find themselves in a competition to one-up each other by getting their child the perfect birthday gift. Frasier gets his son a pen once owned by J.D. Salinger, while Lilith seemingly gets their son an ordinary football. But then she walks up to a nondescript man at the bar and taps him on the shoulder. The fellow pushes back his hoodie and reveals himself as Vince Wilfork.

Freddy’s friends freak out while Freddy himself is shocked and overjoyed, and for a good reason: Wilfork is a former New England Patriot and was a part of two of the team’s championship starting lineups. Lilith explains that the football player is a client of hers and that she helped him overcome his greatest foe: shyness. With this guest spot, Wilfork joins an esteemed lineup of former sports stars who have graced the “Cheers” universe across multiple spin-off projects.

The Cheers universe is no stranger to using pro athletes

Many athletes have stopped by to spend a little time in the spotlight in the “Frasier” universe. On “Cheers” alone, a whole plethora of football, basketball, and baseball stars show up to make cameos, including a number you may have completely forgotten about. All of these guest spots are fitting since Sam Malone (Ted Danson) is a former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher, and since the show is set in Boston, many former and then-current players show up to participate in the bars’ various events.

To wit: former Boston Celtics star Kevin McHale pops up for multiple appearances, including a memorable guest-starring turn in Season 10. in which the hooper blows a big game thanks to an argument about whether or not Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) is correct about the number of bolts holding the parquet floor of the Boston Garden in place. Football player-turned- “Hunter” series lead Fred Dwyer shows up in Season 6 as a sportscaster whom Sam fills in for, and multiple times afterward. Mike Ditka appears as himself, presenting a Cable ACE award at a ceremony Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) attends in the show’s series finale.

On “Frasier,” a number of celebrity athletes portrayed callers to Frasier’s call-in show, including San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young, NBA star Julius “Dr. J” Irving and sports broadcaster Bob Costas, among others. That’s a treasure trove of sports stars, and this new iteration of “Frasier” appears ready to add more to the franchise’s hit parade.