• by David Goetzl , June 14, 2011

Programmers from ESPN to NBC News offer full episodes of shows as podcasts. Now, the NFL Network is going the other way, turning a regular podcast into a TV program.

The podcast, hosted by NFL Network personality Rich Eisen, will become a prime-time show on Thursdays carrying "The Rich Eisen Podcast" moniker. It will remain available for download at NFL.com and iTunes, available after the network debut.

Plans call for continuing the focus on the NFL, but also with some of the pop-culture guests. For example, the debut episode will include both NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth and "Super 8" star Kyle Chandler.

Eisen will host a special "Curb Your Enthusiasm" edition of the podcast on July 7, just before the eighth season of the show debuts on HBO. "Curb" star Larry David will be one of the guests.

The podcast is less than a year old and has generated more than 1 million downloads, the NFL Network said. iTunes has it as a "staff favorite."

"Putting the podcast on television is a natural extension of the show -- and will either bring the program to a wider audience to enjoy or offer me a larger platform on which to flame out spectacularly," Eisen stated.

The "Curb" podcast offers "a whole new type of programming for NFL Network," Eisen added.

Eisen's podcast would have to shift time slots in November as the NFL begins airing games on Thursdays. Then again, if there is a prolonged lockout, it might be needed as substitute programming.