FOX makes run at Strahan for NFL Thursday
FOX wants Michael Strahan to host its new “Thursday Night Football” pregame show, but it is still working out the final details with ABC, sources confirmed.
Strahan, a Hall of Famer with the Giants, is currently one of the hosts of “Good Morning America” on ABC during the week and is a studio analyst on FOX’s NFL pregame show on Sundays.
If Strahan comes on board, FOX’s new Thursday pregame would be based in New York, so logistically it would be easy for him to do both roles.
FOX paid $3.3 billion for five years for the Thursday night package.
The possibility of Strahan hosting FOX’s pregame on Thursdays was first mentioned by SI.com.
A source said that if it does happen, Strahan’s “GMA” schedule will be unchanged. During the football season, he misses Mondays because he commutes from FOX’s Los Angeles studios to New York. Strahan would continue to work Friday mornings after the Thursday night FOX games.
On Thursdays, Strahan could be joined by his FOX NFL Sunday teammates Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw, as well as, sources said, a fourth, stillundetermined analyst. Strahan has done some hosting on “GMA” and on his previous show with Kelly Ripa, but this is a different role, one in which he would have to lead the program. The Thursday pregame is only expected to be a half-hour, but that is not finalized.
Earlier this week, The Post reported Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are now FOX’s choice for the 11-game Thursday night package in the wake of Peyton Manning turning down the opportunity.
FOX will have 11 of the 18 Thursday games, while the seven others will be on the NFL Network. It is unlikely Buck and Aikman will work the NFL Network-exclusive telecasts.
FOX will produce the seven NFL Network games — some of which are on Saturdays. In the NFL’s contract with FOX, it states, according to sources, FOX must have “A List” talent in the booth. It is not known how the NFL defines “A List.”
That said, Mike Tirico remains a possibility to do just the NFL Network games, according to sources. FOX had broached the idea of teaming Tirico with Manning, but NBC, where Tirico is the face of the network, was always reluctant.
The Post reported last week that Tirico could take over as the main host of NBC’s “Football Night in America” with Dan Patrick leaving the pregame show. Tirico is also the playby-play man on NBC’s Notre Dame football games on Saturdays. There are details to be worked out for Tirico to work on NFL Network as well. Tirico is the heir apparent to NBC’s Sunday night play-by-play man, Al Michaels, but Michaels, 73, has shown no indication he’s retiring.
Kevin Burkhardt is on FOX’s second team on Sundays. Burkhardt, like Buck, is very busy in the fall with his NFL schedule and as the host of FOX’s MLB playoff coverage.
On Thursdays, FOX had looked at the idea of Aikman doing studio work if Manning had signed on for games. But if Aikman is calling games, that idea may be shelved, besides a potential spot with Buck at the site of the game.
Neither FOX’s NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee nor longtime panelist Jimmy Johnson is currently in play for Thursday.