Who could ESPN use to shake up ‘MNF’ booth?
As one of the NFL’s most visible and important entities, ESPN pays big money for “Monday Night Football.” This time around, the company needs to find an answer – preferably, for them, a long-term one – for its broadcast booth.
ESPN moved on from Joe Tessitore (play-by-play) and Anthony “Booger” McFarland earlier this month, according to multiple reports, after one season. The two made their debuts on the broadcasts in 2018, with Jason Witten a member of the crew before resuming his playing career.
The entire broadcast will be restructured with not only new announcers, but a fresh producer in Phil Dean and a director in Jimmy Platt.
Still, the network faces the daunting task of trotting out a new booth in a year it will likely not have a stadium full of screaming fans to boost the presentation.
Tessitore and McFarland are expected to maintain large roles at ESPN. They just weren’t the right fit for “MNF.” Then again, who is? Reports suggest their successors will come internally, but we’ve included a few outside candidates ESPN could turn to as well.
Play-by-play
Steve Levy: He’s been floated as Tessitore’s replacement on the main mic. Levy anchored “SportsCenter” for a long time and calls college football games, which seems to be a prerequisite for the “MNF” gig; Sean McDonough and Tessitore both emerged from the college ranks. Third time’s the charm?
Chris Fowler: Speaking of the college ranks, if ESPN goes there, why not promote the top dog? He and Kirk Herbstreit call the top college game of the week, a national semifinal and the championship game and it’s always a solid broadcast. The New York Post reported moving the duo to “MNF” as a possibility executives are considering.
Dave Pasch: Known for working with Bill Walton, Pasch has called a variety of sports, from college basketball to NBA to college football. He’s also been the radio voice for the Arizona Cardinals for the last 18 years. His voice certainly has big-game feel.
Color commentator
Peyton Manning: The hangup here is that if this were a possibility, it’d already be done. Manning already does a show on ESPN+ called “Peyton’s Places,” appears on “Detail,” and he’s certainly not camera shy. If Romo can tell you where the ball is going before the snap, imagine what Manning can do from the booth. The dream booth is him and Al Michaels, but it’s a long shot.
Randy Moss: Staying with the Hall of Fame theme, Moss is a studio analyst for “MNF.” He’s a big name, but can he make the adjustment to games?
Mina Kimes: Already busy hosting ESPN’s daily podcast, appearing on several programs and writing, Kimes still found time in August to be the color commentator on Los Angeles Rams preseason games. She is sharp, passionate about the game and could provide needed diversity to the booth.
Dan Orlovsky: One of ESPN’s fastest risers, his work for “Get Up” and “NFL Live” has been exemplary. Orlovsky is probably the sharpest analyst at the network in terms of X’s and O’s, and adding him to the booth would enhance the audience’s football IQ immediately.
Louis Riddick: The former NFL defensive back and personnel man is one of the most dogged analysts at the network. He has served as the color guy on college games and does extensive work for the draft, while keeping his pulse on the NFL, and is available to offer any type of analysis when it pertains to football. That kind of breadth and knowledge makes him ideal for the role.
Kurt Warner: He has tried out for this job in the past but was passed over for Witten and McFarland. The Athletic media columnist Richard Deitsch’s ideal booth is comprised of Pasch, Riddick and Warner, who has been on the Westwood One radio call for “MNF” the last two seasons. He also checks boxes as a Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion.
The wild cards
Chris Berman: Could he be back, back, back, back? After it essentially forced him into a smaller role at ESPN, the network began re-embracing him and longtime compadre Tom Jackson last season. Boomer was the backup on Monday night broadcasts from 2012 to 2016, but it is absolutely a stretch. A certain type of football fan would love to see him involved in some way.
Pat McAfee: Can the Disney/NFL combination stomach him at full force? Probably not, but he’s already quite visible on “College GameDay” and “Get Up,” so a prime-time slot might not present itself as a factor in discouraging a McAfee-“MNF” pairing. A smart producer would let McAfee tap into his creative juices and let him roam the stadium during the game as maybe an extra sideline reporter.
Jay Cutler: Cutler had a deal with Fox to be its No. 2 commentator before he jumped back into football for a season with the Miami Dolphins. No one is simply given that job, so there must be something there. If his reality show was any indication, lots of dry humor could be on deck.
Nate Burleson: A former player, he brings flair and smarts. He’s enjoyable with the rest of the “Good Morning Football” crew on NFL Network. Would he leave that job for this one?