Chris Berman’s agent quickly shot down a report last year that his client was going to retire after the expiration of his contract with ESPN in 2017, but his future with the network remained uncertain until Thursday.
That’s when ESPN announced Berman won’t be leaving the company he has worked for since shortly after it started in 1979. Berman will be leaving his role as the lead face of the network’s NFL studio shows, however.
In a press release, ESPN announced that Berman will no longer host Sunday NFL Countdown or Monday Night Countdown, but will still make on-air appearances on the latter show to “offer opinion and perspective on historical events.” He will also host “NFL PrimeTime highlights show from the field after the Super Bowl as well as the NFL Conference Championship games.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to spend almost two-thirds of my life at ESPN, and I am honored to have lent a small hand in laying the cornerstone for what has truly become a beacon in sports,” Berman said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that this ride will continue, albeit differently. Today’s announcement allows me to fulfill perhaps my final professional goal – knowing that I will finish with the team I came in with.”
The release from ESPN did not include information about who will be filling Berman’s former roles on NFL coverage in 2017 and beyond.
