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The downsizing at ESPN this summer created vacant spots across almost all of the network’s NFL broadcasts, spanning from early morning shows to its premier debate program. The roster of candidates lined up to occupy these roles offers significant insight into the future direction of the Worldwide Leader’s gridiron coverage.
The most obvious vacancies reside within the morning and daytime lineups. Kyle Brandt is projected to participate in multiple ESPN studio broadcasts this autumn as Good Morning Football becomes more deeply integrated into the ESPN network, with discussions already pointing to a weekly spot on Get Up. Brandt has openly sought an expanded presence at the network since crossing paths again with Peter Schrager during this year’s NFL Draft, where he confessed to contacting virtually anyone at ESPN who would listen, volunteering for any task just to get screen time. Schrager transitioned from Good Morning Football to ESPN in March 2025, establishing himself on NFL Live—a position poised to expand now that Ryan Clark has departed the program.
Another key figure to monitor is Jason McCourty, who finalized a fresh, multi-year exclusive agreement with ESPN in June. This contract cements his presence across NFL Live, Get Up, First Take, and SportsCenter as he enters his third year with the broadcaster. ESPN’s official release described him as an essential asset for its comprehensive “all-season NFL coverage” as the network prepares for its inaugural Super Bowl telecast in February 2027. Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing pointed out that because of ESPN’s partnership with NFL Network, McCourty might easily appear on both outlets, similar to the arrangements for Ian Rapoport and Rich Eisen. Following the departures of Clark and Cam Newton, McCourty is strategically set, both by contract and circumstances, to take on a significantly larger role in ESPN’s daily pro football lineup compared to last month.
The ultimate goal, albeit a more complicated one, is Monday Night Countdown. ESPN has invested heavily in transforming this program into a celebrity-driven showcase, recruiting Jason Kelce last season. Historically, the network prefers high-profile former players for these roles rather than traditional media analysts. This preference probably disqualifies someone like Dan Orlovsky, who thrives more in high-energy, First Take-type debates than on a structured studio panel, despite his rising status across ESPN’s football broadcasts.
Gerald McCoy remains a strong candidate, especially since he currently contributes to Sunday morning programming on NFL Network and could easily integrate Monday night duties into his schedule. Alex Smith fits a comparable mold, having spent portions of five seasons across various iterations of ESPN’s NFL Countdown lineup. Smith began his tenure at ESPN in 2021 as a part-time analyst on select Monday Night Countdown broadcasts, transitioned to a full-time role on Sunday NFL Countdown in 2023, and secured a new agreement in August 2025 that added weekday slots on Get Up and First Take. Meanwhile, veteran ESPN analyst Harry Douglas remains part of this highly competitive rotation, grouped with Smith, Damien Woody, and Domonique Foxworth as part of the channel’s extensive roster of weekday contributors. While neither analyst has secured the permanent Countdown spot, both are sufficiently integrated within the company that expanding their roles would not require starting new negotiations from square one.
Stephen A. Smith is the ultimate wildcard, representing perhaps the most intriguing figure on this list considering his trajectory over the past year. ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro previously indicated the network was highly receptive to Smith expanding his NFL portfolio. When Smith inked a five-year, $100 million contract extension in March 2025, early reports pointed to Countdown as a probable destination for his increased responsibilities. However, he ended up making only occasional NFL appearances during the subsequent season and was actually removed from NBA Countdown under the terms of that agreement.
Throughout this period, Smith has been highly strategic about maintaining positive relations with network management. Following the recent dismissal of Ryan Clark, Smith used his independent YouTube platform to express his disappointment, praising Clark as one of the nation’s premier football analysts and acknowledging that leadership was fully aware of his frustration. However, he refrained from direct criticism of the network, stating that while he might disagree with management, he would never publicly disparage them because business remains business. This diplomatic stance has defined Smith’s approach, demonstrating public alignment with the network even as he lost duties on its premier basketball broadcast and saw close colleagues depart. Having functioned as a loyal team player, and with multiple vacancies now appearing across the network’s NFL shows, this could be the perfect opportunity for ESPN to fulfill its commitments regarding his expanded football presence.
Meanwhile, First Take must address its own vacancy, a topic analyzed by Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing following the layoffs of Clark and Newton. Contes suggested several options, including Michael Irvin, who has been gradually returning for guest spots since departing in 2023; Chad Johnson, whose strong dynamic with Shannon Sharpe on Nightcap makes him an appealing candidate if the network seeks that specific vibe; Kurt Warner, who is already connected to ESPN through the NFL Network partnership but does not fit the typical high-volume debate style; Richard Sherman, who has a history of on-screen confrontations on the show; and Skip Bayless himself, following a brief reunion earlier this year that proved viewers still have an appetite for his style, even if ESPN is hesitant to offer him top-tier compensation.
These shifts are occurring alongside ESPN’s negotiations for one of the most lucrative contracts in the history of sports broadcasting. Andrew Marchand reported in June that ESPN is in talks with Pat McAfee’s representatives regarding a renewal valued between $60 million and $65 million annually, a deal that would likely involve a broader presence on the network, potentially including additional NFL content. Should this agreement secure McAfee a larger footprint in ESPN’s football coverage, it could disrupt plans for the other candidates mentioned, given that both airtime and financial resources are limited once a major network personality secures a larger share of the schedule.
The inner workings of these programming decisions remain confidential, and ESPN has not released any official strategies for these broadcasts beyond acknowledging the staff reductions. Nevertheless, across the morning slate, NFL Live, Countdown, and First Take, there is currently an unprecedented amount of available NFL airtime at ESPN, and the roster of hopefuls vying for these positions far exceeds the number of open slots.
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