ESPN’s Randy Moss is set to return to his full-time NFL role this season. Plus: news on the ESPN future of Linda Cohn, a new role for NBC’s Ahmed Fareed, and a resolution to Julie Stewart-Binks’ lawsuit against Fox Sports.
Moss to return to full-time NFL Countdown role
ESPN NFL analyst Randy Moss will return to his full-time role starting with Week 1 of the season, ESPN told Andrew Marchand of The Athletic in a piece published Tuesday. Moss missed the final weeks of last season, returning only on Super Bowl Sunday, due to cancer treatment. According to Marchand, his recovery “has progressed” to the point where he can make a full-time return.
Moss joined ESPN in 2016 after a brief stint with Fox Sports.
SC anchor Cohn still with ESPN, but future roles unclear
ESPN anchor Linda Cohn remains under contract with the network, but her future role has yet to be determined following the cancellation of the Los Angeles-based SportsCenter on which she worked, an ESPN spokesperson told Richard Deitsch of The Athletic. Cohn, the longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor, joined ESPN in 1992.
Her L.A.-based colleague Stan Verrett is leaving the network.
Fareed to host Monday night NBA for Peacock
NBC Sports announced Tuesday that Ahmed Fareed will be the network’s lead studio host for Monday night NBA games on Peacock. Fareed has previously hosted NBA studio coverage of Warriors and Kings games on NBC Sports Bay Area from 2013-18, and also hosted Peacock’s national MLB package during its two-season run.
In addition to the NBA role, Fareed will also take over as host of NBC’s Big Ten College Countdown college football pregame show, replacing Maria Taylor. Taylor is leaving that role to take over as NBC’s lead NBA studio host.
Stewart-Binks files for dismissal of Fox Sports lawsuit
Former Fox Sports reporter Julie Stewart-Binks has filed for a dismissal of her suit against the company and its former executive Charlie Dixon, according to Katie Strang of The Athletic, a move that follows settlement talks that began in April. The Stewart-Binks lawsuit was one of two filed against Fox in the past year that accused Dixon of sexual misconduct. He was fired from Fox in April, though reportedly the stated reason was unrelated to the lawsuits.
