ESPN’s longest-tenured NFL studio duo is coming back this weekend. In other news, NBC’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his debut next month, and Fox Sports is reportedly making a serious play for Thursday Night Football.
Berman and Jackson Back on ESPN NFL Studio This Week
Berman’s return is not new news. Though he relinquished most of his NFL roles in the new contract he signed last year, his deal calls for him to host NFL Primetime after the conference championships and Super Bowl each season. Jackson’s role is more of a surprise, given he has made only two guest appearances on ESPN since retiring in 2016.
Berman and Jackson, who worked together on ESPN’s NFL shows for 30 years, will be joined by Keyshawn Johnson. [Awful Announcing 1.16]
Dale Jr. Making NBC Debut Next Month
Earnhardt Jr. joins the long list of NBC Sports analysts moonlighting on the network’s biggest events. NBC has previously used Cris Collinsworth and Mary Carillo on multiple Olympics and Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir and Eddie Olczyk on horse racing.[NBC Sports PR 1.16]
FOX Making Serious Play For TNF
News of the Fox bid comes one day after Sports Business Journal reported that ESPN/ABC would make a surprise play for the Thursday night package. [Bloomberg 1.16]
