After ‘wowing’ networks during his auditions, Robert Griffin III has found a home at ESPN. Plus: NBC has scheduled Notre Dame’s home football opener to air exclusively on Peacock, and more sports media news.
RGIII joins ESPN
Longtime NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has joined ESPN as a college football and NFL analyst, it was announced Thursday. Griffin III, whom the New York Post reported wowed networks in his auditions earlier this year, will serve as a regular college game analyst and a contributor to ESPN’s biggest football events — including the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl.
Front Office Sports reported that ESPN beat out Fox Sports for Griffin’s services.
Per multiple reports, Griffin’s contract is expected to have a clause that would allow him to return to the NFL should the opportunity arise.
It is far from uncommon for recently retired analysts, or those who have simply gone unsigned, to bolt the broadcast booth for a return to the field. Jason Witten left ESPN’s Monday Night Football after one poorly-received season to return to the field, Jay Cutler made his return to the field before even debuting with Fox Sports, and even two of the most celebrated analysts in recent history — CBS’ Tony Romo and Turner’s Charles Barkley two decades before him — considered comebacks in the early portion of their broadcasting careers. [ESPN PR 8.5, Front Office Sports 8.5, NFL.com 8.5]
Notre Dame opener to air exclusively on Peacock
NBC Sports announced Wednesday that its first Notre Dame game of the coming season is scheduled to air exclusively on Peacock, a first. The game, against Toledo September 11, would be just the fourth Notre Dame home game on a platform other than the NBC flagship since the network acquired rights in 1991. NBCSN aired a game in 2015 and another in 2017 and USA aired one last season.
While Notre Dame has played several games on relatively obscure cable outlets, the Peacock game will be the football team’s first exclusive game on an over-the-top streaming service. The service will also stream all of the Notre Dame games scheduled for NBC.
NBC has been ramping up Peacock’s sports presence since the platform launched last summer, including putting the first five United States Olympic men’s basketball games on the service. [NBC Sports PR]
Plus: Remy, Tortorella, Wolfe
NESN Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy is fighting lung cancer once again and has been forced to take a leave of absence. Per the Boston Globe, Remy was initially diagnosed in 2008 and had recurrences in 2013 and 2017. … ESPN has hired former NHL coach John Tortorella as an NHL analyst. Tortorella previously served as an NHL guest analyst for the network and was also part of its World Cup of Hockey coverage. … ESPN NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe has joined NFL Network. [Boston.com 8.4; NHL.com 8.4; Awful Announcing 8.4]
