With Troy Aikman en route to ESPN and Sean McVay staying in the coaching ranks, Kirk Herbstreit is reportedly behind door number three for Amazon.
The New York Post reported Sunday that Amazon is interested in pursuing Herbstreit for the lead analyst position on its new Thursday Night Football package. Talks have yet to begin, but are “expected to pick up shortly.”
Herbstreit is ESPN’s longtime lead college football analyst and remains under contract with the company. His deal reportedly allows him to work NFL games for a competing outlet, though the Post noted that ESPN could potentially dispute the language in the contract.
Herbstreit has called an NFL game in each of the past two seasons for ESPN, most recently working the first half of the network’s regular season-ending Week 18 doubleheader. He and his college football partner Chris Fowler were at point under consideration to move to Monday Night Football full-time. He has expressed interest in working NFL games and has been well-received in his two tryouts.
Amazon had previously targeted Troy Aikman for the Thursday night role, but he is reportedly heading to ESPN. Its second choice, Sean McVay, told ESPN over the weekend that he would remain as head coach of the Super Bowl champion Rams.
In addition to the Herbstreit news, the Post reported that his partner Fowler is under consideration for the Monday Night Football play-by-play voice position if ESPN is unable to acquire the services of Joe Buck or Al Michaels. Ian Eagle of CBS is also said to be under consideration, which is notable given Eagle just signed a contract extension last year.
The reporting would seem to indicate that ESPN has no real plans to bring back incumbent Steve Levy in the role.
[News from NYP 2.27]
