Tom Brady and Jason Kelce will enter the world of television after reaching deals with FOX and ESPN…but how is each network preparing for the NFL season?
As another NFL season approaches, the networks that broadcast the nation’s most popular sport are about to make some big changes.
ESPN is expected to sign two Hall of Fame contributors in a Super Bowl-winning center and a multiple-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
Meanwhile, FOX Sports is set to start paying the greatest quarterback of all time over a ten-year period.
Elsewhere, there’s controversy surrounding the replacement of two longtime analysts on a network’s pregame and postgame show.
Here, DailyMail.com takes a look at all the changes coming to the NFL’s US broadcast networks next season.
FOX Sports and ESPN have both made changes to their NFL broadcast schedules for 2024.
ESPN
ESPN has seen a major overhaul of its Monday Night Football team with the recent addition of two names to its broadcast team.
Bill Belichick is poised to take on a number of important roles within the company as the notoriously quiet coach suddenly becomes a media savvy.
Belichick plans to join the Pat McAfee Show on a weekly basis, as the coach and former punter agreed live during the NFL Draft.
The former Patriots coach is already reportedly agreeing to appear on Monday Night Football’s alternate “ManningCast” in a recurring role.
But he’s not the only one on the rise in sports: retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce has agreed to join the pregame desk for the Monday Night Countdown.
The rest of the Monday Night Football team remains largely intact – with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman remaining in the first broadcast spot.
Bill Belichick set to play role on ‘ManningCast’ and Pat McAfee Show this year
Meanwhile, recently retired Jason Kelce will join Monday Night Countdown
FOX
They say “go big or go home” and there may be no one bigger to bring in than Tom Brady.
A few years ago, the quarterback signed a ten-year, $375 million contract to become the No. 1 color commentator for FOX’s NFL coverage.
Now, as a member of the company’s top broadcast team with Kevin Burkhardt, Brady will compete in the mid- and late-afternoon contests that FOX calls “America’s Game of the Week.”
Brady will once again team up with Rob Gronkowski – who remains on the desk as an analyst for the pre-game and post-game shows alongside Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson and Howie Long.
Most importantly, Brady will be present during FOX’s broadcast of Super Bowl LIX from New Orleans on February 9, 2025.
Tom Brady is close to finally fulfilling his contract with FOX Sports that he signed years ago
CBS
While the lead commentary pair of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo remains unchanged, the analytics desk will be different.
After more than 20 years each with the company, former quarterbacks Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason will not be returning to CBS.
Replacing them full-time will be former edge rusher JJ Watt and recently retired quarterback Matt Ryan.
CBS offers early and mid-afternoon time slots, primarily showing AFC games throughout the schedule.
The biggest change for CBS is the addition of Matt Ryan to their pregame desk.
Ryan and current analyst JJ Watt will replace Boomer Esiason (left) and Phil Simms (right)
BNC
While NBC only airs one game per week, the most important game airs each week on Sunday Night Football.
Unlike the other three networks mentioned previously, NBC is not expected to make any major changes to its programming.
Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth remain in the booth and their on-air lineup including studio host Maria Taylor and analysts like Tony Dungy and Jason Garrett remains intact.
Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth remain in their jobs as NBC makes no changes
Amazon Prime
The youngest network to regularly broadcast NFL games won’t make any major changes, either.
Amazon Prime continues with its Thursday Night Football listing with Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth.
Pre-game and post-game duties will still fall to Charissa Thompson and her panel of co-hosts, including Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez, Andrew Whitworth and Richard Sherman.
Like NBC, Amazon makes no changes with Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit remaining
