The anticipation will continue to grow when it comes to what voices ESPN will tab as the next “Monday Night Football” team. And Front Office Sports reported Monday the college football season — or a delay to the start of it — could play a huge role.
FOS reports ESPN would consider moving Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit into the MNF booth if there is any delay to the college football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ESPN could turn to top college football announce team of Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler to call NFL's iconic 'Monday Night Football' this season. More @frntofficesport. https://t.co/hJGXbmWv3j
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) June 15, 2020
If college football’s fall season is delayed or, at worst, canceled, ESPN will likely turn to its top college football broadcast team of analyst Kirk Herbstreit and play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler to call “MNF,” sources tell Front Office Sports.
“It all hinges on when and if college football comes back,” a source told FOS. “If Herbstreit and Fowler are ESPN’s best football booth, and a lot of execs at ESPN believe they are, why not have them call Monday Night? They call the College Football Playoff National Championship game every year.”
ESPN is replacing the team of Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland, which was heavily criticized during its two years.
Should college football kick off on time, the names bandied about for MNF have been: Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, Pat McAfee, Steve Levy, Dave Pasch, and Brian Griese.
ESPN is not alone in playing a waiting game on NFL voices. FOX has to replace analyst Charles Davis, who left for CBS. FOS suggests FOX could move Joel Klatt into the role Davis vacated if college football is delayed.