It is being reported that longtime ESPN anchor/host and play-by-play broadcaster Steve Levy will be the next play-by-play man for the legendary Monday Night Football franchise. If one report is accurate, Levy, who joined ESPN 27 years ago tomorrow, will be joined in the booth by longtime ESPN college football broadcaster Brian Griese and ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick.
ESPN reporter Lisa Salters would remain MNF sideline reporter.
Sports and media writer Jim Miller initially reported the news.
Hearing: New @NFL_MNF booth: @espnSteveLevy @briangriese @LRiddickESPN 2nd game @steelers vs. @Giants @cbfowler @KirkHerbstreit (If college football season is cancelled, this could change)
— james andrew miller (@JimMiller) July 31, 2020
Miller’s reporting was confirmed by longtime sports media journalist Richard Deitsch.
Can confirm @JimMiller‘s excellent scoop:
Louis Riddick will be a Monday Night Football analyst this fall. Great news for those of us who have appreciated his preparation and honesty on air for years.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) July 31, 2020
Levy and Griese have worked together on ESPN college football telecasts for a while now, serving as the network’s No. 3 broadcast team in the booth. There’s already some chemistry there. Riddick has been a mainstay on ESPN NFL studio programming in recent years and is widely praised in sports media circles for his on-air analysis and general football acumen.
Brian Griese (Credit: ESPN MediaZone)
Nashville, TN – April 25, 2019: Louis Riddick during the 2019 NFL Draft
(Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)
Also, this is not the first time this trio has worked together on a Monday Night Football broadcast. Last season, Levy, Griese, Riddick and ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge teamed up to call the Denver Broncos-Oakland Raiders contest as part of MNF’s opening-night doubleheader.
Apparently the suits liked what they saw.
Per Miller’s tweet, ESPN/ABC’s No. 1 college football broadcast team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call the second game of the Week 1 Monday doubleheader, and could still be options if the NCAA college football season doesn’t happen.
The trio of Levy, Griese and Riddick is widely considered to be an upgrade from the last three-man MNF broadcast booth of Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten and Booger McFarland.