According to Andrew Marchand, ESPN would like to pair Al Michaels with former QB Peyton Manning as its broadcast team for Monday Night Football, which would necessitate trading for Michaels from NBC.
Marchand reports ESPN has also shown interest in former Chargers QB Philip Rivers for a role in the booth. Rivers has said he intends to continue playing in 2020, but this shows he would have options if a good landing spot doesn’t emerge.
ESPN’s current team consists of Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland. The network also reportedly made a run at Tony Romo before he re-signed with CBS for $17 million a year.
Marchand reports talks have not yet started regarding a potential trade for Michaels. His contract with NBC still runs for two more years.
Marchand adds Manning has turned down multiple opportunities to start a TV broadcast career and is said to be waiting for the exact right role. If ESPN can’t land Michaels, some sources say Manning would also like to work with former C Jeff Saturday.
Michaels was traded from ESPN to NBC in 2006 for the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
Rivers, 38, is a former first-round pick of the Giants back in 2004. He was later traded to the Chargers in return for Eli Manning.
Rivers just finished the final year of his five-year, $99 million contract that includes $65 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $11 million for the 2019 season. He will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NFL career.
In 2019, Rivers appeared in all 16 games for the Chargers and completed 66 percent of his passes for 4,615 yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2020 Free Agents list.
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