It’s a new day for The NFL Today.
Esiason announced during the Monday edition of his WFAN radio show that he won’t be returning to CBS in the fall, ending his 22-year run on the pregame show. He also has extended his contract in the morning slot he inherited with Craig Carton after Don Imus exited in 2007, both for the radio show and the CBS Sports Network simulcast.
“More their decision than maybe mine,” Esiason said, pointing to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas as his “swan song.”
For The NFL Today, it’s another piece of the re-worked puzzle. Host James Brown is staying. Everyone else’s contract was up, from Esiason to Phil Simms to Bill Cowher to Nate Burleson. J.J. Watt is under contract, but he appeared on a part-time basis in 2023.
Expect to hear more, soon. The annual “upfronts” with advertisers are two weeks away. By then, most lineups for the coming season are set.
The NFL Today debuted in the ‘70s and became appointment viewing. Nowadays, with so many ways to get information and analysis on a Sunday morning or early afternoon, the traditional pregame shows don’t pack the same punch they once did.