The news just never stops coming out of Bristol in relation to their brigade of NFL analysts.  Already this offseason, the “leader” has added Damien Woody and Eric Mangini, Bill Parcells (for the 77th time), and Jerry Rice.  Well, it turns out that ESPN has let go of one of their NFL analysts to make room…

millen
Yes!  I can hear the kazoos and sense the exuberant dancing from all around the country!  Matt Millen has been eliminated from ESPN’s NFL coverage!  No more stupid arguments with Steve Young!  No more “draft expertise!”  Hip hip hooray!!  

Wait, wait a second… he’s still sticking around to contribute to the network’s college football coverage??  Dang.  Sorry, didn’t mean to get you all worked up…

In other news, former QB Trent Dilfer is in for a “promotion” also according to USA Today, taking Millen’s spot on the MNF on-site set next to Stuart Scott and Steve Young.  I don’t know about you, but sitting next to those two seems more like punishment than anything else.  I actually thought Dilfer’s best role was in the SportsCenter studio for the MNF postgame when he didn’t have to battle guys like Steve Young for airtime.  Oh well, I guess this just means he’ll have to talk even more louder and slower than normal to get Steve’s attention.  It’s strange to hear someone publicly talk about one of these analysts a promotion from ESPN.  Clearly there’s a pecking order in Bristol, but rarely is one of these guys singled out from the pack, unless you’re THIS GUY and you get your own TV special.

And that’s not all for Trent Dilfer, he and Brad Nessler will return to the booth to call ESPN’s second Monday Night Football game in Week 1, which is Raiders/Broncos.  If you also include his key role in the world changing, mountain moving, life altering Total QB Rating, it’s clear that he is the one analyst that ESPN wants to hitch its wagon to.  How much longer before he takes a spot on the main set of Countdown and co-hosting PTI?

By the way, here’s your running updated list of ESPN NFL analysts…

Jon Gruden, Ron Jaworski, TRENT DILFER (note the all caps promotion), Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, Matt Millen, Steve Young, Eric Allen, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Golic, Herm Edwards, Tim Hasselbeck, Merril Hoge, Antonio Pierce, Mark Schlereth, Marcellus WIly, Darren Woodson, Andrew Brandt, Lomas Brown, Derrick BrooksWarrick Dunn, Jon Ritchie, Kordell Stewart, Ross Tucker, Damien Woody, Hugh Douglas, Eric Mangini, Bill Parcells, Jerry Rice, The San Diego Chicken, Red Grange, Rich Kotite, He Hate Me, Leon Taylor, Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, Terry Tate Office Linebacker, William “The Refrigerator” Perry, and Coach Tony D’Amato

[USA Today