Bill Belichick press conference Bill Belichick during a press conference
ESPNNFLBy Awful Announcing Staff on

The sports world has been rocked this week by arguably the two biggest names in coaching leaving their iconic positions within a day of each other. On Wednesday, Nick Saban announced his retirement at Alabama after racking up an incredible six national championships with the Crimson Tide. On Thursday, it was revealed that Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots would be mutually parting ways after his own six Super Bowl trophies.

While Saban rides off into the sunset at his own volition, the Belichick-Patriots situation has been the subject of much more intrigue. It appears that Belichick wants to continue coaching, but after the franchise’s first back-to-back losing seasons since 1992-1993, it won’t be in New England.

So with a press conference set for this afternoon, it’s reasonable that ESPN would be all hands on deck with live coverage. Of course, given what’s happened at ESPN over the last week with the drama surrounding Pat McAfee feuding with executives and Aaron Rodgers at war with Jimmy Kimmel, nothing can really be classified as reasonable.

Thursday morning, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post revealed that an additional SportsCenter episode would preempt The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN while the mothership went all-in on covering Belichick.

Literally at any other moment in history, this would not be news. McAfee’s show will still be on YouTube and ESPN+ while the television simulcast will be shifted over to ESPN2.

The official end of arguably the greatest dynasty in modern day professional sports is definitely worth live coverage. And it’s not like ESPN2 is a giant step down anymore when both channels have roughly the same distribution.

But this isn’t any other moment in history. It just so happens to come after one of the most controversial and polarizing weeks a program has ever had at ESPN.

Of course, there will be some that want to play the optics game and make the argument that McAfee is being moved to the kids table so the adults can discuss the real news of the day. That’s just the reality after the week that McAfee has had. But it’s incredibly unlikely that ESPN is trying to send a message or knock McAfee down from his pedestal. It’s just a coincidence. It isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time McAfee’s show will move to ESPN2 for live sports coverage.

But if you are an amateur conspiracy theorist and want to go the Aaron Rodgers route… McAfee’s very public criticism of ESPN executive Norby Williamson, who he called a “rat” and “old hag,” centered on his accusation that Williamson leaked negative ratings news about his television show to Marchand. What has been Williamson’s priority for most of his ESPN career? SportsCenter. Hmmm….

Of course, maybe that’s just a coincidence too.

UPDATE: As it turns out, Belichick and Patriots owner Bob Kraft did not take questions at 12 PM ET. So after 12 minutes, McAfee returned to ESPN as well as airing on ESPN2. Another W for McAfee over Norby?

[Andrew Marchand]