Chris Berman has cut back a bit on his role at ESPN in recent years but he’s still a mainstay at the company. Joining the “Worldwide Leader” a month after their September 1979 launch, Berman is an ESPN-lifer in every sense of the word and he will be with them for at least a couple more years.
On Berman’s 66th birthday, ESPN revealed that he has signed a multi-year extension to remain at ESPN. Berman will mainly be continuing his current schedule with NFL PrimeTime on ESPN+ and will “continue to contribute commentary, features, interviews and perspective across ESPN shows and platforms, including SportsCenter and beyond.” Berman will also be on ESPN hosting NFL PrimeTime after NFL Conference Championship weekend and after the Super Bowl.
Public reaction to Chris Berman has varied over the years. While some may have grown tired of his hosting style, others found it endearing and enjoy the nostalgia trip when he’s on the air. When NFL PrimeTime went away in 2005, many missed Berman and Tom Jackson covering each NFL Sunday together. Then when it came back in 2019, many welcomed those two reuniting. Even when COVID concerns forced Jackson to take last year off, Booger McFarland stepped in and did well.
Either way, we’ll be enjoying Berman’s nicknames for years to come.
