Heading into the 2023 NFL and college football season, ESPN announced on Wednesday, that in addition to assuming new duties, Chris Fowler has signed a multi-year deal with the network.
In May, The New York Post first reported that Fowler would be part of a change to the Worlwide Leader’s second Monday Night Football broadcast booth. Fowler is replacing Steve Levy in the role. Prior to ESPN’s hiring of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman a year ago, Fowler and Kirk Herbstret served as the No. 2 team behind Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick. Griese left ESPN last year, and Levy and Riddick teamed up with Dan Orlovsky to call a handful of MNF games.
The Athletic’s Richard Deistch reported on Tuesday that Fowler would call five NFL games this season alongside Orlovsky and Riddick. ESPN’s release confirmed that in addition to Laura Rutledge as the sideline reporter. The quartet has been assigned Saints-Panthers for Week 2 and Rams-Bengals for Week 3. They’ll also have the NFL’s International Series game between the Falcons and Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London on Oct. 1. They’ll also be on the call for a pair of doubleheaders as Monday Night Football will get one in Week 14 and there will also be a Saturday doubleheader in Week 18.
As a part of his new deal, Fowler will continue with his many existing roles, including as ESPN’s lead college football and Grand Slam tennis play-by-play voice. He’ll continue to be the voice of ABC’s Saturday Night Football and the College Football National Championship, alongside Herbstreit. Fowler will also balance being the voice of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, in addition to his many football duties.
Fowler’s new agreement with ESPN further cements his status as one of the network’s marquee voices. He has been with ESPN for over three decades and has grown to be one of the most respected hosts and play-by-play commentators on television.
[ESPN]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.