Wednesday morning, Awful Announcing’s Jesse Pantuosco published a piece about Max Kellerman’s complicated legacy as ESPN’s odd man out. A few hours later, a report dropped that seemed to put the button on that story.
According to NY Post sports media reporter Andrew Marchand, ESPN is phasing out the Keyshawn, JWill & Max morning radio show hosted by Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams, and Max Kellerman.
Given the rolling layoffs and restructuring happening at ESPN over the last several months, it’s hard not to see how those talents might also be impacted in other ways.
Kellerman appears to be the employee most in danger as, along with losing the radio show, his This Just In show will be bumped or canceled to make room for The Pat McAfee Show when it arrives.
It’s the latest in a long line of disappointments for Kellerman, whose run on First Take “ran its course,” according to Stephen A. Smith, who also thinks he has “been proven to be right” to move on from Kellerman.
In 2018, ESPN re-signed Kellerman to a new deal in what was seen as the completion of a redemption arc for the longtime commentator.
As for Williams and Johnson, Marchand said that both of their futures with ESPN are in “flux,” adding that ESPN signed Johnson to a four-year contract worth around $18 million last year.
Williams said in early June that his ESPN deal expires in three months, and it’s fair to speculate that the end of the radio show may coincide with the end of his deal.
The end of the syndicated radio show also added to ESPN Radio’s national woes as it continues to cling to life.
[NY Post]
