Randy Moss is back.
According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, the Hall of Fame wide receiver will return to ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown pregame show on a full-time basis this fall. Moss had missed the final two months of the 2024 season after revealing he had been diagnosed with cancer outside his bile duct, which was affecting the function of his liver.
“I am a cancer survivor,” Moss said in an Instagram live video last December, revealing he had undergone a six-hour procedure around Thanksgiving. “Trying times for sure, but we made it through.”
Despite his health issues, the 48-year-old returned to appear on the pre-Super Bowl edition of Sunday NFL Countdown, in which he emotionally reflected on the amount of support he had received in the previous weeks.
“Hey man, it’s a pleasure to be here, man,” Moss began. “Super Bowl 59! When I was diagnosed with the cancer, you know, I was talking to [ESPN producer] Seth Markman, and I said, ‘You know, I’m going to stay strong, I’m gonna beat this thing.’ And my goal was to be here with you guys. So man, God bless you guys for staying strong with me with the prayers, the prayer warriors, my doctors, my beautiful wife traveling with me.
“Man, where would I not want to be if I couldn’t be here with you guys? Super Bowl 59, it’s a great day to be here.”
ESPN welcomes back Randy Moss! https://t.co/yCNY7RGyaN pic.twitter.com/JxVz4Jl8MZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 9, 2025
In a statement to The Athletic, an ESPN spokesperson confirmed that Moss would be returning on a full-time basis this fall, beginning with Week 1 of the NFL season.
“Randy’s return on Super Bowl Sunday was an emotional lift — not just for our team but for the entire football community — and knowing he will resume his full Sunday NFL Countdown schedule, beginning in Week 1, has been the highlight of the offseason,” ESPN said in the statement.
The 2025 NFL season will mark Moss’ 10th since joining ESPN in 2016. While ESPN has yet to announce its full coverage plans for the upcoming football season, there hasn’t been any indication that there will be any changes to the Sunday NFL Countdown crew, which currently consists of host Mike Greenberg, Rex Ryan, Tedy Bruschi, Alex Smith and Moss.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.