On Monday, Rich Eisen hosted the 11 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, which marked the former ESPN star’s first time manning the network’s flagship show in more than two decades.
As it turns out, Eisen’s return to his SportsCenter roots won’t be a one-off.
According to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, an ESPN spokesperson confirmed that there are plans in place for the NFL Network star to host future editions of SportsCenter. While a formal schedule has yet to be announced, the plans call for Eisen to host “periodic special editions” of ESPN’s flagship show.
Considering that Monday’s return was both a critical and commercial success, the news hardly comes as a surprise.
Not only was Eisen’s nostalgia-rich return well-received by those who tuned in, there were plenty of people who did. According to Sports Business Journal‘s Austin Karp, the episode, which followed the preseason Monday Night Football matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders, saw a 67 percent ratings increase from the 11 p.m. SportsCenter‘s year-to-date average. Averaging 708,000 viewers, it was the most-watched 11 p.m. SportsCenter since mid-June.
Apparently this @richeisen guy has a future if he wants to host @SportsCenter
Eisen’s return Monday night (1st time in 20+ years) got 708,000 viewers
🔲67% above “SC” avg. this year to date for 11pm
🔲Most-viewed 11pm “SC” since mid-June
🔲Above Eisen’s last “SC” in 2003 (670K)— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) August 20, 2025
Meanwhile, Eisen clearly enjoyed himself, as evidenced by the comments he made reflecting on his ESPN return during Tuesday’s episode of his eponymous radio show.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, and I’m always attempting to do so,” he said. “I am buzzing this morning. I am overwhelmed with emotion and appreciative of the reaction to my appearance on SportsCenter last night on ESPN after the Monday Night Football game. First time in 22 years that I’ve hosted the program.”
While Eisen isn’t currently an ESPN employee, that may ultimately be a matter of semantics moving forward. In addition to The Rich Eisen Show becoming a part of ESPN’s programming via a licensing agreement next month, the network’s equity deal with the NFL will see the Worldwide Leader in Sports take over the NFL Network once it receives regulatory approval.
Whether he’s an actual employee or not, this much is clear: Eisen won’t be difficult to find on ESPN airwaves moving forward. And that’s not just because of his radio show’s upcoming move, but also because there’s a clear demand for him to be a part of the show where he first became a sports media star more than 20 years ago.
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.