ESPN's new Monday Night Football team.

After a rough couple years, a new Monday Night Football booth of Steve Levy, Brian Griese, and Louis Riddick, along with sideline reporter Lisa Salters and rules analyst John Parry, came in for the 2020 NFL season. They were fine at the start and throughout the season, the crew improved and were hitting their stride but there was always a feeling that changes might happen for 2021 and beyond.

Play-by-play guy Steve Levy disagrees with the idea there could be changes and believes everyone is coming back to MNF for the 2021 season. In speaking with Richard Deitsch from The Athletic, Levy expressed positive thoughts on ESPN’s communication with the crew and while he hasn’t definitively heard this, he revealed he’s heard enough to believe that everyone is coming back.

There is reason to believe the entire crew will return. It was reported a few weeks ago that ESPN was planning to keep the Levy, Griese, and Riddick booth but the recently retired Philip Rivers could derail those plans if ESPN wanted to hire him. Based on Levy’s perception of the situation, it doesn’t seem like he believes that Rivers will join the broadcast. In addition, Riddick was linked to multiple GM jobs and interviewed with the Lions, Texans, and Jaguars but when he wasn’t hired for those positions, Riddick was able to come back to the booth.

Levy’s optimism doesn’t necessarily mean Levy winds up being right. Plans change and ESPN could decide tomorrow to pivot and change everything. But at the same time, Levy would have a good idea where things are potentially going for MNF that if he’s confident enough to put that out there, things are probably on track to have everyone back.

[The Athletic/@richarddeitsch]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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