Sports Business Journal reported Monday that FS1’s Undisputed would likely add former longtime NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson to its cast.
Johnson made a name for himself in the sports media world on ESPN for over a decade. The former first-round pick for the New York Jets led an illustrious NFL career littered with a Super Bowl championship in Tampa Bay and other successful runs in Dallas and New York. Johnson joined the Worldwide Leader after retirement, where he was present on Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Monday Night Countdown, and many other ESPN-branded NFL shows.
Keyshawn also hosted a radio show with Jay Williams and Max Kellerman. ESPN disbanded that show and laid Johnson and Kellerman off this past summer. So this move for Keyshawn comes on the heels of that layoff decision by the WWL.
SBJ had also initially reported that former NFL Network and ESPN football analyst Michael Irvin would join the show. However, John Ourand amended his initial report. He now says that while conversations occurred between Irvin and Fox, it’s “unlikely” that he will have a role on the show this coming fall.
FS1 is also reportedly talking to Rachel Nichols about contributing to the show. Undisputed officially added both star rapper Li’l Wayne and former Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman to its cast to replace the void left by Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe heads in the opposite direction here, as he will join First Take sporadically this coming autumn. Everyone else, though, will be pit against chief sports television agitator Skip Bayless.
It probably makes sense why Fox would pursue Keyshawn Johnson. Key has been in NFL media for well over a decade and was a prominent player during his playing days. Whether or not Johnson is a fit or should be involved in something better than a debate show? That’s another story for another day. But, hey, no hate on getting money wherever it comes.
