Twelve years after Mark Ingram replaced Reggie Bush with the New Orleans Saints, he may do something similar at Fox. Andrew Marchand of The New York Post reported Thursday that Bush looks set to exit Fox, and that Ingram may retire from the NFL and take Bush’s spot on Big Noon Kickoff:
NEWS: Reggie Bush likely out at Fox Sports in contract dispute, while Mark Ingram II strongly considers retirement from the NFL to join "Big Noon Kickoff," The Post has learned.https://t.co/LJqdcDi4kY
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) June 8, 2023
Here’s more on that from Marchand’s piece:
Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff” is closing in on signing Mark Ingram II, according to sources.
Ingram II will then retire from the NFL after 13 seasons in which he gained more than 8,000 yards.
…Bush is expected to be out at Fox over a contract dispute.
Bush, who won the 2005 Heisman with USC, and Fox first squabbled over money last year.
Marchand notes that Fox looked into ESPN’s Robert Griffin III and Desmond Howard around that financial dispute last year, but never made a formal offer to either of those two. And it’s interesting that Ingram is now their reported target as a Bush replacement. Fox’s studio show so far has been very focused on the Big Ten, the Big 12, and the Pac-12 (and particularly on current Pac-12 and soon-to-be Big Ten member USC, with panelists Bush (seen above in 2020) and Matt Leinart both hailing from there), and has made some hay out of trying to counter ESPN’s perceived SEC bias. But Ingram comes from a SEC background given his Alabama Crimson Tide career, which included him winning the Heisman Trophy in 2009 (the first Alabama player to do so) and winning the national championship with them that season. So he would certainly be a different figure for Fox.
Fox has often looked for analysts who can contribute on both the NFL and NCAA football, though, and Ingram certainly has a good background in both. Following his college career, the Saints drafted him in the first round (21st overall) in 2011, and he’s played in the NFL since with New Orleans (2011-18, 2021-present), the Baltimore Ravens (2019-20), and the Houston Texans (2021). And he’s long received praise as a strong interview and an insightful figure. So he may well work out well here. But it’s definitely interesting to see Bush reportedly set to leave Fox, and to see Ingram tabbed as his replacement.
