As NFL teams finalize their depth charts before the regular season kicks off, ESPN made a late, but significant roster addition to Monday Night Countdown.
According to Andrew Marchand of The New York Post, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is joining ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. Fitzgerald’s debut is expected to come prior to ESPN’s Week 1 Monday Night Football matchup featuring the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
The addition of Fitzgerald gives Monday Night Countdown a guaranteed future Hall-of-Fame wide receiver after the show losing an already recognized Hall-of-Fame wide receiver in Randy Moss earlier this year. Moss reportedly requested to lessen his workload with ESPN this season, choosing to leave their Monday Night Football pre- and post-game show. But he’ll continue to be featured on Sunday NFL Countdown.
Moss’ departure was followed by the hiring of Robert Griffin III to help fill the void on Monday Night Countdown. Griffin will be a full-time contributor on the show, while The Post reports Fitzgerald will work five to seven weeks this season in a role similar to what former NFL quarterback Alex Smith participated in last year.
The new Monday Night Countdown cast features Suzy Kolber, Booger McFarland, Steve Young, Adam Schefter, Griffin, Smith and Fitzgerald. Smith recently re-signed with ESPN to continue his part-time role on Countdown this season.
Fitzgerald, who comes from a sports media family with his father being a long-time sportswriter for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, is also co-hosting SiriusXM’s Let’s Go! Podcast with Tom Brady and Jim Gray for a second season.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com