It’s been more than a year since Todd McShay’s departure at ESPN, which came as the result of a series of layoffs at the Worldwide Leader in 2023.
But despite having largely laid low in the time since, it appears the longtime NFL Draft and college football analyst is set to reemerge, with the New York Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel reporting that McShay is in “serious talks” to join The Ringer. A deal has not been finalized.
At first glance, The Ringer might seem like a strange fit for McShay as the Spotify-owned outlet has never had a strong focus on college football, nor does it offer the type of year-round NFL Draft coverage that he provided at ESPN. But it’s possible The Ringer could be bringing him in to fill those voids and it’s also worth noting his friendship with Ryen Russillo, whose podcast he has frequently appeared on following his ESPN exit.
On Monday’s episode of The Ryen Russillo Podcast, the duo hinted at having some news to share in the near future.
“This was great man. It’s good to get back at it,” Russillo said. “We’ll have some other announcements coming up.
“I’m just hopeful we can make a big announcement soon,” McShay replied.
The potential addition of McShay would come at an interesting time at The Ringer, as the company’s founder, Bill Simmons, is reportedly set to become a free agent in 2025. Glasspiegel previously reported that The Sports Guy has had “exploratory” discussions with other media companies regarding the possibility of starting a new platform and has “privately expressed frustration with confidants about Spotify’s corporate structure in which he has not had full personnel autonomy to bring all of the talents or shows that he wanted to add to the fold.” Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Simmons told The Post that its story was “incorrect and idle speculation.”
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.