He joined a month after the Worldwide Leader, then a boutique cable channel, was founded in 1979.
Advertisement
“BACK BACK BACK BACK, GONE” will never be the same.
According to The Big Lead, Chris Berman will retire from ESPN after the 2016 season.
ESPN already has undergone major changes to its National Football League programming, announcing earlier this month the departure of Mike Tirico to NBCSN. Berman is in the final year of his contract, which ends sometime after the 2016-2017 football season.
ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz declined comment to The Big Lead.
Advertisement
The report adds the network has already begun to plan Berman’s send-off as he’s one of the longest tenured employees the company has. He now hosts ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown”, and while he has covered a wide range of sports, he is best known for bringing a brassy presence to NFL action. The “Countdown” shows have also seen plenty of turnover, with the likes of Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Matt Hasselbeck replacing Mike Ditka, Cris Carter and Ray Lewis. According to The Big Lead, there’s an internal push for Suzy Kolber to take over, though some see Trey Wingo as the ideal fit.
