ESPN is going with a familiar face as its new host for “Sunday NFL Countdown.”
Mike Greenberg will be the new host of the weekly NFL pregame show, ESPN announced Tuesday, replacing Sam Ponder, who, along with Robert Griffin III, was fired by ESPN last week.
Greenberg, a longtime ESPNer who used to host “SportsCenter” and the “Mike & Mike” radio show with Mike Golic, currently hosts ESPN’s morning show, “Get Up,” and the “Greeny” radio show, and previously hosted “NBA Countdown.”
The 57-year-old gets the nod over Laura Rutledge, who hosts “NFL Live” during the week.
ESPN’s firings last week came as a surprise to many considering football season is close to kicking off, but the moves were made for financial reasons as the company’s fiscal year approaches its end, according to The Athletic.
Ponder, 38, had one year and more than $1 million left on her contract, The Athletic reported.
Greenberg will be joined by Tedy Bruschi, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan and Alex Smith on set for the three-hour show, which starts at 10 a.m.
Ponder’s firing hasn’t sat well with some, including former ESPNer Michele Tafoya, who says Ponder speaking out against transgender women playing in women’s sports was a factor in the network’s decision.
“I don’t believe that anything is just budget cuts anymore,” Tafoya told Fox News on Friday. “I think that they clearly wanted to find an off-ramp for Sam. What’s troubling to me is the timing. This is three weeks before the NFL season begins.
“Her show ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ is coming off its best ratings year in quite some time, so I don’t know why they would do this so close to the season and bring so much attention, unless they want to bring in the next host and give that host a lot of attention. But what Sam said in that tweet was so reasonable.”
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