ESPN cements Countdown plans

ESPN locked in new commentator lineups for its Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown pregame shows in addition to a formulating a new programming lineup leading into Monday Night Football. Tedy Bruschi is being tapped to join Sunday NFL Countdown with host Sam Ponder, analysts Matt Hasselbeck, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan and Louis Riddick, as well as insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter, all returning for the three-hour weekly show. Countdown’s stadium reporters will regularly include Josina Anderson, Jeff Darlington, Dan Graziano, Sal Paolantonio and Dianna Russini, and Jac Collinsworth will continue to contribute features.

Riddick, who will call his first NFL game as part of ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheader on Sept. 9 and provide game analysis during Friday night college football games this fall, will now join the Monday Night Countdown main set as well. In addition, Schefter will now travel to MNF games each week where he will be part of Countdown. In her third year as solo host, Suzy Kolber will continue to lead the Monday Night Football pregame show (with Moss, Riddick and Steve Young, as well as halftime and postgame coverage with Riddick and Young. Mondays this fall will feature a new ESPN show lineup leading into Monday Night Football, including a one-hour edition of SportsCenter at 4 p.m. ET, hosted by Elle Duncan and Michael Eaves. Also new this year, Mortensen will appear on the set of NFL Live, and will contribute to all SportsCenter shows throughout the day.

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