Behind The Mic: ESPN Re-Signs Prolific Group of Analysts, Darius Butler to Join NFL Matchup

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, ESPN Re-Signs Prolific Group of Analysts: Super Bowl Champions Steve Young, Booger McFarland and Jeff Saturday, Along with Three-Time Pro Bowler Alex Smith and more.

ESPN Re-Signs Prolific Group of Analysts: Super Bowl Champions Steve Young, Booger McFarland and Jeff Saturday, Along with Three-Time Pro Bowler Alex Smith

ESPN has re-signed Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young, Super Bowl Champions Booger McFarland and Jeff Saturday, and Pro Bowl Quarterback Alex Smith ahead of the 2022 NFL Season. The four analysts will continue to be showcased across ESPN’s studio programming on a regular basis, providing reaction to breaking news and top NFL storylines along with strategic insight into on-the-field and roster maneuvers.

McFarland will continue to appear across NFL and college football programming for three consecutive days each football weekend, concluding with Monday Night Countdown. The 1999 first round pick out of LSU will continue to appear on ABC’s college football studio coverage each Saturday and NFL Primetime on Sundays alongside Chris Berman, with the iconic highlights show available on ESPN+. McFarland will also keep his integral role on ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft and ESPN’s College Football Playoff offerings.

Young will join McFarland on Monday Night Countdown and join Pardon the Interruption each Thursday during the season. Smith will also appear on select editions of Monday Night Countdown throughout the season, while contributing to Sunday NFL Countdown and additional shows with regularity. Young, McFarland and Smith remain a key component of ESPN’s extensive Super Bowl coverage.

Saturday will also be featured every Monday of the NFL season, appearing on NFL Rewind. The weekly highlights show kicks-off ESPN’s football-centric afternoon programming leading into Monday Night Football. Saturday remains a mainstay on Get Up, including his popular “Sat ‘Em Down” segment, SportsCenter and additional studio shows throughout the season.

ESPN Signs NFL Veteran Darius Butler to Join NFL Matchup

ESPN has signed nine-year NFL veteran Darius Butler to appear on the iconic NFL Matchup show, joining long-time host Sal Paolantonio and analyst Greg Cosell. The trio will make their debut together when the new season of NFL Matchup premieres on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

The emblematic show, which has existed for nearly 40 years, all on ESPN, will premiere every Saturday on ESPN2 and then be available on ESPN+ shortly after it airs. On Sundays, NFL Matchup will air on ESPN (typically at 4 a.m. & 6:30 a.m.) leading off the network’s Sunday programming during the NFL season. This year will be the 30th season in which NFL Matchup will appear on ESPN’s airwaves on Saturdays during the NFL season; from 1984-93 the show was dubbed, Sunday NFL Matchup and aired on Sundays. New this year, additional NFL Matchup content will be available on ESPN’s YouTube channel each week in conjunction with content on the show’s Twitter and Instagram channels.

MSG Networks Announces Keiana Martin as New Host of “Odds with Ends”

MSG Networks today announced that Keiana Martin will be joining its roster of on-air talent hosts. A current MLB Network host and former San Francisco 49ers senior reporter, Martin will be regularly featured across MSG Networks’ lineup of sports betting programming throughout the NFL, NBA and NHL seasons.

Martin will serve as the new host of Odds with Ends, the network’s weekly football betting show that will air every Friday throughout the NFL season. Martin will be joined each week by former Jets safety and nine-year NFL veteran Erik Coleman and sports betting expert Sean Little, as they dive deep into the latest betting action across the league. Odds with Ends, which launched last year, returns for season two on Friday, August 26th at 5:00pm ET. Martin will also appear across the network’s other sports betting shows during the NBA and NHL seasons, as well as on its alternate BetCast coverage, which features sports-betting focused simulcasts of Knicks games.

A rotating mix of contributors are expected to join Odds with Ends throughout the season, including former Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl Champion David Tyree and Bally Sports reporter Sarina Morales. The former Giants star previously served as a host during the show’s debut season.

Additionally, The Bettor Half Hour and The Betting Exchange have returned to MSG Networks, Monday through Thursday at 5:00pm ET and 5:30pm ET, respectively.

The Bettor Half Hour host Alex Monaco continues to provide viewers with a breakdown of his top picks and a fast-paced, energetic look across the sports betting landscape; while Erik Coleman, Sean Little and Jeff Johnson headline the return of The Betting Exchange, alongside a rotating cast of contributors that includes Tyree, Morales, sports media personalities Harrison Sanford and Arash Markazi, sports betting experts Minty Bets and Adam Ronis, WNBA insider Khristina Williams and more.