Mike Greenberg will be the new host of “Sunday NFL Countdown” as ESPN sets up its lineup for its first Super Bowl in 2027, a source briefed on the matter told The Athletic on Tuesday.
Greenberg replaces Sam Ponder who was fired last week with one-year and more than a million dollars left on her contract. While she will be paid in full, ESPN made the move to tidy up its books with the fiscal year concluding at the end of September.
However, the Ponder decision was also designed to promote Greenberg, a long-time favorite of ESPN executives. As the host of daily “Get Up” on TV and “Greeny” on radio, Greenberg is already a ubiquitous presence on the network. Greenberg had a brief run as the lead NBA host before relinquishing those duties to Malika Andrews last season. He also hosts the NFL Draft on ESPN, which is considered a prestigious assignment.
Greenberg, 57, receives the job over Laura Rutledge, an up-and-coming star at the network. Although on the rise, this marks the second time in the last year that Rutledge, the host of the daily “NFL Live,” has lost out to a longtime ESPN anchor.
Just before last season, Scott Van Pelt was named the host of Monday Night Football’s “NFL Countdown” over Rutledge. Van Pelt’s Monday program has also been revamped as Jason Kelce replaced the recently fired Robert Griffin III. Kelce joins analysts Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark on Mondays.
On Sundays, Greenberg’s main set will include Randy Moss, Tedy Bruschi, Rex Ryan and Alex Smith; as well as insider Adam Schefter.
ESPN and ABC will have the Super Bowl for the first time in 2027, and the network executives are designing its weekly sets for that big moment in the company’s history.
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