As ESPN embarks on its first Super Bowl season, culminating with Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027, the company has announced the signature voices who will lead fans during its Sunday and Monday programming across ESPN and NFL Network. With 28 games, plus the Super Bowl, this season marks ESPN’s largest NFL game portfolio ever, spanning Monday Night Football, a slate of NFL Network broadcasts, a Week 18 Saturday Doubleheader and a Wild Card and Divisional Round playoff game on the road to SoFi Stadium, complemented by extensive studio programming throughout the season and postseason.
When the season kicks off with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs (Sept. 14, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2),Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Saltersand Laura Rutledgewill again lead ESPN’s Monday Night Football coverage. Buck and Aikman embark on their seventh Super Bowl season together, while Salters and Rutledge prepare for their first. The quartet’s campaign culminates with Super Bowl LXI across ESPN and ABC
Overall, Buck and Aikman enter their 25th season as a broadcast duo, extending their record as the longest-running booth pairing in NFL history. Salters begins her 15th season on the Monday Night Footballsidelines, continuing her tenure as the longest-serving sideline reporter in franchise history, while Rutledge enters her second season working the full Monday Night Football game slate
NFL Network will introduce new broadcast teams, including the regular booth analyst debut of Super Bowl champion and ESPN NFL analyst Jason Kelce. Kelce will join veteran play-by-play commentator Dave Paschand Pro Football Hall of FamerKurt Warner. Play-by-play voice Bob Wischusenwill partner with longtime ESPN NFL and college football analyst Louis Riddick, while Molly McGrath will serve as the sideline reporter for both teams
Kelce, Pasch and Warner will kick off NFL Network’s seven-game slate with back-to-back International Series matchups in London: the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders on Oct. 4, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11. The trio will also call the NFL’s first game in Paris — the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints on Oct. 25 — and conclude its campaign with a to-be-announced Week 16 matchup as part of NFL Network’s Dec. 26 doubleheader
Wischusen and Riddick will call the additional three games, beginning with the Jacksonville Jaguars hosting the Houston Texans in London on Oct. 18, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons in Madrid on Nov. 8 and a to-be-announced matchup on Dec. 26. McGrath will make her NFL debut on the sidelines, working with both broadcast teams throughout the season, while Peter Schragerwill serve as a sideline reporter for one game of the Dec. 26 doubleheader. The assignments follow recent multi-year contract extensions for both Riddick and McGrath. Complete details for the doubleheader will be announced at a later date.
The Manning brothers return for their sixth season of ESPN’s award-winning Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, beginning in Week 1 and culminating with an alternate presentation of Super Bowl LXI
ESPN & NFL Network stack Mondays with on-site studio programmingMonday Night Countdownreturns as the two-hour Monday Night Footballpregame show (6–8 p.m., ESPN), and for the first time, will be available on NFL Network this season. Host Scott Van Peltis back alongside returning analysts Kelce and Marcus Spears, with new additions Pat McAfee and Jason McCourty. Additionally, Warner will periodically join Monday Night Countdownon-site for select segments throughout the season
Van Pelt, who has hosted the Monday Night Footballpregame show since 2023, continues in the role while also hosting SportsCenter with Scott Van Peltfollowing eachMonday Night Football game. ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefterwill continue to report breaking news, while reporter Michelle Beisner-Buck will provide in-depth storytelling through interviews and features
The show’s core four former NFL players—Kelce, Spears, McCourty and McAfee—bring a combined 43 NFL seasons, two Super Bowl championships, nine Pro Bowl selections and seven First-Team All-Pro honors. Together, they pair championship pedigrees and decorated playing careers with distinct personalities and insightful analysis. McAfee’s new role expands his prominent presence across ESPN, where he hosts The Pat McAfee Showand serves as an analyst on College GameDay Built by The Home Depot. McCourty joins the cast following his extended role as an ESPN NFL analyst, which was announced this summer.
Ahead of ESPN’s preseason matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans (Thursday, Aug. 20, 8 p.m., ESPN), with Buck, Aikman, Salters and Rutledge on the call, Monday Night Countdown will originate from ESPN’s New York City studio with Van Pelt, McCourty, Spears and Schefter. Kelce, McAfee and Beisner-Buck will make their season debuts in Week 1 from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
ESPN will originate from the site ofMonday Night Footballfor over ten hours each week, with at least five hours of studio programming in the afternoon before Monday Night Countdown,beginning with The Pat McAfee Show (12-3 p.m., ESPN, YouTube, Disney+) and then NFL Live (Mondays, 3–5 p.m., ESPN). McAfee will be joined by Darius Butler, A.J. Hawk, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit,and Tone Digsfor the full show, while, for the second consecutive year, a two-hour edition of NFL Livewill again regularly originate from the site of Monday Night Football. Similar to Monday Night Countdown, on Mondays, NFL Livewill also be available on NFL Network. Rutledge will be joined by Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, Schrager and Spears, with Schefter—a regular contributor throughout the week—also appearing. NFL Liveenters the 2026 NFL season following its second consecutive Sports Emmy Award win for ‘Outstanding Studio Show–Daily.’
From Tuesday through Friday, NFL Live will air in its traditional 4–5 p.m. timeslot. Earlier each weekday onESPN, Get Up, First Take, The Pat McAfee Showand SportsCenterwill lead into the network’s afternoon programming
In addition to its usual studio location in Los Angeles, Good Morning Football (8–10 a.m., NFL Network) will join the Monday travel schedule for three weeks this season, originating on-site from Monday Night Footballlocations in Kansas City (Week 1), Chicago (Week 3) and Philadelphia (Week 7)
Hosts Jamie Erdahl, Kyle Brandtand Manti Te’olead the show, blending news, analysis and personality to set the tone for the day ahead from the location of that night’s marquee matchup
Sunday NFL Countdown & GameDay Morning anchor Sunday pregame coverageESPN and NFL Network open every NFL Sunday with two marquee pregame shows. GameDay Morning(9 a.m.–1 p.m., NFL Network) and Sunday NFL Countdown (10 a.m.–1 p.m., ESPN) will combine to deliver seven hours of news, analysis and on-site reporting leading into the day’s games with both shows’ season debut taking place on Sunday, Sept. 13 ahead of Week 1
Sunday NFL Countdown returns with its full cast, continuing its tradition of setting the stage for the NFL’s Sunday slate. The three-hour pregame show debuted in 1985 as NFL GameDayand celebrates 30 years under theNFL Countdown name in 2026. For the third consecutive season, host Mike Greenbergwill be joined by Super Bowl champions Tedy BruschiandRex Ryan, Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss and three-time Pro Bowl quarterbackAlex Smith. Schefter will provide the latest news and information, and sports betting analyst Erin Dolan returns.
GameDay Morning— celebrating its 19th season of the signature show — sets the table each week with host Rich Eisenalongside Warner, Steve Mariucci andGerald McCoy. NFL insider Ian Rapoportwill make regular appearances, providing the latest news and insights as Sunday’s action begins, along with regular contributors Daniel Jeremiah and Colleen Wolfe
Sunday NFL Countdownwill also field its own group of reporters on-site at the week’s biggest games, with Jeff Darlington, Dan Graziano, Kimberley A. Martin, Sal Paolantonioand Lindsey Thiryreporting from the field. The show will continue to originate from ESPN’s New York City studios, beginning a five-month campaign that culminates on Super Bowl Sunday in Los Angeles
GameDay Morningwill also welcome its own team of reporters offering the latest live updates from stadiums across the league, including Stacey Dales, Mike Garafolo, Jane Slater, Sara Walsh, Cam Wolfeand Steve Wyche
NFL Network’s coverage continues throughout the day with news, analysis, highlights and expert perspective. Once the games kick off, GameDay LIVE keeps fans connected across both Sunday windows — Patrick Claybon and Steve Smith Sr. anchor the early window (1–4 p.m.), before Rhett Lewisand Sam Acho take over from 4–7 p.m. with real-time updates, highlights and reaction
GameDay Highlights (7:30–8:30 p.m.) and GameDay Final(11:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m.) provide comprehensive recaps of Sunday’s games, with Chris Roseleading the coverage alongside Michael Robinson and Maurice Jones-Drew, plus appearances from David Carrthroughout the season
ESPN’s long-running NFL Primetime returnsNFL Primetimewill once again be hosted by Chris Berman, with Booger McFarlandjoining him for a seventh consecutive season. The iconic highlight show, which debuted in 1987, will stream every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on the ESPN App and remain available on demand through Wednesday
