The future of ESPN Radio’s morning show includes Keyshawn Johnson. The former NFL All-Pro has an agreement with the network according to Andrew Marchand of The New York Post.
ESPN declined to comment for the story, which raises questions regarding the current morning team.
Rumors that Trey Wingo doesn’t intend to stick with radio when his contract expires this fall have swirled for over a year. What does that mean for the Golic family though?
Mike Sr’s contract expires at the end of the year. It is hard to imagine that ESPN would let the longest tenured member of the ESPN Radio staff just walk away without any fanfare. His son, Mike Jr., has a contract that extends past the end of this year. Marchand reports that he will likely move time slots, but remain part of the ESPN Radio lineup.
As for the network’s future in mornings, Max Kellerman has been a popular candidate to join Keyshawn Johnson. The two used to work at 710 ESPN LA before Kellerman relocated to the East Coast to be a part of First Take on television.
A partnership is far from certain thing though, given that First Take remains a top priority for ESPN and Kellerman is part of the program alongside Stephen A. Smith. Reuniting Skip Bayless with Stephen A. on television once Bayless’s contract expires at FS1 has been a popular rumor. Given the financial climate created by Covid-19, executing that idea may be easier said than done.
Marchand says ESPN Radio may not be done looking at its local stations for help. Keyshawn is expected to move to New York from Los Angeles, and if Kellerman isn’t an option to host mornings with him, an in-house candidate from 98.7 ESPN New York could be considered.
“ESPN New York’s Peter Rosenberg and Chris Carlin are two names that have been mentioned for mornings,” writes Marchand. “Rosenberg would be a bit more complicated because, besides his Michael Kay duties, he is already on a morning show with Hot 97. Hot 97 owns a station option on Rosenberg’s contract for next year.”
Jason Fitz is still under contract as well. If the previously reported mid day show featuring Mike Greenberg comes to fruition, Fitz’s First Take, Your Take will likely fall by the wayside. He could be an option to pair with Keyshawn Johnson in morning drive.