ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” rotation is getting a significant shakeup.
Katie George and Peter Schrager will not return to the sidelines for ESPN’s second NFL broadcast team this season after Molly McGrath was promoted to the role, according to Sports Media Watch.
McGrath is moving over to the NFL from college football as ESPN’s lone sideline reporter for their new selection of games they acquired when they purchased NFL Network earlier this year.
McGrath will also be the top fill-in option for Laura Rutledge on “NFL Live.”
“I’m thrilled to expand my role within ESPN’s NFL coverage and for the opportunity to showcase a broader range of skills, from sideline reporting to hosting in studio, while diving deeper into the sport at the highest level,” McGrath told Front Office Sports.
“Joining ESPN’s NFL coverage during its Year of the Super Bowl makes this moment even more special and fulfills a lifelong dream.”
When the schedule has an ESPN doubleheader — such as Week 16 — Schrager could be used in the sideline role, per Sports Media Watch.
George could see a move to the spot McGrath left behind in the network’s No. 2 college football booth.
ESPN’s new package from NFL Network includes several international games that could pose conflicts for their college football crews.
The Athletic reported earlier this year that the network was expected to break up the second-team booth of Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky and Louis Riddick because of those conflicts.
Dave Pasch, who stepped down from his spot as the Arizona Cardinals’ radio voice for 24 years to sign a multi-year contract with ESPN in June, will be the play-by-play voice for the second “MNF” team.
An analyst has not been named.
With its first Super Bowl on the horizon, ESPN could include McGrath in their Feb. 14 coverage since networks have expanded coverage for the Big Game.
