By Andrew Marchand
February 22, 2021 | 11:50am | Updated
Rich Gannon is out at CBS after 16 seasons as an NFL TV game analyst, The Post has learned.
Gannon, the former MVP quarterback, will not have his contract renewed in the first move of NFL TV free agency. When contacted by The Post, a CBS spokeswoman confirmed the news.
CBS has not set Gannon’s replacement just yet. The two internal candidates figure to be Adam Archuleta and James Lofton.
Before last season, CBS started to tip its hand on the 55-year-old Gannon when it split him from his longtime partner, Kevin Harlan. While CBS doesn’t officially designate its depth chart, Harlan and Trent Green did the third best game most weeks, while Greg Gumbel and Gannon received the fourth most-watched matchup.
This NFL TV hot stove may not be as flashy compared to last season when CBS locked up Tony Romo in a 10-year, $180 million contract. NBC signed Drew Brees for after he retires as studio and potentially a “Sunday Night Football” game analyst. CBS recruited Charles Davis from Fox to replace Dan Fouts on their second team. Fox anointed Greg Olsen its No. 2 game analyst with Kevin Burkhardt.
Burkhardt and CBS’ Ian Eagle were kept off the market with new deals, which will likely result in less movement.
At the moment, ESPN is sticking with its “Monday Night Football” crew of Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese, while the biggest fish potentially on the market is Jim Nantz. CBS is working toward re-signing Nantz, who has been looking for a deal similar to Romo’s. [Reply]
Originally Posted by JudasRising20:
In my 28 years as a football fan, the only time the Raiders were any good was the four year stretch that Rich Gannon was their starter.
Hated him as an announcer though. Always looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.
Originally Posted by scho63:
The elite announcers are becoming rarer by the day.
Boy do miss guys like Curt Gowdy, Tony Kubek, Frank Gifford, Joe Garagiola and that generation.
Curt Gowdy calling Chiefs Raiders was as good as it gets! Kubek and Garagiola on the game of the week. Gifford, Howard and Merideth on MNF. The Golden age of broadcasting! [Reply]
Why CBS didn't promote Harlan to #1 after "I'm calling BOTH GAMES!" I'll never know.
I'll also never understand why they let Gus Johnson walk. Was some of his shouting a bit of an act? Of course. It's goddamn entertainment. Unless you've got the silky vocal chords of Pat Summerall, you better show some goddamn inflection in your voice when you do play-by-play. Hell... show a lot of it. Makes the big highlights that much better.
Can you imagine if Gus Johnson called Mahomes games on CBS every week? Fuck, man. That'd be incredible.
And yeah, as a color guy Tony Romo is exciting, but I've decided he's overrated as fuck. He says way too much dumbass shit to make it worthwhile. "Ooooohhh Jim! Tom Brady, Jim! Everything successful is because Tom Brady and everything that fails is because they didn't listen to Tom Brady, Jim!" [Reply]
Originally Posted by jerryaldini:
Curt Gowdy calling Chiefs Raiders was as good as it gets! Kubek and Garagiola on the game of the week. Gifford, Howard and Merideth on MNF. The Golden age of broadcasting!
Don't forget Keith Jackson and college football. Also the original MNF play by play guy.
PS Al De Rogatis was Gowdy's color guy and a complete Chief hater I always suspected. Gowdy was a Wyoming guy and always felt he leaned heavily towards Denver. [Reply]
Originally Posted by srvy: Don't forget Keith Jackson and college football. Also the original MNF play by play guy.
PS Al De Rogatis was Gowdy's color guy and a complete Chief hater I always suspected. Gowdy was a Wyoming guy and always felt he leaned heavily towards Denver.
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
Why CBS didn't promote Harlan to #1 after "I'm calling BOTH GAMES!" I'll never know.
Kevin Harlan doesn't have an Exclusive contract with CBS. He works for CBS, Westwood One Radio and TBS/TNT. Unlike Jim Nance, his situation is too complicated to make him the #1 Sports Announcer at CBS and he's definitely not a fit for the CBS Golf broadcasts.
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
I'll also never understand why they let Gus Johnson walk.
Money.
Again, CBS wasn't in a position to give Gus Johnson the kind of contract that Fox can provide and while he's great for the NFL and College Football, he's not a fit for golf and other CBS sports broadcasts. [Reply]
