ESPN Replaces Brad Nessler With Joe Tessitore on 'Saturday Night Football'

ESPN is replacing longtime play-by-play man Brad Nessler with network mainstay Joe Tessitore on its primetime “Saturday Night Football” broadcast, the company announced on Wednesday.

The Worldwide Leader declined to renew Nessler’s contract, ending a 24-year relationship with its No. 2 college football announcer, behind Chris Fowler. Nessler will become a featured announcer for CBS’ SEC Football coverage and is expected to be the eventual replacement for longtime play-by-play staple Verne Lundquist.

Tessitore will become ESPN’s new No. 2 announcer, calling games alongside Todd Blackledge in ESPN’s primetime slot.

Also Read: Kenny Mayne Compares ESPN Management to North Korean Government

Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will continue to call ABC’s “Saturday Night Football” broadcast, with Sam Ponder replacing Heather Cox as sideline reporter. ESPN also announced that SportsCenter anchor Steve Levy will start calling Saturday games this season alongside Brian Griese.

For much of his career, Tessitore was known as ESPN’s boxing announcer on “Friday Night Fights.” In recent years, however, he has gained a cult following among college football fans after several consecutive games he called ended in dramatic upsets or down-to-the-wire finishes. Fans labeled the phenomenon “The Tessitore Effect,” which helped distinguish him among ESPN’s stable of broadcasters.

Prior to his most recent promotion, Tessitore hosted the SEC Network’s morning pregame show “SEC Nation” and called Thursday night primetime games.

8 Potential Skip Bayless 'First Take' Replacements (Photos)

Skip Bayless' time as ESPN's most controversial pundit is almost at an end, and the network is searching for someone to replace him on "First Take." Many ESPN personalities have been bandied about as a potential replacement, with some more likely to take up the job than others.
ESPN
ESPN commentator Jemele Hill is currently featured alongside Michael Smith on the talk show "His & Hers." She pulled out of the contender pool for Bayless' spot on Twitter, saying that moving to "First Take" would be "not a promotion for me."
ESPN
ESPN radio host and "Highly Questionable" star Bomani Jones also publicly declined interest in the job, saying that he lives in Miami and would not move to New York to do "First Take."
ESPN
Another ESPN pundit, Max Kellerman, has the argumentative style to do well on "First Take," but is currently involved with the TV show "SportsNation" and the radio show "Max & Marcellus" in Los Angeles. A move to "First Take" would require a major shift in ESPN's L.A. talent structure.
HBO Sports
Jon "Stugotz" Weiner, co-star of "The Dan Le Batard" show, has jokingly complained that ESPN hasn't called him with an offer for the "First Take" job.
ESPN
In 2015, ESPN hired controversial conservative political commentator Will Cain, who quickly became a guest host on "First Take." Prior to joining the network, Cain served as a columnist on Glenn Beck's website, TheBlaze.
ESPN
ESPN may consider pulling a replacement from the panelist list for their afternoon pundit show, "Around The Horn." Columnists like Pablo S. Torre and Frank Isola have experience debate sports topics on TV and could react well to Stephen A. Smith's rants.
ESPN
A more likely candidate is Ryan Ruocco, Stephen A. Smith's former radio co-host. Ruocco and Smith already have a strong chemistry together and experience debating each other, which would allow for an easy transition for the show.
ESPN
ESPN could also consider using a guest-host format, as the network did before Smith joined "First Take." The format could allow the network to bring in analysts who could promote upcoming broadcasts, such as ESPN's summer soccer coverage.
ESPN
Danny Kanell, co-host of "Russillo and Kanell," is a former NFL quarterback who has attracted controversy for his hot takes on targets like Bryce Harper and SEC football. His polarizing reputation would be perfect for "First Take."
ESPN

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There’s a long list of ESPN talking heads who could replace Skip Bayless on the morning debate show

Skip Bayless' time as ESPN's most controversial pundit is almost at an end, and the network is searching for someone to replace him on "First Take." Many ESPN personalities have been bandied about as a potential replacement, with some more likely to take up the job than others.

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8 Potential Skip Bayless 'First Take' Replacements (Photos)

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