Gruden replaces Kornheiser on MNF
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BRISTOL, Conn. — Former Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden is replacing Tony Kornheiser on ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast team. Kornheiser cited a fear of flying in his decision to leave after three years.
The network said Monday that Gruden will be in the booth with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski when the show starts its 40th season this fall.
“If I could handpick a replacement of a football guy, I would cast a net and drag in Jon Gruden,” Kornheiser said in a statement released by the network. “He is the two things you most want — smart and funny — and has the two things I don’t — good hair and a tan.”
Gruden led the Bucs to the 2003 Super Bowl title but was fired after this past season after his team lost four straight games to miss the playoffs. He worked as a guest analyst this year with the NFL Network during the draft and scouting combine.
“To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill,” Gruden said.
Gruden will make his debut with ESPN with a preseason game on Aug. 13, a Super Bowl rematch between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Kornheiser will continue to appear on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” and is relieved it doesn’t require air travel.
“My fear of planes is legendary and sadly true,” he said. “When I looked at the upcoming schedule it was the perfect storm that would’ve frequently moved me from the bus to the air.”
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Oh thank you for getting rid of that joke on MNF. I like Tony on Pardon the Interruption, but he brought nothing to the football game. He knows less about the game then the average housewife and brought nothing to the telecast.
Now Jaws will have someone to debate football points with. Not that Gruden has earned his shot. He was not comfortable during the draft coverage and it showed. He never seems to want to hurt any one feelings, so that may not be any more than a vanilla coverage.
I would have liked to have seen Warren Sapp or Deion Sanders, guys with flair and not afraid to state an opinion, but what the heck. Anyone is better than Tony K.