ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden had been doing Monday Night Football since he took the job in 2009, but left that post to take the Oakland Raiders head coaching job after broadcasting the Chiefs-Titans playoff game on Saturday. So, who could replace him with in the booth? Here are the five most likely candidates, according to BetDSI.eu:
5) Louis Riddick, former Redskins/Eagles Director of Pro Personnel
Riddick is only this low on the list because he's a candidate for several open front office positions around the NFL, but he has emerged as one of ESPN's best analysts since he joined the network. Though his role has been almost exclusively in studio, his knowledge of the game should make the transition to color commentary easy (should they make that move).
4) Tim Tebow, former Broncos/Jets/Patriots quarterback
This move would involve Tebow giving up his baseball career, but he's been great as a college football analyst for ESPN and could easily make the jump to NFL broadcast. He's knowledgeable, is extremely likable, and would add a new dimension to broadcasts.
3) Kurt Warner, former Rams/Cardinals quarterback
Warner, an NFL Network analyst, has called Monday Night Football on Westwood One for four seasons and has been great on TV since his Hall of Fame career ended. He'd be an excellent addition, but for a company that has gone through a few rounds of layoffs, do they want to bring in someone new rather than someone they're already paying?
2) Matt Hasselbeck, former Seahawks/Colts quarterback
Hasselbeck already works for ESPN and is well liked by the decision makers at the company. He was often the most knowledgeable analyst on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown this year and saw his role on other shows increase as the season went on. However, given the fact that the company made major changes to Countdown this year, would they want to shake it up again?
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1) Steve Young, former 49ers quarterback
Young is one of the longest-tenured analysts at ESPN and already works on the Monday Night Countdown crew with Hasselbeck, making him a logical candidate to simply move up to the booth. His relaxed style would also likely play well on broadcasts, though there have been questions about how committed he is to the role.
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