May 17, 2019

Second MNF announcers named

ESPN televises a pair of Monday night games beginning each season, which means that they need to have a second announcing team.

ESPN has announced that Steve Levy, Brian Griese, and Louis Riddick will work the Broncos-Raiders game from the booth, with Laura Rutledge serving as the sideline reporter.

Last year, Beth Mowins and Brian Griese handled the Jets-Lions game, with the “A” team working the Rams-Raiders game, which kicked off at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Riddick hasn’t been bashful about his desire to work Monday night games, openly talking about his desire to do so. He’s now getting a chance to do it.

May 1, 2019

No replacement for Witten on MNF

ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” will return to a two-man booth when it kicks off its 50th season later this year.

The network announced Wednesday that Joe Tessitore will be back doing play-by-play while Booger McFarland moves up to the booth after being a field-level analyst.

ESPN also announced that Lisa Salters will return for an eighth season as the sideline reporter after signing a multiyear extension.

April 21, 2019

Monday Night Football kicks off with Texans-Saints

The NFL’s schedule was released on Wednesday night and it shows that the Texans will face the Saints on Monday Night Football in Week One.

In addition to that game, the first Monday night of the regular season will feature a second game. As reported ahead of the official release of the schedule, the Broncos will travel to Oakland to take on the Raiders. It’s the second straight year that the Raiders have capped the first week of action as part of the nightcap on Monday night.

The Texans-Saints game will kick off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Broncos and Raiders will get underway at 10:20 p.m. ET. The start time is 8:15 p.m. ET for the rest of the season and all games are on ESPN.

Week Two will feature the same two teams that faced off in Monday Night Football’s 1970 debut. The Browns will visit the Jets, which means that Cleveland wideout Odell Beckham will be back on the field where he played home games as a member of the Giants.

The Jets will be back on Monday night in Week Seven when they take on the Patriots in another home game. The Browns will be back on the road to face the 49ers in Week Five. The 49ers, Seahawks, Giants, Steelers, Vikings, Packers and Saints are the other teams making two appearances in Monday night games.