Peter Schrager confirmed on Monday that he was appearing on Good Morning Football as its host for the last time amid reports of being in talks with ESPN to contribute within its NFL coverage. Schrager, who has been a member of the NFL Network morning show since its launch in 2016, worked with a variety of colleagues throughout his time with the league-owned broadcast entity that took time to honor his legacy on Monday. Over a preponderance of the last year, he has been working on the program remotely since its move to NFL Network headquarters adjacent to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
“Today is my last day on Good Morning Football,” Schrager said to open the program. “I end with great feelings, we’re going to celebrate today. I love everyone on this show, it’s all good, but this will be the last episode I will be on this program, and with a heavy heart, I’m stepping away, but it’s also for good reasons and for a bright future, and hopefully we’ll all be crossing paths and we can talk about ball elsewhere. It’ll be fine.”
Throughout the Monday edition of the program, Schrager’s contemporaries bid him farewell from the show after nine years on the airwaves. Kyle Brandt, who is the other original member of the program still on the airwaves, took time during the program to express his gratitude for Schrager and talked about the impact he has had on his life.
“In July of 2016 when we found out that this show was going to happen – I was going to be part of it – I got a direct message from Peter Schrager, and he said, ‘Dude, this is so cool! We’re going to be best buds,’ and he was right and we have been and we are,” Brandt said.
“You guys know this about me. I’m a miserable bastard. I don’t like making friends. At home, I have my wife and my kids. Around the town, I got a few friends. Around the country, I got my high school friends. When I come to work, I have Peter, and Peter, you said we were going to be best buds and we always have been, and thank you very much for eight-and-a-half years for being my best bud.”
The show included surprise appearances from former colleagues as well, including Jason McCourty and Nate Burleson from the New York City studio, who showed their appreciation for Schrager as their colleague. Before Schrager issued his goodbye message, individuals around the game such as Sean McVay, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero were allotted time to impart their appreciation for Schrager. Over the last year, he has been broadcasting from both coasts of the United States with his role at FOX Sports on FOX NFL Kickoff, a position he will also reportedly be leaving amid a new venture.
“It has been a full decade of my life living, breathing, being Good Morning Football, turning a television show concept into a brand, into a cult classic, into a lifestyle,” Schrager said. “In that time, I have had two beautiful children, we’ve won multiple awards – yes viewers, we were once a critic’s darling – and I’ve got to cover multiple Super Bowls and Combines and Drafts and summers where we debated Jadeveon Clowney’s next whereabouts.”
Schrager pointed out that part of what has made the show distinctive is continuing the football conversation on three-hour shows over the summer. Expressing a penchant for football and intent to inform and entertain, he hoped that viewers felt that they were learning something, extrapolated inside information and continued to enjoy the program. Schrager also proceeded to express his appreciation for everyone who works behind the scenes and helps the program succeed.
From there, Scharger discussed how he could talk about Kyle Brandt for an entire day on NFL Network, calling him “a friend for life” and cannot imagine a better teammate on the show. Schrager also took the time to convey his appreciation for host Jamie Erdahl, who he divulged has been leading the experiment on the West Coast while also raising three children. As Schrager concluded his message, he took time to shout out the list of colleagues with whom he has worked over the years and stated that he will not be far away talking about football, emphasizing that it has been an honor and thanking everyone for watching.
“I say with a smile that I truly have fond feelings for every person who ever worked on camera with me on this show,” Schrager said. “I broke news on this show, I told stories on this show that I don’t think you were getting anywhere else, but that’s not what I’ll remember. The funny thing is what I’ll remember is not where Kirk Cousins signed, it’s all the moments on Good Morning Football.”
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