For the first time in more than two decades, Emmy-nominated sportscaster Rich Eisen will return to the SportsCenter desk. Eisen is set to anchor the 11 p.m. ET edition of the show on Monday, Aug. 18, from ESPN’s Los Angeles studio.
The one-night return comes as part of a larger reconnection between Eisen and ESPN. His appearance precedes the Sept. 2 debut of The Rich Eisen Show on Disney and ESPN platforms, which was first announced in May.
As is customary for SportsCenter, the edition led by Eisen will feature highlights, interviews, and in-depth analysis, with a special emphasis on previewing the upcoming 2025 NFL season. Joining Eisen in studio will be ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes, who continues to be one of the network’s most prominent voices in football coverage.
Earlier that evening, ESPN will showcase Monday Night Football preseason coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals facing the Washington Commanders. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be on the call alongside reporters Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge. Ahead of kickoff, Monday Night Countdown will be hosted by Scott Van Pelt with Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears, Jason Kelce, and Adam Schefter. The pregame show will also feature an interview between Van Pelt and Washington head coach Dan Quinn.
Eisen’s return marks a full-circle moment in his broadcasting career. He first joined ESPN in 1996 and became one of SportsCenter’s most recognizable anchors during his seven-year tenure. In addition to his regular SportsCenter duties, Eisen was part of coverage for some of the network’s most prominent events before departing in 2003.
While Eisen is once again part of ESPN’s programming strategy, his new agreement is not exclusive. He will continue his long-running role with NFL Network, where he has been a staple of the league’s coverage since its launch in 2003. The new deal, however, allows him to appear across a variety of ESPN studio shows beyond his daily program.
Eisen’s radio program, which is currently distributed by Westwood One and also airing on SiriusXM, will stream live on Disney+ and ESPN+ beginning this fall as ESPN announced the launch of its first direct-to-consumer offering in May called ESPN. Barrett Media reported that The Rich Eisen Show will continue to be distributed through Westwood One through the end of 2025 while the program airs on ESPN Radio beginning on September 2.
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Is Rich Eisen coming back really anything? Seems like ESPN likes to trumpet returning old guys. I never watched him on the NFL network unless he was on the show I wanted to watch.