The direction of a career in sports media is never a straight line. Experience comes through the ups and downs of every opportunity. For ESPN’s Peter Schrager, life looked very different just a year ago. He departed his roles with FOX Sports and the NFL Network, where he helped launch Good Morning Football in 2016. His destination was ESPN, the network he grew up watching and came to love.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience so far,” said Shrager. “I, like so many of us, grew up watching ESPN. That’s the gold standard. When I made the move, it was a bit of a leap. But I would be lying if I told you it wasn’t a 100 out of 100 experience and I’ve absolutely loved it.”
The decision allowed Schrager to trade the trendy shirt look on Good Morning Football for the suit-and-tie experience at ESPN. Since joining the network, he has made an impact across several daily programs. He appears regularly on shows ranging from Get Up to The Pat McAfee Show and everything in between.
For Schrager, leaving the place where he established his voice at NFL Network did not come easily. He said the decision reached an inflection point when the network abruptly moved Good Morning Football from New York City to Los Angeles. That shift prompted him to consider the network’s long-term stability.
“I had a year left on my contract [when Good Morning Football moved to LA], and I had been doing the same thing at NFL Network. It looked like I would continue doing the same thing at NFL Network for the next twenty years. That was kind of a shock to the system,” explained Schrager. “I was reading the writing on the wall seeing the resources cut from the NFL Network at every different angle.”
During the final year of his agreement, Schrager remained a model employee, continuing to deliver the same quality content. At the same time, he began exploring other opportunities.
NFL Network Under ESPN Umbrella
He ultimately chose ESPN, the network that now oversees the production and distribution of NFL Network content. Schrager noted that, in his final years at NFL Network, many felt a sense of uncertainty surrounding a potential sale.
Now, with ESPN taking control as part of a partnership with the NFL, he believes a renewed sense of excitement has emerged about what lies ahead.
“It’s a great life raft for the NFL Network,” says Schrager. “My dear friend Daniel Jeremiah has said that ESPN is adopting the NFL Network. That’s a good way to look at it. I don’t know where it goes from here, but it’s an amazing opportunity for everybody on the NFL Network. Quite frankly, I don’t think the resources were going to be put to it [NFL Network] over the next several years. Now with ESPN, there’s actual support.”
With any new acquisition comes speculation, especially given Schrager’s ties to both NFL Network and ESPN. While he said he has not had formal conversations about a possible reunion with his former Good Morning Football teammates, he still holds them in high regard.
“There’s nothing but fond feelings for everyone on screen and behind the scenes. I’m a regular on Get Up now, that’s my show. Until I’m told otherwise, I’ll be on Get Up,” said Schrager. “But I still pop in Good Morning Football once in a while. I look at it like it’s my baby, and I left the nest. I have fond feelings for that show, but there haven’t been any conversations on any sort of reunion.”
There is also speculation about adding NFL Network insiders under the ESPN umbrella. Schrager is already part of a team led by Adam Schefter, Dan Graziano, and others.
With the potential additions of Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero, Schrager believes the depth and balance of coverage will only improve and benefit everyone involved.
“This will work out and will be great. It’s going to be awesome for every party involved,” said Schrager. “I have been able to cross that bridge and do it seamlessly. I have no doubt that this will all work out for the best. If anything, it will enhance and embolden the ESPN NFL coverage to a way where you don’t have to go anywhere else.”
Magic With McAfee
Even before officially joining ESPN, Schrager had been a regular guest on The Pat McAfee Show. He said those appearances have expanded his brand to a broader audience that may not have been familiar with his previous work.
“I am blown away by McAfee’s energy, but also his inclusiveness. He makes everyone on that show like they’re part of one big party,” said Schrager. “The amount of people who stop me everywhere tell me they love me on McAfee’s show. It dwarfs anything that I ever got on Good Morning Football or my days working with FOX. His reach is amazing, giving off the feeling they’re a part of the show.”
Last month, Schrager participated in an expanded version of McAfee’s program during the start of NFL free agency. The goal was to capture the breaking news and excitement of a new league year while embracing McAfee’s unique style.
As part of the collaboration, Schrager, along with Dan Orlovsky and Adam Schefter, joined the show on-site in Indianapolis for a two-day broadcast. The reaction earned rave reviews for its fresh approach to one of the NFL calendar’s most chaotic news cycles.
“We have done television the same way for so many years. McAfee flipped free agency on its head, and said let’s have some fun with it,” said Schrager. “The genius of Pat McAfee is taking something that feels very serious, urgent, and newsworthy and making it fun. It was a blast.”
Finding Home at ESPN
That energy and approach drew Schrager to ESPN a year ago, even though he initially had concerns about how he would fit in.
“I was worried it was, ‘Hey, this is going to be your role because it’s what Adam Schefter does.’ It’s been the opposite. Instead of trying to force me into roles because of others, it’s been, ‘Hey, you’re Peter Schrager. Let’s build around your skillset and get the most out of you,’” explained Schrager. “ESPN has accepted me and my voice… It doesn’t have to be how do I adjust to these shows. It’s been these shows are going to adjust to what you want to do also. That’s been the greatest thing to flex different muscles.”
Schrager credits his first-year success to the support of ESPN’s top talent and producers. He pointed to Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith, Pat McAfee, Laura Rutledge, and Scott Van Pelt as key figures who made his transition seamless.
“Each one of those individuals took me in and boosted me up right away. They supported me and made me feel comfortable to by myself on air,” said Schrager. “My greatest fear was I was going to lose my editorial voice or lose any opportunity. For those hosts, each one of them have wrapped their arms around me and made me better. There is a selflessness about that that I truly admire.”
With the NFL Draft just weeks away and another season approaching, Schrager is eager to see how ESPN embraces its first Super Bowl broadcast. During his career, he contributed to Super Bowl coverage while working for FOX Sports.
When he chose to join ESPN, he knew a Super Bowl broadcast would soon be part of his future.
“I took a lot of pride in the work that I had on Super Bowl broadcasts, and FOX Sports did it like no other,” said Schrager. “One of the reasons jumping to ESPN became a lot easier is that I knew they had a Super Bowl coming. Any way they want to use me, I’ll do it… I mean this. As much or as little as they want to use me, I’ll jump right in one hundred percent. I’ll be so excited to be a part of that coverage whatever it is.”
Ultimately, Schrager’s journey serves as a reminder that growth in this business rarely comes from staying comfortable. It comes from recognizing when the landscape shifts, trusting your instincts, and betting on yourself when the path forward is not fully defined.
A year removed from that leap, Schrager has not only found a new platform, but also an environment willing to evolve with him.
“I just want to be the guy you want to sit next to on a plane and talk sports with,” says Schrager. “My goal is you see my face on ESPN and you say, ‘Oh s**t. Schrager’s on today, what’s he got. This is going to be fun.’”
As ESPN continues to evolve its NFL coverage, his story underscores a larger truth for anyone in sports media: the biggest opportunities often arrive the moment you are willing to leave something good in pursuit of something greater.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
