Damien Woody is out at ESPN. The network chose not to renew his contract according to a report by The Athletic.
What We Know: Woody spent 15 years at ESPN, becoming a fixture across Get Up, First Take, Fantasy Football Now and SportsCenter. According to reporting, Woody will stay on air through the end of the month, including Thursday, by his own choice. ESPN reportedly separated his exit from recent layoffs. Woody discussed his exit with the online outlet.
What They Said: Damien Woody (via The Athletic): “Being at ESPN for 15 years, it’s been an absolute joy.”
What Remains Unclear: Woody’s next destination hasn’t been determined. ESPN and Woody reportedly discussed a possible extension but nothing materialized.
What It Means: Woody’s exit adds to a wave of turnover across ESPN’s NFL coverage this year. Unlike Clark’s abrupt on-air removal, ESPN is allowing Woody a farewell stretch, suggesting the split remains amicable. With a big year ahead for the network and the added oversight over the NFL Network, choosing talent for this year is of heightened importance. For Woody, a two-time Super Bowl champion, it remains unknown where he could end up next.
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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.