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How Damien Woody Is Building His Second Act After 15 Years With ESPN

John Mamola
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How Damien Woody Is Building His Second Act After 15 Years With ESPN

The NFL season is officially underway. It’s a league where networks and content hubs lean on the drama of the week-to-week sport, with flocks of football fans seeking out analysis to navigate the emotions of following their favorite teams through the weekly grind. This year brings some differences, especially with the coverage on ESPN. After a round of layoffs earlier this summer, many, including Damien Woody, were searching for where they could provide their expertise during the upcoming NFL season.

Woody, who spent 15 years with ESPN, was on an island. The network decided to part ways with him after not extending his contract in July. When news broke about his departure from ESPN, he received a call from former ESPN anchor and host Trey Wingo. That call changed Woody’s outlook on the upcoming NFL season.

“Once it was known that I was not coming back to ESPN, Trey [Wingo] reached out about getting the band back together,” says Woody regarding the creation of The OG Football Show.

Woody’s departure from ESPN marked a notable change. He’s a two-time Super Bowl champion who played 12 seasons at the highest level of the NFL. Following his playing career, he became a mainstay on the network’s NFL programming. Including shows like NFL Live, Get Up, SportsCenter and other network studio programs.

A New Twist On An Old Staple

Now, Woody enters a new era as a co-host on The OG Football Show, which streams weekly on YouTube. He joins a trio of other former ESPN talent, with Wingo serving as host and Merrill Hoge and Mark Schlereth as co-hosts.

“Our chemistry is great. We know each other well. There’s a lane for this type of show,” explained Woody. “In an environment where there’s a lot of hot takes and loud voices, we feel there’s a lane for smart football with people who’ve been part of the game for decades. There’s an audience that wants that. So, here we are.”

The program itself leans on the nostalgia and foundation of what ESPN NFL programming was built on. Intelligent discussion, film study and expertise from those who played the game, positioned to educate rather than lean into hot-take culture. The show is an arm of The Wingo Network, which lives by the mantra of “No bits. No bulls**t. Just ball.”

“There are people that thirst for simpler times where we’re not talking about foolishness and stuff that didn’t matter. People want to talk, break down and learn the game of football,” said Woody. “If I can help teach and help fans become more knowledgeable about the game of football, then my job is done. That’s what we all envision about this OG Football Show.”

The project itself was something Woody couldn’t pursue while under contract with ESPN. Despite how the end of his run at ESPN was handled, he shared his appreciation for the experience he had with the network.

Leaving ESPN

Woody is more grateful than bitter, especially toward those who believed in his abilities from the start despite his continued work to overcome a serious speech impediment he’s had since childhood.

“I’m a guy that spent years going through speech therapy to get to where I’m at today,” says Woody. “To go from that to working on television for 15 years, I’m eternally grateful that I had the opportunity to continue and bring me to audiences across the country.”

Working in broadcasting is no different than being a player on an NFL roster. It takes staff, support and people who ultimately believe in the talent and provide the coaching necessary to achieve the highest level of performance possible. Woody credits the support of many people, including former ESPN executives Norby Williamson and David Roberts, as well as current network vice president Seth Markman.

He says a change in leadership at ESPN is likely what led to his departure. Woody noted that talks regarding his agreement didn’t begin until later this summer, when they usually start many months before a contract expires.

“In the climate that we’re in, anything can happen. We didn’t have contract negotiations in July. Usually, you have a three-month period before your contract expires where you start having those conversations. When those didn’t start, it made me [ponder] what exactly are they thinking right now. I can’t say I was surprised,” explained Woody.

When he was informed that his agreement wasn’t going to be extended, ESPN left the decision to Woody regarding how he wanted to handle his departure.

“When they told me they weren’t renewing my contract, they asked me if I wanted to continue to work or stop altogether. I told them I wanted to finish out my contract. You finish what you start. They were elated and thrilled,” said Woody. “They know my character. I wasn’t going to be one of those guys that didn’t finish out of spite. There was no animosity or bad energy at all.”

Woody considers himself a competitor, even years removed from his playing career. While he has no complaints about his time with ESPN, he did hope to do more, especially with the network’s first Super Bowl broadcast scheduled for this coming February and the NFL Network now under ESPN’s oversight following the network’s acquisition earlier this year.

“I was excited about the merger [with NFL Network] and the Super Bowl coming later this year for ESPN. But at the same time, there’s new leadership coming aboard at ESPN with Burke Magnus and Mike Foss. When you have new leadership, obviously new leadership wants to do things their way,” said Woody. “Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t in the plans moving forward.”

Tackling New Projects

With his ESPN tenure in the rearview mirror, Woody hit the ground running. Outside of his role on The OG Football Show, Woody accepted an invitation from WFAN host Craig Carton to co-host a show ahead of the NFL season. Woody, who played for the New York Jets during the final three seasons of his NFL career, has been a friend of Carton’s for many years.

“I hadn’t done sports radio like that. It was fun,” said Woody. “Ryan Hurley [WFAN brand manager] provided me some cool feedback. I also did Boomer & Gio as well for one show as a fill-in. Those are good friends of mine. If an opportunity presented itself, then I’ll be sure to accept those opportunities.”

Woody noted that the experience over those two days at WFAN helped fuel the fire for another project he’s currently building. In addition to The OG Football Show, Woody plans to host a podcast called In the Trenches with Damien Woody outside The Wingo Network.

“I’m looking forward to building a platform where people can get to know me a little better. Talking ball and sharing in a conversational podcast where we have interesting people on,” said Woody. “For me, it’s about seeing content that they haven’t seen from me before. When you’re at ESPN, there’s a certain model that they do things. Now, independence allows me to broaden my reach with different things I can do. Hopefully, earning a new appreciation for what I can bring to the table.”

For Woody, his next chapter isn’t about replacing what he had at ESPN. It’s about building something that belongs to him.

Fifteen years at one of the biggest sports media companies in the world gave him a platform, relationships and an opportunity to reach audiences he once could only imagine. Now, independence gives him the freedom to decide what comes next.

The OG Football Show provides a familiar cast and a familiar philosophy, while In the Trenches with Damien Woody offers an opportunity to expand his voice beyond the traditional television role. Both projects allow Woody to do what he has always done best: talk football, educate an audience and bring the perspective of someone who has lived the game at its highest level.

There may have been disappointment in how his ESPN chapter ended, but Woody isn’t dwelling on the past. He finished what he started, walked away with gratitude and immediately began building what comes next.

For a competitor like Woody, that may be the most important part of this new era. The game hasn’t changed. His platform has. And now, for the first time in his broadcasting career, he gets to help call the plays.

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.

Commercial Clustering: How Radio Defeated Itself

David Hill
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Commercial Clustering: How Radio Defeated Itself

Picture somebody driving at 7:14 in the morning.

They hit one station: commercials.-Second station: commercials.-Third station: commercials.-Fourth station: commercials. Eventually they stop punching presets and hit Spotify, SiriusXM, a podcast or something else. Here’s the thing: Radio probably didn’t actually have too many commercials at that moment. Radio had too many commercials at the same moment. And that’s a problem radio created all by itself.

How PPM Shaped Our Strategy

When PPM replaced diaries in the major markets, we learned fast that five minutes of listening within a quarter-hour was the ballgame. That single metric changed how we built clocks—how we thought about programming, about break placement, about everything. I’m not throwing stones from outside the building. I did this too. We all did.

The strategy was sound: break at the quarter-hour boundary. Break at :13 and you capture :00-:15 and :15-:30. Break at :43 and you hit :30-:45 and :45-:00. The math let you span the quarter-hour line. You’d protect those quarter-hour marks like your next paycheck depended on it—because it did. We positioned stopsets strategically around :00, :15, :30, and :45. We obsessed over who went into the break first, who came out first, how much listening we could protect on either side of those lines. By 2010, Media Monitors was documenting the shift: PPM stations clustering their commercials around :15 and :45 with the precision of military drill.

It made perfect sense when you were the only station doing it.

The Problem: We All Did It Together

Except everybody else went back to their radio stations and did the exact same thing.

Station A breaks at :15 and :45. Station B breaks at :15 and :45. Station C breaks at :15 and :45. Suddenly the listener is hearing: Commercial. Commercial. Commercial. Commercial.

We were competing against the station across the street while the listener was comparing radio to Spotify, podcasts, satellite radio, YouTube—every other audio option in the car. We optimized against each other instead of optimizing against the listener’s alternatives. That’s not a marketing problem. That’s a strategic problem, and that’s the move that cost us.

Nielsen Changed the Measurement

Here’s what makes this something other than just industry navel-gazing: Nielsen changed the PPM listening qualifier from five minutes to three minutes starting in January 2025. They showed that 45% of listening occasions run shorter than five minutes. More importantly—and this is the part that matters—they documented that people don’t arrive at quarter-hour boundaries like we’ve been programming. They start listening at essentially every minute of the hour.

So the measurement methodology changed. The data changed. Why are we still programming clocks designed around methodology that’s obsolete?

That’s the actual question.

I’m not here to tell you radio needs to cut commercial load. That’s easy to say in a column and exponentially harder to execute in a budget meeting. But the fundamental assumptions behind the clock—the ones we’ve inherited and defended for fifteen years—those deserve serious questioning.

Does every station really need to break at :15? Do we all truly need :45? What happens if stations intentionally stagger their breaks instead of clustering them? Could three shorter stopsets outperform two long ones? Could we actually design clocks around listener behavior instead of PPM mythology?

Nielsen itself has opened the door here. The three-minute qualifier could support more frequent, shorter commercial blocks instead of the dense clustered breaks we’ve defended since 2010. That doesn’t mean one universal clock works everywhere. It means the old logic doesn’t hold anymore.

And we should probably say it out loud.

Radio spent years obsessing over whether my individual station sounded over-commercialized. The actual question is whether radio—all of it—sounds over-commercialized.

The listener doesn’t understand that Station A carefully protected its first quarter-hour or that Station B strategically positioned :45. What they know is they punched six buttons and heard six commercial breaks. And then they tapped the Spotify icon.

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.

Why Your News/Talk Radio Station’s Male Demo Craves Sports Talk

Peter Thiele
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Why Your News/Talk Radio Station’s Male Demo Craves Sports Talk

Depending on your state or community, this may be a peak time for sports. Baseball is headed to the postseason, college football is in full swing, and the NFL has returned. I know hosts who fret over focusing too much on sports, and the answer is complicated. Your news/talk station’s target demo is likely male. There is a sports talk station in the building or market. How much is too much? How much is not enough?

In my radio travels, every community has a focus on a professional or college team. Sports bring us together. If you are cheering for your favorite team, you really don’t care about the race, religion, politics, sexual identity or sexual preference of the individual next to you at the sports bar. You are wearing your team’s colors, cheering them on to victory. I am a Minnesota Vikings fan. I visit the sports bar that has a group of my tribe cheering for my purple heroes.

Does that sound familiar? Okay, you may not be a member of my tribe, but you are a fan of a team. Sports are a lifestyle. Your area’s pro or college sports team may be a huge deal for the vast majority of your listeners. I am the listener-focused experience guy. You must meet your audience’s expectations. I am in Missouri, and for my stations’ communities, you cannot go wrong discussing the Kansas City Chiefs. You must reference them during football season, training camp and on draft day.

Knowing your audience’s expectations

Is this what the audience expects? Are you delivering on your station’s mission? I believe in speaking to the station’s target listener. I can assure you that today at the bistro that is popular with the businessperson lunch crowd, they will not be debating tax policy the first workday after the game. They will be discussing the NFL, college football and may even dip into fantasy football. If you are a host, it is a must to participate in fantasy football because it connects you with a major activity of the fall.

It is estimated that 50-plus million Americans play fantasy football. Of that 50,000,000 figure, 65% are men. The players are affluent as well. These two stats mirror your audience. If your radio station is targeting men, sign up for a free league today. Here is another reason to play fantasy football — invariably, there will be an awesome play or a controversy in a game. Fantasy football allows anyone to have a working knowledge of players in the NFL. The worst thing that can happen on air is for a host to sound out of step with the audience.

It is estimated that in your metro area, if there is a big NFL or college team, almost half the population is watching or listening to the game. I had a host ask me about the other 50% of the people. Good question — here is my answer. What are they watching then? If half the people are enjoying the game and are discussing that game at work, at lunch, in line at Walmart, why are you not leaning into what people are doing?

Our job is to attract a large audience that advertisers want to reach, ideally through the host’s personal endorsements. This is your job.

Why Focus Matters More Than Talent

While ratings do not necessarily mean great revenue, it is essential for on-air talent to grow their shows as much as possible. Every moment of preparation should be designed for your station’s target demographic. What we do is art. There is a finesse to what we do. Without naming the host, there was a hugely talented local host who was heard in the evening on major stations coast to coast.

Every radio geek, including me, admired this host’s talent, imagination, and ability to tell a story. The unfortunate truth is that he had a limited shelf life. He always started strong in a market. Created lots of street talk. Early ratings success. Then the bottom fell out. It was essentially a limited playbook where people would catch on to the plays, and he would fade out. Universally liked. Great human.

It didn’t have legs. The show was never focused on the station’s target or mission. The lesson is that you must be focused on what the audience expects.

If you are working in Buffalo, the Bills should probably be important, even if you are a music station. If you are not plugged in with that team, you are out of step. There are dozens of examples like that. Lean into your audience. What are they doing and what are they discussing?

There is a truth to focus on — there are more distractions for your audience than ever. You must reflect on what is happening in their lives. There are easy putts. That professional and/or major college sports team is what people are discussing. It is a part of small talk at the gas pump. Your listeners are discussing the big teams. If you are ignoring it, you are essentially not connecting to your listeners.

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.

OutKick Adds Former Seattle Times Sports Columnist Matt Calkins

John Mamola
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OutKick Adds Former Seattle Times Sports Columnist Matt Calkins

OutKick has landed veteran sports columnist Matt Calkins. The former Seattle Times writer joins the platform effective immediately, covering sports and culture.

What We Know: Calkins spent 11 years at The Seattle Times, covering local college and pro teams plus events like the Super Bowl and World Cup. He resigned in August after the paper declined to run his column on two female student athletes who did not want to compete against biological males. Before Seattle, he wrote for the Riverside Press-Enterprise and the San Diego Union-Tribune. He’s a three-time National Sports Columnist of the Year.

What They Said: FOX News Digital’s Editorial Executive Vice President Tommy Firth: “Authenticity and common sense are at the heart of what we do at OutKick and are qualities FOX News Digital looks for when hiring new talent. Calkins clearly embodies both, and he will be a great addition to our team.”

Matt Calkins: “While my decision to leave The Seattle Times wasn’t easy, I’m beyond excited to start this new chapter at OutKick. I’ve always admired OutKick’s coverage and its willingness to never shy away from any topic.”

What Remains Unclear: OutKick hasn’t detailed Calkins’ specific beat or column schedule going forward. Exact terms of Calkins’ agreement are unknown.

What It Means: The hire reinforces OutKick’s push into sports-and-culture debates. Calkins hire follows OutKick recently launching The Craig Carton Show and becoming FOX News Digital’s official sports brand. Together, these moves signal an aggressive expansion at the very early stages of the fall sports calendar.

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MARC Media Expands Central Florida Radio with Five-Station Deal

David Hill
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MARC Media Expands Central Florida Radio with Five-Station Deal

MARC Media continues expanding in Florida. The company acquired Nature Coast Radio’s five-station cluster from western Florida markets.

What We Know MARC Media now operates across multiple Central Florida markets. The deal includes Hot AC Citrus 95.3, Classic Hits 96.7 The Fox, Country Z103.3/104.3, and Oldies Greatest Hits 106.3. These stations serve western Florida between Tampa and Gainesville. MARC Media structured the deal with $500,000 down, $500,000 at closing, and $1.5 million paid over ten years.

What’s at Stake MARC Media faces an FCC ownership-cap waiver. Two stations fall within Gainesville, where MARC already operates a full cluster. Meanwhile, two stations land in Tampa, expanding MARC’s regional footprint. This deal follows recent acquisitions of Treasure Coast Radio and Hall Communications’ Lakeland cluster.

What Remains Unclear MARC Media hasn’t announced operational changes. Executives haven’t disclosed branding, programming, or leadership appointments. MARC hasn’t defined integration timelines. Industry observers await clarity on how quickly MARC consolidates these overlapping markets.

What It Means MARC Media consolidates power in Central Florida radio. The company already controls significant assets in Melbourne, Vero Beach, and Lakeland. Therefore, these five stations strengthen MARC’s ability to serve advertisers across the region. Additionally, the FCC waiver will test whether regulators favor consolidation in secondary markets.

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.

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Bob Pittman to Highlight BFOA Radio Hall of Fame Media Mixer

Garrett Searight
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Bob Pittman to Highlight BFOA Radio Hall of Fame Media Mixer

Bob Pittman will headline the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s upcoming Media Mixer in Chicago. The iHeartMedia CEO will participate in a Q&A ahead of the Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

What We Know: The Broadcasters Foundation of America will host its Media Mixer on October 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The event will take place at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. As part of the evening, Pittman will sit down with Fred of The Fred Show for a Q&A. The gathering comes one night before the Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony and will bring together media executives and professionals attending the event.

What They Said: “With many executives in Chicago for the next night’s Radio Hall of Fame, we expect this to be our most exciting Media Mixer to date! We are especially thankful to Bob for giving us his time and providing this rare opportunity for junior professionals to meet and interact with him.” -Broadcasters Foundation of America President Tim McCarthy

What Remains Unclear: The organization hasn’t announced additional details about the questions Pittman will address during the Q&A. It also hasn’t outlined the full lineup of executives or media professionals expected to participate in the mixer.

What It Means: Pittman’s appearance gives attendees an opportunity to hear directly from one of the radio industry’s most prominent executives. Meanwhile, the mixer provides a networking event for media professionals in Chicago for Radio Hall of Fame week.

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.

Radio Reacts to AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act Passage By House of Representatives

Garrett Searight
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Radio Reacts to AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act Passage By House of Representatives

The House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act on Tuesday night after more than three years before Congress. Radio broadcasters quickly celebrated the legislation’s advancement as it now heads to the Senate.

What We Know: The House approved the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act under suspension of the rules, sending the legislation to the Senate. H.R. 979 would require automakers to include AM radio as standard equipment in new vehicles without an additional charge. The bill has been before Congress for more than three years and has attracted broad bipartisan support. The Senate companion bill, S. 315, has more than 60 bipartisan cosponsors but hasn’t received a floor vote.

What They Said: “I am glad that common sense has prevailed in Washington DC. The American people are on the side of common sense.” -77 WABC owner John Catsimatidis

“The House’s passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is a significant victory for public safety, local communities and the millions of Americans who rely on AM radio every day. We applaud House leadership and the overwhelming bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who came together to advance this legislation, and thank them for recognizing what emergency managers, first responders, farmers, truckers, tribes and tens of millions of Americans have long understood: AM radio remains an essential source of local emergency information, news, weather alerts, and community connection — and sometimes the only resource available in times of crisis and disaster.” -iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman

“This week’s House passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is a major milestone for local broadcasters and, more importantly, the communities we serve. AM radio remains an essential lifeline during emergencies and a trusted source of local news and information for millions of Americans. Cumulus Media is grateful to the bipartisan coalition in Congress that came together to preserve access to AM radio in vehicles, and we look forward to building on this momentum as the bill moves to the Senate.” -Cumulus Media EVP of Corporate Strategy & Development and Westwood One President Collin Jones

What Remains Unclear: The legislation still needs Senate approval before it can reach the president. Senate leaders haven’t announced when S. 315 will receive a floor vote. Therefore, the House action doesn’t yet guarantee that the measure will become law.

What It Means: Broadcasters now shift their focus to the Senate after years of lobbying Congress to preserve AM radio access in vehicles. The National Association of Broadcasters said the House vote represents a significant step for Americans who rely on AM radio for emergency information, news and community connections.

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Adam Thielen Joining NFL Live Weekly On ESPN

John Mamola
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Adam Thielen Joining NFL Live Weekly On ESPN

Adam Thielen is heading to the desk at ESPN. The former Panthers receiver joins ESPN’s NFL Live for the 2026 season.

What We Know: ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the move Wednesday. Thielen will appear on NFL Live every Wednesday this season. He spent 2023 and 2024 with Carolina, leading the team in receiving both years with 151 catches for 1,629 yards and nine touchdowns. Before that, he played a decade with his hometown Vikings. This is Thielen’s first network television position.

What’s At Stake: Thielen has made several appearances on ESPN prior to this upcoming opportunity with NFL Live. Last postseason, he joined NFL GameDay Live on the NFL Network where he referenced he wanted to do more in the sports media space.

What Remains Unclear: It’s not yet known how Thielen’s schedule will mesh with any other commitments now that he’s retired. Additionally, whether this Wednesday slot could expand to more regular airtime remains unannounced.

What It Means: Thielen’s move continues a familiar path: accomplished players transitioning straight into national television roles. His 12-year career, split between Minnesota, Carolina, and Pittsburgh, gives him firsthand credibility on-air. For ESPN, adding a recently retired veteran keeps NFL Live’s analysis current and connected to today’s league. Thielen debuts today at 4 p.m. ET alongside Molly McGrath, Dan Orlovsky, and Andrew Hawkins.

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.

America in the Morning Host John Trout Reflects on Tenure as Final Broadcast Nears

Garrett Searight
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America in the Morning Host John Trout Reflects on Tenure as Final Broadcast Nears

America in the Morning will sign off Friday after 42 years on the air. John Trout, who has hosted the program since 2015, reflected on its long run.

What We Know: America in the Morning will air its final broadcast Friday, September 18, one day after the exact 42nd anniversary of its sign-on date. Westwood One, which syndicates the program, will replace the show with The Bongino Report AM beginning Monday, September 21. Trout took over hosting duties in 2015 after Jim Bohannon departed the program. Since then, he has continued the show’s focus on delivering a daily, nonpartisan news broadcast to affiliated radio stations.

What They Said: “I want to thank the many correspondents, producers, management, and talented people who have contributed to AITM, helping us craft our daily, nonpartisan news broadcast over the years. I’m especially grateful to the hundreds of radio stations that carried our show.” -John Trout

What Remains Unclear: Westwood One has not indicated what led to The Bongino Report AM replacing America in the Morning. The transition also leaves questions about how stations that carried the longtime morning news program will adjust their schedules.

What It Means: Trout won’t leave broadcasting following the end of America in the Morning. Instead, he’ll remain active in television news programming through his work with Marquee Broadcasting Inc. Meanwhile, the end of the program closes a 42-year chapter for one of radio’s longtime nationally syndicated news broadcasts.

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.

Mike Tirico “Honored” By Michael Jordan Experience Last Season On NBC Sports

John Mamola
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Mike Tirico “Honored” By Michael Jordan Experience Last Season On NBC Sports

Michael Jordan won’t return to NBC’s NBA coverage this season. Mike Tirico confirmed it Wednesday to Front Office Sports — but he’s not giving up hope.

What We Know: NBC signed Jordan before the 2025–26 season as a special contributor. He sat for one extended interview with Tirico. Producers split it into six MJ: Insights to Excellence segments that aired all year. That marked the extent of Jordan’s on-air commitment last season. Reaction to the segment was mixed. There was much higher expectations of what Jordan could have brought to NBC Sports coverage of the NBA by many. However, Tirico says he was “honored” that the network pursued the opportunity and executed on it.

What They Said: (All quotes via Front Office Sports):

Mike Tirico: “Michael hasn’t sat down with a lot of folks over the last 20 years, and I’m honored that we did it. I think if people look at the content of what was there, and not what their expectations were or the other stuff, I think they’d come away and say, ‘You know, it’s pretty interesting to hear what he said.’ So glad Michael did it. Lucky to have the time around him. And if he ever does it again, I hope I’m the guy on the other side of the couch. If not, I’ll be sitting there and listening to him, that’s for darn sure.”

Mike Tirico: “It was fun. A lot of people took it and ran with what they thought it was going to be, when we never really said a lot of what it was going to be. It was just Michael talking about basketball. And Michael was terrific about it. You know, I’d love for Michael at any point to come back and sit down and do more. Because it was selfishly great to sit and hang with Michael and to talk basketball and hear his views on the game and his love still for basketball and what it is today.”

What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear if Jordan will ever return to NBC’s NBA coverage or any network as well. Tirico left the door open. Currently, nothing is on the schedule.

What It Means: Still, NBC scored a win just landing Jordan over rival networks. The lean into nostalgia with Jordan, Bob Costas, and Roundball Rock resonated with fans in year one. NBC and Peacock tip off the 2026–27 season October 20 when the New York Knicks will raise their banner during Opening Night.

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