The NFL may not have seen the last of Kurt Warner. USA TODAY Sports reports that the former quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee is garnering "serious consideration" to join ESPN's "Monday Night Football" booth. The company would be in no hurry to make a hire right now, with the preseason still over three months away. If ESPN does decide to make the move, however, it would be a solid choice considering Warner's broadcasting experience.
Warming up to Warner
According to the report, the company has had multiple conversations with the former quarterback to replace Jon Gruden as the "Monday Night Football" team's analyst; Gruden left to become the head coach of the Oakland Raiders during the offseason.
ESPN is giving @kurt13warner "serious consideration" for MNF analyst job left open when Jon Gruden returned to coaching, @usatodaysports has learned. (written w @JeffZillgitt) https://t.co/SmbKMa2VOj
— A.J. Perez (@byajperez) April 18, 2018
Warner is one of the most beloved quarterbacks in recent memory. His rags-to-riches story about rising from grocery store shelf stacker to MVP and Super Bowl champion is the stuff of NFL lore. He played for several teams during his career, but was best known for his work with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. For what it's worth, he went 5-4 on "Monday Night Football" as a player, tossing two more touchdowns than interceptions.
Since 2010, Warner has been an analyst with the NFL Network.
He mostly works the studio shows with the company, though. He did work as a color analyst with Fox Sports for a spell in 2010. He was also a substitute commentator for Westwood One's coverage of the "Monday Night Football" game. Still, this would be the most pressure-packed role of his broadcasting career.
Other contenders for the visible role
Warner may be receiving a heavy amount of consideration for the role, but he isn't the only former quarterback in the running for the position. ESPN reportedly sought both Peyton Manning and Brett Favre for "Monday Night Football," trying to provide a spark of star power to the broadcast; the former turned it down, while the latter reportedly botched an audition, according to the New York Post.
Other reported candidates to join the "Monday Night Football" booth include ESPN analysts Matt Hasselbeck and Rex Ryan, with the latter already working as a studio host for the show. The booth is already in a state of tumult, as Joe Tessitore is replacing Sean McDonough as the play-by-play man. Whoever the company decides to hire will need some time to built a rapport with Tessitore, whether it be Kurt Warner or someone else on ESPN's secret shortlist.
