Report: ESPN offers 'MNF' job to Brees, post-retirement

ESPN has made a substantial offer to Drew Brees that would send him straight to the "Monday Night Football" booth once he retires from the NFL, according to a report Sunday. Clay Travis wrote on his Outkick the Coverage blog that ESPN has made the New Orleans Saints quarterback an "eight-figure offer" to join the broadcast booth.

ESPN has been looking for a signature analyst since Jon Gruden left to coach the Oakland Raiders two years ago. Jason Witten held the job one season before returning to play in the NFL, with Booger McFarland filling the role last season. The network was interested in Tony Romo, who re-signed with CBS, and the New York Post reported this week that Peyton Manning rebuffed their offer. Travis, a Fox Sports personality, said that should Brees and ESPN agree to a deal, it would be kept mum until he announces his retirement, in part because of "the awkwardness of a player who is still currently playing already having agreed to a post-playing career job in the media." By locking him up now, Travis said, ESPN would have security and also could avoid a bidding war with another network.

Earlier this month, Brees agreed to a two-year contract worth approximately $50 million. He is the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. ESPN has not announced its "Monday Night Football" crew for the 2020 season. In 2019, the network had a two-man booth of play-by-play man Joe Tessitore and analyst McFarland but is thought to be seeking an upgrade, hoping to add playoff games and potentially a Super Bowl.

--Field Level Media

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