ESPN Has Considered Replacing Sean McDonough on Monday Night Football

ESPN executives have weighed dramatically resetting the Monday Night Football booth, according to a report by the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand. In addition to pursuing Peyton Manning, the long-shot golden goose, the network has considered replacing Sean McDonough with an internal candidate.

"While lead play-by-player Sean McDonough is currently in place, ESPN executives have considered a total reboot of their Monday Night booth, sources said. There was a feeling that McDonough lacked chemistry with Gruden, plus NFL officials have not been fans of some of McDonough’s critiques on officiating, among other topics. “If you were going to do it, this is the time,” one source said of the MNF total reboot idea. The three internal possibilities are Joe Tessitore, Steve Levy and Dave Pasch."

Neither Tessitore or Levy have called an NFL game. Pasch has been the longtime radio voice of the Arizona Cardinals.

McDonough’s two years behind the microphone haven’t been a smashing success, largely due to the chemistry with Gruden, as Marchand noted. It’s my belief that ESPN is more inclined to see if a change in partner serves as a fix versus dramatically overhauling the entire booth — especially if Manning either takes the Fox gig or continues to turn down opportunity.