Michelle Beisner-Buck Replacing Rick Reilly on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown

Michelle Beisner-Buck will host feature stories on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, a role formerly held by Rick Reilly, Beisner-Buck told The Big Lead. Reilly did features on the Monday Night Football pregame since 2013, a pivot from the writing and other television pieces he’d done for ESPN since 2008. An ESPN spokesperson confirmed to The Big Lead that Reilly is no longer with the network.

Beisner-Buck did features for Sunday NFL Countdown for the past two seasons, and she explained why she is excited to be changing programs. “It’s the only gig in town,” she says. “You’ve got a captive audience. On Monday night if you’re a fan of the NFL, you’ll be watching us. Rick is very talented, and he’ll be missed. I’m honored that [ESPN NFL senior coordinating producer] Seth Markman is giving me the opportunity to fill those big shoes.”

Beisner-Buck notes that she’ll be doing a variety of stories for the program. “Anything is fair game,” she says. “There isn’t any idea that we won’t consider. I think we’ll have a good combination of lighter, smile stories, and then we’ll have some of those grab a Kleenex and have a good cry kind of features. I am completely fearless, and I will try anything. If there’s a feature one week where an equipment guy has a passion for skydiving and he wants me to go with him, I’ll do it. I’m excited to show my range.”