After a number of changes over the past few years, ESPN’s NFL Countdown Show has seen some new faces take center stage. In 2024, there will be some familiar faces joined by a few new ones as well.
Breaking Down the ESPN NFL Halftime and Countdown Commentators
Scott Van Pelt, better known as SVP, is the host of the ESPN halftime show. He’s joined by Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears, Adam Schefter, and now the recently retired Jason Kelce.
Scott Van Pelt
Van Pelt has been an anchor for ESPN on various programs, most notably, SportsCenter. Van Pelt is a renowned golf analyst and is considered by many to be one of the top golf correspondents in the world.
Van Pelt continues his rise to stardom as a personality on ESPN radio. He had several radio programs, including “Tirico and Van Pelt,” “The Scott Van Pelt Show,” and “SVP & Russillo.”
Van Pelt has been the anchor for the midnight edition of SportsCenter since 2015.
Ryan Clark
Ryan had a 13-year NFL career at safety, is a Pro-Bowler, and a Super Bowl champ. He famously recorded five tackles in the Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Since his retirement in 2015, he has been a broadcaster for ESPN, and he also hosts The Pivot Podcast with Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder.
Marcus Spears
Spears is no stranger to ESPN viewers as he is a regular with Stephen A. Smith on “First Take.” After an All-American and National Championship career at LSU and nearly a decade in the NFL, Spears transitioned into television. His career quickly grew and he became an integral part of the NFL Live’s full revamp in August 2020.
Spears brings NFL playing experience and a passion for the game to the Monday Night Football team. Drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Spears played defensive end for nine NFL seasons, retiring in 2014.
Adam Schefter
Another mainstay of ESPN’s halftime show is NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Schefter regularly appears during the break to provide news and rumors from around the league. Schefter officially joined ESPN as an analyst in 2009.
Jason Kelce
Eagles legend Jason Kelce is making his broadcasting debut on NFL Countdown. After his retirement, Kelce did not stay off the market for very long, announcing his intention to join ESPN as a broadcaster.
“Turns out, it was a short retirement! I’m excited to join ESPN, and particularly the Monday Night Countdown team. ESPN was a consistent presence in our household growing up and the network helped shape who I am and my love of all sports. To now appear on that same screen is a full circle moment. And, I mean it’s freaking Monday Night Football! and I’m ready for some football,” Kelce said in a statement via ESPN.
“Jason is a highly respected, Super Bowl Champion with a strong connection to fans,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN President of Content. “Walking off the field and immediately to ESPN, viewers will benefit from his perspective which has been shaped through his years as an established locker room leader and a future Hall of Fame center. Jason’s addition to Monday Night Countdown will greatly strengthen our NFL coverage.”
ESPN NFL Halftime Commentators Include the Manningcast
This year, ESPN’s alternative Monday Night Football broadcast, the Manningcast, is set to return. The Manningcast is broadcasted on ESPN2 and features Eli and Peyton Manning doing everything from color commentary to analysis throughout the game. The brothers also speak to several guests during each contest.
In addition to the Manning brothers, this year will also see the legendary Bill Belichick join the crew. Peyton revealed the news on The Pat McAfee show earlier this year.
“I said, ‘Bill, we want you to come on. Look, we’d love to go behind the ropes on the defensive side as to kind of what the Eagles are going to have to do to stop Patrick Mahomes, right? And if you ever run out of things to say, just make fun of Eli, right? That’s always sort of a time-filler,’ and Bill doesn’t like Eli,” Manning explained. “We all know that – two Super Bowls – so it’s just a match made in heaven.”
“I can’t tell you the advantage to having a defensive coach to take the quarterback behind the ropes on that defense, it made me a better quarterback, so Bill’s gonna do that. I think the audience is going to be fascinated at how smart he is,” Manning said. “Look, you guys saw how witty he is. I watched the Draft show you guys did; it was awesome. He’s quick-witted, he’s funny and like I said, he’s brilliant when it comes to defense and offense, the guy can flat-out coach.”
