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Report Reveals How Rich Eisen's ESPN Return Could Affect Pat McAfee

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Mariano | Last updated May 12, 2025 2:27 PM ET

NFL host Rich Eisen will return to ESPN after 22 years as part of the network's bold vision to offer direct-to-consumer content.

Eisen left ESPN in 2003 to join NFL Network, where he eventually found great success as the anchor of "GameDay" and the league's draft coverage, among other programs.

According to a report from The Athletic's Andrew Marchand, the 55-year-old Eisen will debut “The Rich Eisen Show” on ESPN in the fall. He noted that the program will be licensed by the network and Eisen is "expected to maintain ownership and editorial control."

Marchand added that “The Rich Eisen Show,” which aired from noon to 3 p.m. ET on streaming platform Roku, will also be featured on ESPN+ and Disney+.

He also shared how ESPN is viewing Eisen's return in relation to the network's other popular host, former NFL star Pat McAfee.

"The addition of Eisen is considered a complement to 'The Pat McAfee Show,' which is also scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. ET daily, with placement on ESPN’s top channel for its first two hours," wrote Marchand.

"When ESPN licensed McAfee’s program on a five-year deal for more than $85 million, a big part of its thinking was its reimagined app and the direct-to-consumer product. Like McAfee, Eisen figures to have prominent placement on the app."

The 38-year-old McAfee has built a wide audience with his strong and controversial takes. His interview with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in March garnered a lot of attention, with McAfee squeezing out a lot from the future Hall of Famer about an array of topics.

Eisen, meanwhile, first joined ESPN in 1996 after bouncing around in different media jobs in New York, Chicago, California and Washington, DC. He had a famous interview with MLB legend Mark McGwire after he retired in 2001.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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