ESPN personality forever tied to Joe Namath among on-air talent layoffs

Kolber was as close to a ESPN lifer as you can get, even as the Disney-owned sports channel went through massive growth spurts and well-publicized staff changes. She began her ESPN career in the early 1990s at ESPN2 as the second, more off-beat channel was crafting its own image away from the main network, which was known for "SportsCenter" and game telecasts. After a brief stint with Fox Sports, she returned to Bristol in 1999.

Kolber may have done work on multiple sports, but she was and remains synonymous with the NFL. A big part of that, certainly, comes from actually playing the game as a child in the Philadelphia suburbs. She hosted several studio shows, including "NFL Matchup," "Monday Night Countdown" and "NFL Live," over the years and was a sideline reporter on "Monday Night Football" in the 2000s.

Of course, she'll forever be linked to one of the more embarrassing moments in televised history, though certainly not a fault of her making. In 2003 during a broadcast of a game between the New England Patriots and New York Jets, an inebriated Joe Namath attempted to kiss her during a live interview. Kolber deftly handled the awkward situation, but it was also the lowest point for Namath, who struggled with alcohol use for years. The incident had become internet fodder at a time where online media had truly begun to flex its might on the sports world.

For a league that only has about two months of actual game days in a given year, ESPN devotes an incredible amount of airtime and talent to the NFL year-round. While the roster of analysts and hosts is a deep one, Kolber might be irreplaceable, and considering her experience with the league, it's hard to envision her staying on the sidelines for too long.