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ESPN Makes Official Decision On Rich Eisen's Return

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 1:34 PM ET

It's been over 20 years since Rich Eisen left ESPN to join the NFL Network. But it appears he's set to make his return - and sooner than you might expect.

According to sports media insider Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Eisen's "The Rich Eisen Show" is set to become the centerpiece of ESPN Radio and will take over the 12-3 p.m. ET slot. Per the report, the show will also be streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+, beginning on September 2.

"The Rich Eisen Show" will replace "Joe & Q" with Joe Fortenbaugh and Qiant “Q” Myers. Fortenbaugh and Myers will reportedly be separated and given different roles at ESPN.

NEWS: The Rich Eisen Show will be the new centerpiece of ESPN Radio from noon-3 p.m., The Athletic has learned.https://t.co/M0pZ4OPJ4w Rich Eisen to take over ESPN Radio’s noon slot: Sources
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) July 22, 2025

As some have noticed, this move will pretty much put Eisen and his show in direct competition with two of the network's biggest personalities: Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee.

Smith will be getting a new show on SiriusXM in the same timeslot as Eisen. Meanwhile, McAfee's show continues to hold the noon to early-afternoon slot.

Eisen's rise to prominence came as a member of the SportsCenter desk alongside the late-great Stuart Scott from 1996 to 2003. He rose through the ranks quickly, becoming the host of multiple ESPN shows and working alongside many of their top talents in the late-90s and early-00s.

When the NFL Network launched in 2003, the newly-formed network quickly made Eisen one of the centerpieces of their on-air talent. For years he was the face of the network, hosting nearly all of their top programs.

However, Eisen gradually branched out into his own show and is now far less active on the network than he once was.

Though with NFL Media deepening its partnership with ESPN, it appears that the time is ripe for some of the ESPN alumni they once poached to get their talent back.

Will "The Rich Eisen Show" be a suitable competitor to the likes of Pat McAfee and Stephen A. Smith?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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