Rich Eisen Gets Emotional Ahead of First SportsCenter Appearance Since 2003

Rich Eisen has spent more than three decades building his legacy as one of sports media’s most recognizable hosts. Now, the 56-year-old broadcast veteran is coming home.

Eisen will return to the ESPN anchor desk on Monday night for his first "SportsCenter" appearance since 2003, marking a full-circle moment for a host regarded as one of the original voices of the network’s late-90s boom.

The move is part of ESPN’s broader effort to introduce original content to Disney+ starting this fall. Eisen, who left the network in 2003 and became synonymous with NFL Network’s draft and combine coverage, is among the sp lashy nostalgia plays ESPN is deploying to appeal to longtime viewers.

“I never thought this would be possible,” he said during his "Rich Eisen Show" on Monday, emphasizing how surreal it will feel to once again hear the iconic SportsCenter theme before delivering highlights.

ESPN Taps Rich Eisen To Headline Nostalgia-Driven Disney+ Expansion

Eisen's self-titled show will be moving to Disney+ in the fall, as part of the broader NFL coverage changes announced with ESPN's acquisition of NFL Network and other NFL media assets in exchange for a 10% equity stake in the "Worldwide Leader."

ESPN executive Dave Roberts, whom Eisen praised as “doggedly determined,” is credited with making the reunion happen. Production staff connected to the primetime appearance confirmed Eisen would be loaded with baseball highlights and a signature “Top Ten” segment in what figures to be a throwback broadcast complete with vintage catchphrases.