Clay Travis reporting ESPN is pursuing Brees for MNF post retirement

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Outkick has learned ESPN has made an eight figure offer to current New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to become the network’s Monday Night Football lead analyst. Brees’s ascendance to the Monday Night Football booth would begin as soon as he retires from the NFL.

The 41 year old quarterback debated retirement this off-season before electing to return for at least one more year. Brees, who presently makes $25 million a year this year and is also on track to make $25 million next year, recently donated $5 million to Louisiana charities. He’s a beloved figure in the NFL and there is a nearly universal belief among television executives that he would be fantastic in the broadcast booth.

While he has at least one year remaining on the field, an agreement between Brees and ESPN would solidify ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth for the future. In seeking to lock up Brees ESPN is attempting to avoid a potential bidding war with NBC, which might be interested in Brees as well.

While the two sides have not agreed to terms yet, the plan would be for a deal between Brees and ESPN to remain quiet until Brees officially retires. That’s because there is some trepidation inside Disney about announcing an eight figure yearly deal in the midst of the coronavirus shut down of the company’s sports properties, which could soon lead to layoffs. Not to mention the awkwardness of a player who is still currently playing already having agreed to a post-playing career job in the media.

Since Brees has at least one year left on the field, this would leave ESPN with a decision to make about what to do with its broadcast booth for the 2020 season as well. Do they stick with Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland for another season? Bring in a new crew for one season before making way for Brees? That’s still to be determined.

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