When ESPN acquired the rights to the NFL Network last month, the network further staked its claim to being the worldwide leader in NFL coverage. So it should perhaps be no surprise that ESPN is making it a priority to keep much of its on-air talent covering the sport. On Monday, ESPN announced agreements to extend four NFL analysts with multi-year deals.
In a press release, ESPN announced that Herm Edwards, Jeff Saturday, Andrew Hawkins, and Jason McCourty, had all agreed to multi-year extensions to continue covering the NFL for the network.
Congratulations to @HermEdwards, @SaturdayJeff, @Hawk & @JasonMcCourty 🏈
Catch the former #NFL players & coaches year-round on @GetUpESPN, @FirstTake, NFL Live, @SportsCenter & more
Additional info on the @ESPNNFL analysts: https://t.co/E1096TjagF pic.twitter.com/9KiAolLYnA
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 15, 2025
Three of the four who agreed to new deals shared their reaction to the news in posts on social media, sharing how eager they are to remain at the network for the foreseeable future.
Excited to be back with the gang! https://t.co/Y7Vhxp64V0
— Herm Edwards (@HermEdwards) September 15, 2025
🫡🫡🫡🫡 https://t.co/Vq9K3wPSGX pic.twitter.com/eUq21ojLGs
— Andrew Hawkins (@Hawk) September 15, 2025
And we’re BACK! https://t.co/o7hpDtTsqA
— Jason McCourty (@JasonMcCourty) September 15, 2025
It addition to strictly sharing this announcement, ESPN shared some insight in the press release into how each of these analysts will continue to be utilized, which is seemingly similar to the roles they already maintained at the network.
Herm Edwards is set to continue being a regular on SportsCenter and ABC’s Good Morning America on Sunday’s. Jeff Saturday will feature regularly on Get Up, First Take, SportsCenter, NFL Live and Pardon the Interruption. Andrew Hawkins will appear primarily on NFL Live and Get Up in addition to “additional contributions” to First Take and SportsCenter. And Jason McCourty will regularly appear on Tuesdays and Thursdays across Get Up, First Take, NFL Live and SportsCenter, in addition to his responsibilities as a CBS NFL game analysts on Sundays.
ESPN has increasingly turned to former players to be the backbone of its talent covering the sport in recent years. And this decision only strengthens that stance, as all four of the names that agreed to multi-year extensions on Monday are former players.