ESPN is reportedly set to revamp its 'B-Team' broadcasting unit ahead of the 2026 NFL season following the network's merger with NFL Network, with a number of big names set to be involved
09:30 ET, 03 Apr 2026Updated 09:30 ET, 03 Apr 2026
The ESPN logo appears on the screen of a smartphone placed on a laptop keyboard illuminated by red light. YouTube TV loses all Disney channels on October 31 after negotiations over pricing break down. 10 million users are currently affected in Creteil, France, on November 7, 2025.
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ESPN will undergo a revamp of its NFL announcing 'B-Team'(Image: Getty Images)
ESPN will reportedly be revamping its 'B-Team' NFL broadcasting unit following the network's recent merger with NFL Network.
On April 1, ESPN officially took over NFL Network in a deal worth approximately $3 billion. As part of the deal, ESPN has acquired NFL Network, NFL Fantasy, and the rights to distribute the RedZone channel to cable and satellite providers. It comes after the network's coverage was interrupted by a huge deal involving Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Recently, it was announced that, following the NFL's Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, the divisive 'Monday Night Football' doubleheaders, which aired on ESPN, were to be scrapped, with the network now no longer broadcasting overlapping games on a Monday night during the 2026 season.
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That means 'Monday Night Football' will now solely be announced by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, ESPN's 'A-Team' broadcasting unit. Following the news of the doubleheaders being scrapped, the 'B-Team', which currently consists of Christ Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, and Louis Riddick, is now set to be revamped.
According to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand, ESPN is expected to ring the changes, in part because its new 2026 package of games, alongside 'Monday Night Football', will likely feature international games, slated to begin on Sunday morning.
With Fowler also currently calling college football for the network as its lead play-by-play announcer, international travel for him is likely out of the question.
Jason Kelce looks on before a match between Jupiter Links GC and The Bay Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 03, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
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Jason Kelce's inclusion to the Masters coverage left many fans scratching their heads(Image: Photo by Cliff Hawkins/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
Additionally, trips abroad would affect Orlovsky and Riddick's studio time with the network, meaning a full revamp is in the offing.
Marchand reports that former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce has "emerged as a dark horse" for one of the color analyst positions, as has NFL Network's Kurt Warner, who has called games for NFL Network alongside Rich Eisen in the past.
It was also recently announced that Kelce will be in attendance at the 2026 Masters, where he will serve as an on-course reporter during the Par 3 contest at Augusta next week after having made his debut at TGL last month.
Dan Orlovsky joined ESPN in 2018
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Dan Orlovsky could be bumped from ESPN's NFL announcing team(Image: Getty)
However, Kelce's inclusion in the coverage of the Par 3 contest has drawn the ire of golf fans on social media, who were left bemused by the decision to utilize the former NFL star as an on-course reporter.
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For Fowler's role, Dave Pasch and Mike Monaco are reportedly contenders for the play-by-play announcing role.
While the 'B-Team' will be revamped, Buck and Aikman's roles with the network are not under threat. The pair remains arguably the best announcing team in the NFL and will call the Super Bowl for ESPN next year.
However, they are also entering the final year of their five-year deals, worth a combined $165 million, after leaving FOX following the 2021 NFL season.