It’s been an incredibly busy week for ESPN and their relationship with the NFL given the announcement of their massive equity agreement and the upcoming new season. And veteran sideline reporter Lisa Salters will remain a fixture as the network and the league embark on their new partnership.
On Tuesday, ESPN announced their Monday Night Football coverage plans for the upcoming season. Included in the plans is a new role for Laura Rutledge where she will work every week as a sideline reporter, adding on to her busy schedule at NFL Live and SEC Nation.
Rutledge will be paired with longtime MNF reporter Lisa Salters, who ESPN also revealed is getting a brand new contract with the network.
“Salters’ contract extension further cements the Emmy-winner as the longest-tenured sideline reporter in Monday Night Football history, set to enter her 14th season,” said the ESPN announcement. “Salters is one of the company’s most decorated and recognizable reporters, having excelled in several roles throughout her 25 years at ESPN, including multiple Emmy and industry award winning journalistic endeavors with E:60 and SportsCenter. Currently, in addition to Monday Night Football, she is the lead sideline reporter on ESPN’s NBA coverage, which includes the NBA Finals each season. In 2023, she won the Sports Emmy in the ‘Outstanding Personality/Reporter’ category.”
Lisa Salters has covered pretty much every sport imaginable for the WorldWide Leader in Sports since joining ESPN all the way back in 2000. She stepped into the role she is most synonymous with at Monday Night Football in 2012, but she’s also been ESPN’s lead NBA reporter for years as well, most notably covering the NBA Finals. In fact, Salters made history on Christmas Day in 2017 by working both an NBA and NFL game on the same day.
Given the timing of the ESPN-NFL announcement, and a new rights deal kicking in with the NBA that will see ESPN continue to be the home of the Finals, the timing makes perfect sense for a contract extension with Lisa Salters. She is among the very best in the entire industry, and especially in her role as a sideline reporter whether it be interviews with coaches and players or communicating crucial updates and information.
And while she continues to likely work the NBA Finals, Lisa Salters can also circle February 2027 on her calendar when ABC/ESPN enter the Super Bowl rotation for the big game.