Herbstreit’s falls, it appears, will be very busy for the foreseeable future.
Attentive NFL viewers will know this is not Herbstreit’s first time calling games at the NFL level, however. He first called a “Monday Night Football” game with Fowler in 2018, then teamed up again with him in 2022 for a Saturday night NFL doubleheader.
Herbstreit received rave reviews for his performance in the booth in those games, and likely will enjoy similar results alongside Michaels. With that, The Sporting News looks at why Herbstreit decided to call NFL games, and how he will juggle those duties alongside his already-existing college football slate:
Why is Kirk Herbstreit calling NFL games?
Herbstreit is calling NFL games because his contract with ESPN allows him to and, presumably, it will not interfere with his ability to work on “GameDay” or “Saturday Night Football.”
Per Andrew Marchand of The New York Post, Herbstreit has long had a desire to call NFL games, reportedly believing he and Fowler would eventually call ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasts and, beyond that, eventually move to the Super Bowl.
MORE: Schedule of ‘TNF’ games in 2022
Early indications suggest Herbstreit and Michaels, who have yet to work a full season together professionally, already have a notable chemistry in the broadcast booth:
Of course, Herbstreit acknowledged to the Post that his falls and winters are going to be hectic.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be monumental,” Herbstreit said. “For four months, I’m not really going to have any days off.”
That said, the longtime announcer is looking forward to giving “TNF” fans an experience on par with that of the other premier broadcasts in football:
“It’s going to be an incredible broadcast," Herbstreit said, “and I’m going to do everything I can to hold up my end of the bargain and try to make it one of the best booths in television.”
