ESPN Hoping to Revive NFL Coverage By Bringing Back Chris Berman

The network wants to coax Berman out of semi-retirement for an expanded role.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 11:  Chris Berman arrives for the 3rd Annual Sports Humanitarian Of The Year Awards at The Novo by Microsoft on July 11, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 11: Chris Berman arrives for the 3rd Annual Sports Humanitarian Of The Year Awards at The Novo by Microsoft on July 11, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic)
FilmMagic

One of ESPN’s most historic personalities could be coming back, back, back, back …

According to The New York Post, the powers that be at the Worldwide Leader are trying to coax Chris Berman out of semi-retirement for an expanded role during the forthcoming NFL season.

The move is likely being made in the hopes that Berman, who has long been associated with football on the network, will help reverse declining ratings on Monday Night Football and ESPN’s other NFL programming.

Last year, Berman did some short pieces on Monday nights but was not on the air throughout the bulk of the football season.

ESPN isn’t offering Berman the chance to host Sunday NFL Countdown as he did in the past, but may give him the chance to anchor Sunday night editions of SportsCenter some weeks.

Berman’s return would be in line with executive vice president of production Norby Williamson beginning to go back to the network’s roots with its studio programming offerings.

She previously was able to convince Keith Olbermann to return to a larger role on ESPN.

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