Report: Joe Tessitore To Replace Sean McDonough On MNF

Sean McDonough

ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” booth will have a totally new look next season, but it won’t include Peyton Manning, nor its most-recent play-by-player, Sean McDonough, according to The NYTPost.

Sources told The Post Manning, the most sought-after NFL television free agent of the winter, has passed on calling games on Monday night, while ESPN has decided to drop McDonough from its top NFL team.

Joe Tessitore

Joe Tessitore is expected replace McDonough as the voice of Monday Night Football, sources told The Post. Tessitore never has called an NFL game. ESPN did not make Tessitore part of the McDonough announcement.

McDonough essentially will swap football gigs with Tessitore, who was the No. 2 voice on college football. McDonough will move to colleges from the pros in the fall, calling top games during the regular season and a playoff semifinal on TV. He also will continue to call the national championship on radio.

Peyton Manning

Meanwhile, FOX is still in play for Manning’s service as its lead game analyst on its new “Thursday Night Football” package. ESPN and FOX both made Manning their No. 1 target this offseason.

FOX continues a concerted effort to turn Thursday night into a bigger prime time event than ESPN’s Monday night and hopes the 41-year-old Manning can be the central part.

FOX has broached the idea of having the face of NBC, Mike Tirico, call games with Manning, as well as adding its current lead game analyst, Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, to its pre-game show.

Sources have told The Post they thought Manning would prefer Thursdays to Mondays, because it would not require working the weekend, as announcers usually show up two days before a game. FOX’s 11-game schedule is shorter than ESPN’s 19 games (which includes the Pro Bowl and two exhibitions).