In the short term, ESPN’s official takeover of NFL Network will lead to more crossover appearances by on-air talent in future years.
And in the long term, it could set up something more valuable from a strategic business standpoint. Namely, a possible succession plan between Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter and Daniel Jeremiah and Mel Kiper Jr., Front Office Sports has learned.
There’s nothing imminent. Both Schefter and Kiper are still the biggest names on their respective beats. Both will be front and center during ESPN/ABC’s coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft from April 23-25.
But the youthful-looking Schefter, ESPN’s senior NFL insider, turns 60 years old this year. Adrian Wojnarowski, his former counterpart on the NBA beat, tapped out from the grueling insider game at age 55 in 2024.
Kiper, the pioneering king of the draft gurus, turns 66 this year. He’s been a mainstay of ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage since 1984. But Todd McShay, his presumed successor, was swept out of ESPN during the layoffs of 2023 that claimed other big names such as Max Kellerman, Jeff Van Gundy, and Jalen Rose.
On the other hand, Rapoport and Jeremiah are 46 and 48 years old respectively. Both are highly thought of by ESPN brass as they decide who they want to retain at NFL Network in the coming months and years. Rapoport’s current contract expires in May. Getting a new deal done with him is a high priority in Bristol, say sources.
The network’s leadership is also a big believer in Jeremiah. In previous years, he’s done crossover appearances with ESPN. The former NFL scout actually started his TV career as a production assistant on ESPN’s Sunday Night Football coverage, where he was mentored by the late, great ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen.
Looking forward, ESPN will continue to operate itself and NFL Network as separate networks. The early thinking is both Rapoport and Jeremiah will remain at their NFL Network positions, along with Scott Hanson, the popular host of NFL RedZone.
But ESPN has frequently raided its rival 24/7 cable network for talent, hiring Peter Schrager away from Good Morning Football in 2025 and Schefter himself in 2009. Whenever Schefter and Kiper move on, or retire, it’s easy to see Rapoport and Jeremiah sliding into their respective roles. Neither would require any training or promotion. They’d be the equivalent of plug and play. They could create the kind of seamless transition that ESPN pulled off when Mortensen passed the title of ESPN’s top NFL insider to Schefter.
The negotiations between Disney and NFL for ESPN to acquire NFL Network in exchange for a 10% equity stake in the four letters took years to complete. During the sale process, NFL Network played it cheap, paring down its talent roster and playing hardball on salaries. The good news for the network’s worried staff is that ESPN doesn’t view them as damaged goods. Instead, ESPN brass seems to view NFL Network as a pipeline for new talent.
On ESPN’s first day of ownership on Wednesday, top executives Burke Magnus and Rosalyn Durant announced the promotion of five NFL Network executives to VP posts within ESPN. That included promoting top NFL Network game producer Charlie Yook. He’ll oversee NFL Network as executive producer of content production, reporting to Mike McQuade, ESPN’s executive vice president of sports production.
If Rapoport lands a big new deal in the coming months, that will strengthen the impression that NFL Network will be here to stay under the aegis of ESPN.
