McDonough Leaves CBS to Join NBC

CBS, which a month ago fired Brent Musburger, has lost another member of the “NFL Today” television cast.

NBC announced Tuesday that it has signed Will McDonough to a four-year contract. Terms were not announced, but a source said the deal is worth $2 million.

McDonough, 54, a sportswriter for the Boston Globe for more than 30 years, also worked for CBS the past four years. He will continue with the newspaper, but in a more limited role. He said he will probably write three columns a week instead of four.

McDonough, who suffered a heart attack Feb. 25, said the structured schedule that NBC offered was a key factor in his decision to make the switch. “I like the way NBC laid things out,” he said.

McDonough, besides becoming a regular on NBC’s “NFL Live” pregame show, joining Bob Costas and O.J. Simpson, will also provide reports on NBC’s new “Sports Update” program during the off-season.

McDonough replaces “insiders” Bobby Beathard and Ralph Wiley. Beathard left NBC to become general manager of the San Diego Chargers. And Wiley, a reporter for Sports Illustrated, will probably be reassigned to NBA coverage next season, possibly as a courtside reporter, according to Terry O’Neil, executive producer of NBC Sports.