ESPN’s ‘Monday Night’ Team Is Lacking Michaels

ESPN called an audible Wednesday, naming Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser as its “Monday Night Football” announcing team, 5 1/2 months after saying it would be Al Michaels and Theismann.

Michaels, who declined to comment, apparently is headed for NBC to rejoin John Madden, his partner for the last four seasons on ABC’s “Monday Night Football.” Madden signed with NBC in June.

Word began to leak out a few weeks ago that Michaels wanted out of his ESPN contract so that he could switch networks. A spokesman for NBC declined to comment Wednesday on Michaels’ status.

For Michaels, the crew NBC has assembled for its Sunday NFL telecasts is a virtual dream team. In addition to Madden, NBC has signed former “Monday Night Football” producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff.

“Al was not comfortable and let us know he was not comfortable with our vision of where we are going,” said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president of content.

Skipper acknowledged that Michaels’ feelings have been known for a while, but declined to give details of what led to ESPN’s decision to release him from his contract. Skipper said only that a “satisfactory resolution” had been reached.

On a conference call last week to promote ABC’s Super Bowl telecast, Michaels put off questions about his ESPN status, saying he did not want to take away from coverage of the game.

“This is our first team and our first choice,” Skipper said, referring to Tirico, Theismann and Kornheiser.

Michaels was originally hired by Mark Shapiro, who left the network in August.

With Michaels no longer under contract to ESPN, he is no longer ABC’s lead play-by-play announcer on the NBA. Walt Disney Co. owns both networks.

ESPN said Wednesday that role now belongs to Mike Breen, a veteran NBA announcer who will be paired with Hubie Brown.