Jaworski Excited to Join 'MNF' Huddle

Mar 27, 05:00 AM

Current Headlines: By Michael Hiestand

Joe Theismann says he had a "great relationship" with Tony Kornheiser.

But Theismann on Monday was formally replaced on ESPN's Monday Night Football after working as an NFL game analyst on prime-time NFL games for 19 seasons. Theismann will be replaced by Ron Jaworski, who has been an NFL studio analyst and reporter since joining ESPN in 1990 after 15 seasons as an NFL quarterback.

Kornheiser, the other MNF analyst in a three-man booth, and play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico will both be back. Kornheiser, a longtime Washington Post writer and co-host of ESPN's PTI afternoon talk show, joined the MNF crew as an analyst last season in his first try at calling game action in any sport.

"People didn't want Tony and I to get along," Theismann says. "But that's the furthest thing from the truth. When he was considering leaving the show, I encouraged him not to."

Monday, Tirico said he was surprised Theismann was dropped and backed Theismann's assertion that he got along well with Kornheiser: "It's is absolutely true -- and that's no revisionist history. There were no issues of (MNF) people not getting along."

Theismann says ESPN informed him Friday that "they wanted to go in a different direction." And when he asked why, Theismann says, he was told that the key was that, on-air, he "talked about football. That was the explanation I was given."

Norby Williamson, an ESPN executive vice president, calls Theismann "a phenomenal game analyst" and hopes he'll remain in a "prominent" on-air position on ESPN/ABC football coverage.

And, says Williamson, Theismann was fine in the booth: "Joe and Tony got along very well. ... We had a fantastic first year. I was very happy with the booth."

So why is Theismann out? "As we evolve and continue to grow the product," says Williamson, it's key to remember MNF viewers "want to be engaged with issues and trends around the league, where their team is going." And Jaworski "is the person to put in there for that."

Jaworski says he's "lathered up" about his new job. He says he hadn't even heard there might be an MNF opening until Williamson told him he would be replacing Theismann Thursday while both were at a Philadelphia Soul game. Jaworski is president of that team in the Arena Football League, which ESPN partially owns.

Jaworski says it's "bittersweet" replacing the "incredibly talented" Theismann.

Announcers Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire, after being replaced on ESPN prime-time NFL games by Tirico and Kornheiser, were given prominent roles on ESPN/ABC college football games.

Sandy Montag, Theismann's agent, says he isn't sure yet what, if any, roles Theismann might take at ESPN/ABC. And, he says, Theismann would need ESPN to cooperate before he could land a job at another network: "For that to happen, ESPN would have to let Joe out of his multiyear contract. I don't know if they'd do that."

Asked whether he'd prefer calling pro action rather than college, or would rather do studio work than continue to call games, Theismann says he doesn't know what he'll do.

"I'll see the options and see if I choose to do any," he says. "It's all a possibility at this stage."

Theismann also wants to make it clear he won't criticize ESPN: "I have absolutely enjoyed my 20 years at ESPN. And ... I have so much respect for men and women in the trenches, in the cold, rain, snow. They don't get enough credit." (c) Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.