Tom Pelissero has broken his silence following his exit from ESPN. The NFL insider’s departure comes amid ESPN’s acquisition and operational integration of NFL Network. ESPN did a major restructuring this week, parting ways with multiple prominent figures, including Cam Newton, Karl Ravech and Ryan Clark.
Pelissero shared his feelings about getting swept up in the layoff wave on X on Wednesday. He posted a GIF from the TV series “Ted Lasso”, in which the main character, Ted Lasso, says, “Onward. Forward.”
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“Thanks to all of you who watched me the past nine years on NFL Network,” Pelissero tweeted. “Thanks to all of my colleagues who made the job fun and pushed me on a daily basis.
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“Thanks to my family, who constantly made sacrifices to support me in a life-consuming job. I’m so grateful. See you soon.”
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Pelissero was a part of the media outlet for the last nine years. He reportedly had one year left on his contract at the time of termination. The network retained Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter in lead insider roles.
ESPN is likely to pay out the remaining value of his agreement while keeping him off the air, unless Pelissero and the network reach a settlement that frees him to land with a competitor immediately.
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Pat McAfee is facing the heat for Tom Pelissero’s ESPN exit
Pat McAfee is once again facing backlash as Disney and ESPN execute a massive talent reduction following the acquisition of NFL Network.
McAfee is reportedly negotiating a blockbuster multi-year contract extension worth upwards of $60 million to $65 million annually, while the likes of insider Tom Pelissero, 33-year anchor Karl Ravech, and Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark are being let go.
Cam Newton, a former NFL MVP who joined ESPN as an analyst for First Take, has also been relieved of his duties. Bart Scott, a former All-Pro linebacker and long-time studio analyst across radio and television, was also let go.
Studio anchors and specialized reporters who were terminated include David Lloyd, a veteran SportsCenter and ESPNEWS anchor who had been with the network for 29 years, Stephania Bell, a fantasy analyst on ESPN television since 2008, and Andreas Hale, a senior combat sports (MMA/boxing) writer and reporter.
Edited by Nishant
