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🎤 AROUND AA 👀 

And then there were two.

Earlier this month, we launched our own March Madness-style bracket aimed at crowning the best national broadcast in all of sports. And with our Final Four in the books, we’re now in our championship round, with Fox’s No. 2 NFL booth of Joe Davis and Greg Olsen set to square off with CBS’ No. 1 college basketball broadcast team featuring Ian Eagle, Grant Hill and Bill Raftery.

Voting opened up on Monday and will continue throughout the week with our champion being crowned on Monday, April 7 — the same day as college basketball’s national title game. Who should get the nod? Make your voice heard by voting here.

🚨LEADING OFF 🚨

A new era for GMFB

Roughly 72 hours after the news first broke, Peter Schrager confirmed it himself that he’s leaving his role at the NFL Network. And while he stopped short of announcing where he’s heading next on what marked his final episode co-hosting Good Morning Football, all indications are that he’ll be calling ESPN home in the not-too-distant future.

For Schrager, the move seems straightforward: after spending nearly nine years building GMFB into the NFL Network’s flagship show and the rare league-owned property to also be a critical success, he’s heading to a bigger platform. Between his talent and versatility, it isn’t hard to imagine Schrager becoming one of ESPN’s signature talents, especially as the Worldwide Leader prepares to host its first Super Bowl in 2027.

For GMFB, however, Schrager’s departure puts the future of the show at a crossroads.

Perhaps it was already there considering the rumblings regarding ESPN’s potential purchase of NFL Media, which have gained steam in recent weeks. Maybe the end game to all of this is just Schrager returning to the GMFB set, albeit under the ESPN banner.

But unless that actually happens, it’s fair to wonder about the future of Good Morning Football. That’s not to say the show is in danger of getting canceled. But even after losing Kay Adams and moving cross-country to Los Angeles, filling the void left by Schrager could very well be its biggest challenge yet.

After all, the chemistry between Schrager and Kyle Brandt — who gave an emotional tribute to his fellow original co-host — has been at the heart of GMFB’s success since the show’s inception in 2016. And while it’s already proven it can replace multiple hosts and make a bicoastal presence work, replicating the Schrager/Brandt tandem will be a different beast.

Truth be told, the NFL Network shouldn’t even try, as doing so would ultimately prove to be a waste of time. Even in the event that the league-owned cable channel finds a Schrager-esque replacement — obviously easier said than done considering his unique skillset — the chemistry with Brandt isn’t something you recreate over night.

So where does that leave GMFB?

Presumably, we’ll be seeing more ex-NFL players get extended tryouts, just as former quarterback Cody Kessler did recently. WWE star Seth Rollins’ three-day stint guest-hosting last week may have also provided a clue to GMFB’s gameplan, as the show could lean heavily into Brandt’s celebrity status.

At this point, however, it’s also worth wondering about Brandt’s future with the show, especially when considering that like Schrager, he remained primarily in New York following the show’s shift to L.A. For now, plenty of questions remain, with the only certainty being that GMFB is now entering a new era post-Schrager.

📱 SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE DAY 🏆️ 

Mark Kaboly, but make it art

Pittsburgh Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly insists he wasn’t sleeping during Mike Tomlin’s press availability at the NFL meetings on Monday morning. That, however, didn’t make the popular Art But Make It Sports account’s take on the viral clip any less impressive.

🎤 MEDIA MOMENTS ✍️ 

• Local Yankees and Nets fans received the news they’ve been waiting for late Monday night, with Comcast and YES Network announcing that they’ve reached an agreement for continued distribution.

• Among the news to come out of the NFL Owners Meetings in Florida is the revelation that the league will host three Christmas Day games in 2025, including two on Netflix and one on Amazon. Meanwhile, Eric Fisher of Front Office Sports reports that the NFL is a “virtual lock” to opt out of its current media rights deal in 2029.

• Taking to X on Monday, Richard Sherman shared frightening footage from an armed robbery that occurred at his house over the weekend. The incident took place just one day before the Amazon Thursday Night Football analyst’s 37th birthday, with three masked men breaking through a window of his Washington state home with at least one holding a gun.

• When it comes to the reports that the NFL could soon play a regular-season game in the United Arab Emirates, Pat McAfee is a fan. Discussing the matter on his daily show, the former All-Pro punter stated, “I would like to be on the side of I think it’s good to help countries and everything evolve — I think it’s a good thing,” while also noting WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia.

• While LSU won’t be playing in the Final Four this year, Kim Mulkey remains in the spotlight. After responding to a question following the Tigers’ season-ending loss to UCLA by asking the reporter how many Final Fours he’s played in, many have been quick to criticize the LSU women’s basketball head coach, including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who referred to Mulkey as “very rude” during Monday’s episode of First Take.

🔥 THE CLOSER 🔥 

Get Lowe

While it may have been more predictable than the Lakers trading for Luka Dončić, the news that Zach Lowe is joining The Ringer sent shockwaves through the NBA Twittersphere nonetheless.

Not only is the ex-ESPN star one of the most beloved members of the NBA media, but he now finds himself working for an outlet that’s willing to accentuate his strengths. The fact that the Worldwide Leader was even willing to let Lowe go just shows where it prioritizes its NBA coverage, despite the ex-Grantland standout’s fanatical following.

ESPN’s loss, however, will surely be The Ringer’s gain, especially when it comes to Lowe’s reunion with Bill Simmons. While The Sports Guy might be a polarizing figure as an NBA tastemaker, there’s no denying his eye for talent and willingness to let personalities like Lowe do what they do best.

At The Ringer, Lowe won’t have to worry focusing his coverage on the Lakers or obsessing over off-court drama. Sure, he’ll have to deal with some of Simmons’ quirks — and plenty of Celtics talk — but it sure beats working at a place whose NBA coverage is often viewed through the prism of Stephen A. Smith’s latest feud.

ESPN’s decision to lay off Lowe last September is just as baffling now as it was then, but his landing spot has made his six-month hiatus well worth the wait for all involved. Especially with the NBA Playoffs just around the corner, giving one of the league’s most popular media personalities free rein to discuss the league’s most exciting teams — even ones other than the Lakers.