Scott Van Pelt set the record straight about his potential “Monday Night Countdown” slotting.
While on Monday’s segment of the “Dan Patrick Show,” the ESPN sportscaster corrected reports that he would replace Suzy Kolber as the host of the NFL pregame show.
“It was reported that I was the guy, and other than me not having been offered the job or accepting the job that I haven’t been offered, it was spot on,” Van Pelt said.
“God, that was weird. I mean, you read things and you’re like, ‘Whoa.’ People were congratulating me, and things of that nature.”
Van Pelt, 57, who has hosted the midnight edition o “SportsCenter” since 2015, said there have been “conversations” about the potential new role, but nothing more than that.
Kolber was let go from the “Monday Night Countdown” post in June, after spending 27 years with ESPN, as part of the network’s spate of summer layoffs.
ESPN’s firings are part of an effort to save tens of millions of dollars, sparked by Disney’s restructuring.
Disney –– ESPN’s majority owner –– announced in February a plan to cut 7,000 jobs across the company, trickling down to ESPN’s staff and employees.
Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, said the changes are part of a $5.5 billion cost-cutting goal.
Van Pelt said last month that he does not see himself remaining as the “SportsCenter” host for much longer, but is nonetheless gearing up for his ninth season come August.
“This was a situation where something was reported about me, which was not accurate,” Van Pelt said.
“Now, I don’t want to be coy and act like it couldn’t happen … But if it doesn’t for whatever reason, there are plenty of great men and women at our place that could do as good or better than I in that spot. But, for the moment, I’m supposed to go back in August and hunker down for year nine, and off we go.”
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