Chris Berman will remain at ESPN through his 50th anniversary with the company, including a role in the network’s Super Bowl coverage in 2027, the network announced Monday.
Berman signed an extension that will carry him through 2029, when he would be the first ESPN employee to hit the 50-year mark. Berman joined ESPN less than a month after its September 1979 launch.
ESPN will cover the Super Bowl on Feb. 14, 2027, from Los Angeles. Berman, as part of his new deal, will contribute to the coverage. It will be his 45th Super Bowl in various roles for the network; he hosted three pregame shows for ABC in 2000, 2003 and 2006.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting,” Berman said in a statement released by ESPN. “We’re closing in on our very first Super Bowl, and now I will be able to be part of that, too.”
“For a remarkable half-century, Chris has embodied ESPN with his smart and entertaining style,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “Boomer’s enjoyment of sports jumps through the screen and generations of fans have loved being along for the ride.
“ESPN has been so fortunate to have Chris making us better for decades and I am delighted that will continue beyond our 50th anniversary. And no studio broadcaster has meant more to NFL coverage than Chris and to have his presence on our first Super Bowl presentation is both apropos and significant.”
Berman hosted ESPN’s Sunday pregame show for 31 years. His tenure on “NFL PrimeTime” has continued with the show on ESPN+ and in the postseason on ESPN. He’s also a longtime host of “SportsCenter” (starting with the 2:30 a.m. ET edition when he was 24 years old) and has been a key part of ESPN’s coverage of Major League Baseball (including 31 All-Star games and 30 World Series) and golf’s major championships.
He’s also the on-site host of the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, which he has done since 1979. His 16th movie role, as part of Happy Gilmore 2, will be out later this summer.
Berman, who turned 70 on May 10, said, “It is mind-blowing to think that I now have the opportunity and good fortune to work here for 50 years, which would be two-thirds of my entire life!”
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