Jason McCourty is leaving NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” as a result of the show moving from its New York studios to Los Angeles when it relaunches in August, sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic.
While Jamie Erdahl already announced that she would go with the program to Los Angeles, Kyle Brandt is not going west, but will remain on the show in a hybrid model where he will be in a New York studio for at least part of the time. Peter Schrager’s arrangement is still being determined.
The NFL decided to move “GMFB” to avoid paying rent to the New York regional sports network SNY, which had rented space to the NFL. The network owns its Los Angeles studio.
NFL Network declined comment.
The show has been on hiatus since the end of March and is scheduled to return in late August. The program is going to be on NFL Network for two hours and syndicated for another two hours when it reboots.
It took the NFL a while to discover McCourty after Nate Burleson left GMFB to become a host on “CBS This Morning” in the fall of 2021. McCourty stepped in for two years, while also calling NFL and college games for CBS and Westwood One.
McCourty and his family live in New Jersey, near his mother and brother, Devin, who is on NBC.
NFL executives have been trying to determine how to replace McCourty. Two names that have been considered are former NFL players Manti Te’o and Akbar Gbajabiamila, according to the sources. Te’o impressed during a recent NFL Media Boot camp, while Gbajabiamila has been part of CBS’ “The Talk,” which is reportedly being canceled at the end of the year.
NFL Network has been having ongoing layoffs, which included “GMFB” news reader Will Selva as well as Andrew Siciliano, Melissa Stark and James Palmer, along with numerous behind-the-scenes folks.
The NFL is in the midst of TV contracts that will pay it more than $110 billion over the next decade.
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