Keyshawn Johnson got the boot at ESPN earlier this year and we now know who will be filling his shoes - former Oakland Raider and Green Bay Packers safety and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Charles Woodson. Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead broke the news on Friday afternoon, citing "multiple sources," that the recently retired Woodson will be joining ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown starting in the 2016 season.
ESPN did not offer a comment to McIntyre on his report.
Johnson joined the Sunday NFL Countdown team, which includes Chris Berman, Tom Jackson, Cris Carter, and Mike Ditka, in 2007 after an 11-year NFL career. Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch revealed in late January that Johnson's contract would not be renewed after 2015, the final year of his deal with ESPN.
Woodson, an 18-year NFL veteran, has strong media ties and has never shied away from offering his opinion. He is among the greatest players to don an NFL uniform, and perhaps one of the best and most versatile defensive backs in the modern era.
He remains the last defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy.
Interestingly, the contracts for Berman and Ditka are, per Deitsch, "believed" to expire after 2016, so Johnson's ousting and Woodson's addition could be the first of several changes for the popular Sunday morning show at the Worldwide Leader in the coming months.
