It is time to welcome Tony Gonzalez and say goodbye to Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe from CBS's "The NFL Today," the Associated Press reported.
Not returning in their analyst roles, both Marino and Sharpe will be leaving CBS' "The NFL Today" pregame show. Gonzalez, a recently retired star tight end, will now prep for a turn on the network's pro football coverage.
According to the AP, CBS sports chairman Sean McManus said the move to part ways with Marino and Sharpe "was really kind of a mutual decision" and "has nothing to do with any dissatisfaction in the ratings."
The success of the pregame show cannot be measured by any one single metric, McManus said.
"It's very subjective," McManus said. "Normally, if somebody's really doing a good job, there's a fairly overwhelming feeling that the person was a good hire, and the show is better than it was without him."
He is expecting to get that with Gonzalez.
"He's the closest thing to a sure bet that I've seen in a long time," McManus said. "You can't teach ... likeability. Tony is a very likable individual."
It's going to be a quick transition for Gonzalez, who will be switching from the field to the studio.
"The former All-Pro tight end who appears destined for a spot in the Hall of Fame in Canton said he was looking for a TV job with all of the major companies that broadcast NFL games," the AP reported.
"He said he felt the most comfortable with CBS. The Tiffany network recently landed a deal to air NFL games on network TV on Thursday nights next season in addition to its longtime stable of AFC games."
"What really stood out about CBS was the comfortable fit from the beginning," Gonzalez said. "The opportunity to work with someone like James Brown - the guy's a legend."
In 2002, Marino, the longtime Miami Dolphins quarterback, joined CBS. Sharpe was added for the 2004 season.
Gonzalez will join Brown, Bill Cowher and Boomer Esiason on "The NFL Today" on Sundays. He hasn't officially retired from the NFL, though this would seem to make returning to the field a remote prospect, the AP reported.
"I think the best thing that I can do is reps," Gonzalez said. "You don't go out there and start balling in Week 1."
