Molly McGrath, a prominent ESPN broadcaster for college football, has been promoted to the network's NFL team as a sideline reporter. Her new role begins with the upcoming NFL season, a significant move that coincides with ESPN preparing to broadcast its first Super Bowl in 2027. The acquisition of NFL Network assets by Disney, including its game package and talent, has led to a restructuring within ESPN's sports coverage.
McGrath, who joined ESPN in 2016, was a consistent presence on Saturday college football broadcasts. She will now report from the sidelines for games broadcast on NFL Network and will also serve as a lead fill-in host for "NFL Live" when regular anchor Laura Rutledge is absent.
"I'm thrilled to expand my role within ESPN's NFL coverage and for the opportunity to showcase a broader range of skills, from sideline reporting to hosting in studio, while diving deeper into the sport at the highest level," McGrath said in a statement. "I'm grateful to ESPN for this opportunity and excited to bring the same preparation, passion and commitment that have guided my work in college football to our NFL audience."
McGrath's career at ESPN began in 2011 as a production assistant. She subsequently built a career as a sideline reporter and studio host for college football and basketball. Her transition to the NFL leaves a vacancy on ESPN's primary college football broadcast team, with the network yet to announce a replacement.
This promotion occurs during a period of significant organizational changes at ESPN. The network recently underwent a series of high-profile layoffs, impacting several on-air personalities and analysts. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated that many of these cuts were a result of redundancies stemming from the integration with the NFL Network following Disney's acquisition. These changes aim to "best position us for the future," Pitaro noted in a memo to staff.