Tom Pelissero, formerly an NFL insider for NFL Network, has confirmed his departure from ESPN following recent layoffs. The move comes approximately six months after ESPN acquired the NFL Network, a transaction that included the NFL taking a 10 percent equity stake in ESPN.
Pelissero expressed his gratitude to his colleagues and supporters in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "Thanks to all of you who watched me the past nine years on NFL Network," Pelissero wrote. "Thanks to all of my colleagues who made the job fun and pushed me on a daily basis. Thanks to my family, who constantly made sacrifices to support me in a life-consuming job. I’m so grateful. See you soon."
During his tenure, Pelissero was a regular on "The Insiders," a program where he, alongside reporters like Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, broke NFL news and conducted interviews. He maintains a significant following on social media, with over 885,000 followers on X.
Industry reports suggest Pelissero will be a sought-after talent in the media market. Potential employers rumored to be interested include CBS, The Athletic, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, all of whom could benefit from an NFL insider to bolster their sports coverage. The Athletic, for instance, has been without a dedicated NFL insider since Dianna Russini's departure.
Pelissero's exit occurred amid broader layoffs at ESPN, which also affected NFL analyst Ryan Clark and longtime baseball broadcaster Karl Ravech, who had been with the company for 33 years.