NFL Today’s Dan Marino & Shannon Sharpe Canned By CBS

On Tuesday the good folks at AwfulAnnouncing.com reported what many had been expecting to come to pass for some time had, in fact, come to pass. Having been sinking in the ratings against FOX for quite awhile, CBS finally decided to shake things up in terms of their on-air talent.

Joining studio host James Brown for the last several years as been former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, Hall of Fame Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino and Hall of Fame Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe.

While they may have been HOF caliber players, clearly CBS has decided Marino and Sharpe didn’t quite measure up in their post-playing day career. They have both been let go, in favor of recently retired Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, who has long been considered a prime candidate for a top-tier broadcasting job.

Though there have been the occasional additions and subtractions to both the Fox and CBS Sunday broadcasting teams over the last several years, this is the first major single-season shakeup in recent history. Right now it seems Brown, Esiason and Cowher will all remain in place with Gonazlez, but anything can happen in six months.

AwfulAnnouncing’s Matt Yoder makes a very good point about long overdue network downsizing. Said Yoder:

“Perhaps the other takeaway is CBS making the decision to downsize their set. After seemingly every network has one through a phase of trying to cram as many former player as possible on set, the television world is realizing that less is more. Fewer analysts and a less crowded set will allow for better discussion and hopefully a better viewing experience.”

Yoder makes an excellent point, as anyone who has ever had the displeasure of watching the NFL Network’s coverage of Thursday night games. When it comes to a bunch of retired players talking football on game day, sometimes more is just more…and not in a good way.

Like more chicken pox.