Kirk Herbstreit Embraces Unknown, Looks Forward To Amazon ‘Routine’
Earlier this month, veteran broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit was announced as the analyst for Amazon’s new Thursday Night Football package – adding a side dish to a table already full of responsibility.
“Herbie” will pair the new TNF duties with his longtime role as a personality and game analyst on ESPN College GameDay. Now, a few weeks after the announcement, Herbstreit wonders whether he bit off more than he can chew.
“I don’t know how I’m going to balance them all,” Herbstreit joked with host Pat McAfee on a Monday episode of The Pat McAfee Show.
Fortunately, Herbstreit will reportedly earn an extra $10 million for the TNF gig, which should help him find some work-work balance.
To be clear, Herbstreit is plenty thrilled to be adding NFL games to his busy fall schedule. What the 52-year-old is less enthusiastic about is the unknown, specifically, how he’ll map out his week.
“The one thing I’m anxious about is getting into a routine,” Herbstreit told McAfee. “I’ve just had my same routine and I’ve known what Sunday looks like, I’ve known what Mondays look like. I’ve just known it, and now it’s all gonna change.”
That change will soon shift from abnormal to routine. The length of Herbstreit’s Amazon deal has not yet been confirmed, but it is believed to be a multi-year deal. And shortly after signing on Amazon’s dotted line, Herbie reupped with ESPN for another three seasons.
In other words, any contacts who reach out to Herbstreit during the fall should be prepared to see his "out of office" reply. He'll have things to do and people to see.
“I’m going to be incredibly anxious to work with Al (Michaels), and I’m probably going to be working too much,” added Herbstreit.
Herbstreit’s duties require extensive preparation to stay up to speed with both the college and pro game. Factor in travel, which some weeks will cover three different cities between Thursday and Saturday, and Herbie’s plate is plenty full.
“I’m just looking forward to kind of finding that routine,” Herbstreit added. “I will not put everything into Thursday and shortchange GameDay or shortchange Saturday night,” said Herbstreit. “I’ll be dialed in on all three.”
Sounds like a guy hungry for the grind.
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