CBS Sports announced Monday that Matt Ryan, who retired last week after a 15-year NFL career, will join “The NFL Today” as a studio analyst, replacing longtime analysts Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason, whose contracts expired after the Super Bowl.
Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP and a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, will join a panel that includes James Brown, Nate Burleson, Bill Cowher, and JJ Watt. Last season, Ryan made his debut with CBS Sports as an NFL game analyst and appeared in the studio during the playoffs and Super Bowl.
CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson praised Ryan’s performance, saying, “Matt had an outstanding first year at CBS Sports, excelling as both a studio and game analyst. He is the consummate team player and a Hall of Fame person. We love the chemistry he has with the studio crew and we’re excited to see him entertain NFL fans and share his passion, insight and perspective alongside JB, Nate, Coach and JJ.”
Simms, who joined CBS in 1998 when the network acquired the rights to the AFC, served as the lead game analyst until moving to the studio in 2017. He took to social media to reflect on his time with the network, stating, “Great 26 yrs run with CBS SPORTS. Even though that part of my career is over I look forward to what is next.”
Esiason, the show’s longest-tenured analyst, spent 22 years on “The NFL Today.” He will continue to work on a New York sports talk radio show simulcast on CBS Sports Network.
Berson acknowledged the contributions of both Simms and Esiason, saying, “Phil and Boomer set the standard of excellence for NFL analysts. We are so grateful for their immeasurable contributions to CBS Sports. We genuinely thank them for being incredible teammates and for their passion, dedication and commitment to elevating CBS Sports’ NFL coverage every season.”
During his career, Ryan played for the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts, ranking in the top 10 in NFL history in passing yards (62,792), touchdowns (381), completions (5,551), and attempts (8,464).
The change marks the first significant move under Berson, who took over as president and CEO three weeks ago following the retirement of chairman Sean McManus.