Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will get his turn to call the 2018 Pro Bowl on Jan. 28. ESPN announced Friday Hasselbeck will serve as the analyst for the national telecast.
“Making the Pro Bowl is a special achievement as a player – it’s pretty humbling,” Hasselbeck said via ESPN’s press release. “But the part I enjoyed most is getting to know the best of the best in a relaxed setting. Now I get to do it again in another role. I can’t wait to call the Skills Showdown and the Pro Bowl game with Sean and Lisa.”
Hasselbeck will be joined by Monday Night Football’s Sean McDonough and reporter Lisa Salters for the call of the game.
Stephanie Druley, ESPN Senior VP of Events & Studio Production, stated in the release Hasselbeck had already been scheduled to cover the game as a part of the studio team.
“The process for determining our new Monday Night Football booth is already underway,” Druley said in the statement. “We are looking at both internal and external candidates and expect to have a decision made this spring. This is one of the most high-profile and attractive positions in all of sports broadcasting so we want to take our time to ensure we make the best decision.”
After 18 seasons in the NFL, Hasselbeck signed with ESPN in March 2016 on the very day he retired from professional football. He regularly appears in the Bristol studios on Sundays and is a part of the Monday Night Football Countdown pregame show.
So consider this a tryout of sorts for Hasselbeck, and if it all works out, you could be seeing him in the booth Monday nights in 2018.
The 2018 Pro Bowl airs Sunday, Jan. 28 at 12:00 p.m. PT on ESPN and ABC, live from Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
