NEW YORK – Matt Ryan, who retired last week after 15 years in the NFL, will join CBS Sports as a studio analyst on “The NFL Today” and Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason will leave after long runs on the show, the network announced Monday.
Ryan will join James Brown, Nate Burleson, Bill Cowher and JJ Watt. The 2016 NFL MVP and four-time Pro Bowl quarterback joined CBS Sports last season as an NFL game analyst and appeared in studio during the playoffs and Super Bowl.
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“Matt had an outstanding first year at CBS Sports, excelling as both a studio and game analyst,” CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson said. “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.”
The contracts of Simms and Esiason expired after the Super Bowl.
Simms came to CBS in 1998 after the network won the rights to the AFC. He was the lead game analyst until he moved to the studio in 2017.
“Great 26 yrs run with CBS SPORTS. Even though that part of my career is over I look forward to what is next,” Simms posted on social media.
Esiason was on “The NFL Today” for 22 years and was the show's longest-tenured analyst. Esiason will continue working on a New York sports talk radio show simulcast on CBS Sports Network.
“Phil and Boomer set the standard of excellence for NFL analysts,” Berson said. “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.”
Ryan played for the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts and ranks in the top 10 in NFL history in passing yards (62,792), touchdowns (381), completions (5,551) and attempts (8,464).
The change is the first significant move under Berson, who took over three weeks ago following the retirement of chairman Sean McManus.
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This story has been corrected to show that Simms moved to the studio in 2017, not 2016.
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