With the NFL wrapping up preseason over the next two weekends, it is almost time for some real football. There is a change coming to the Monday Night Football commentary team this year, but luckily it isn’t a big one.
Last year, Joe Tessitore was the play-by-play announcer for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, with Jason Witten as the color commentator. This year, Witten is playing football again for the Dallas Cowboys and Booger McFarland replaces him in the booth.
Who is Booger McFarland?
Booger McFarland is not a new face for Monday Night Football. He worked in a new position for the show in 2018 where he was set up on a giant platform on the field as an on-field announcer.
It was controversial, as the contraption was massive and had multiple screens and blocked the view for some fans, forcing ESPN to reconfigure it.
This year, it won’t make a difference, since he is replacing Jason Witten inside the booth with Tessitore.
Before he joined Monday Night Football, Booger McFarland worked as a Tampa sports radio host on 98.7 The Fan. He did this from 2012-14. He left there to become one of the SEC Network’s first commentators before becoming a studio analyst.
Booger McFarland football days
His real experience comes from his playing days as a defensive tackle.
In college, he played for the LSU Tigers from 1995 to 1998. He started as a freshman and played through to his senior year before leaving.
McFarland next played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was a first-round draft pick in 1999. He played for the Bucs until 2006 and then with the Indianapolis Colts after that.
By the time he retired in 2007, Booger McFarland had two Super Bowl rings, one each with the Bucs and Colts.
Booger McFarland finished his NFL career with 188 tackles, 22.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception.
Fan complaints on Booger McFarland
Joe Davidson of the Sacramento Bee spoke plainly when he said that Booger McFarland is “full of cliches with zero insight.”
Booger McFarland is a painful listen on Monday Night Football, a chatty guy full of cliches with zero insight.
You learn nothing and reach for the mute. Please make him stop! pic.twitter.com/OK6NzLytL9— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) August 20, 2019
Other fans were not so nice.
Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland in the Monday Night Football booth: pic.twitter.com/78oXpddeZp
— Kevin (@kevinmick) August 16, 2019
I don't think I can do another year of Booger McFarland #MNF pic.twitter.com/FZ0md519zY
— James Krawczak (@jameskraw) August 20, 2019
An entire season of Booger McFarland?! pic.twitter.com/lREBSVWZVG
— Mayor Of Fort Collins (@MayorOfFoCo) August 20, 2019
Regardless of fan complaints, Booger McFarland is the color man on Monday Night Football this year, so there are always prayers that he can improve as the season moves on.
Monday Night Football airs Mondays at 8:15 EST on ESPN.