With Scott Van Pelt voiceless, ESPN is turning to its $15 million man, Joe Buck, and his wife, Michele Beisner-Buck, for the “Monday Night Football” pregame prior to Packers-Raiders.
Van Pelt confirmed the news on Twitter, as he woke up this morning without a voice, making it untenable for him to work the pregame show, halftime or his post-game “SportsCenter.”
Buck will man the pregame in Van Pelt’s place, setting up a similar scenario from 2006.
Back then, at Fox Sports, the network had Buck host its pregame from the site of the game he was broadcasting.
It only lasted one year.
On Monday, Buck will call the Packers-Raiders game with Troy Aikman.
Beisner-Buck is “Monday Night Football’s” features reporter.
While her husband will handle most of the the pregame, she is expected to takeover in the 7 p.m. ET hour.
Van Pelt, 58, expects to be back very soon, as he feels fine, but a voice issue is the one ailment a broadcaster can’t just play through.
Van Pelt replaced Suzy Kolber on the pregame this season.
Kolber was let go as part of ESPN’s late June layoffs.
Beisner-Buck will host halftime, while Kevin Connors and John Anderson will man the post-game “SportsCenter.”