Ron Jaworski Leaves Monday Night Football

Ron Jaworski is out as the third member of ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast booth.

The network released a statement saying the analyst signed a five-year extension for a new role with the company, working on different ESPN shows. The move will preclude Jaworski from broadcasting games.

ESPN President John Skipper explained the decision.

I thank Ron for the great contributions he has made to Monday Night Football and look forward to the many ways he will enhance our studio presentation from our NFL-branded shows to SportsCenter. With two strong analysts in Ron and Jon, these moves will better utilize their strengths and benefit our entire NFL presentation.

Next year's broadcast will feature Mike Tirico and John Gruden, who had been in the booth with Jaworski in 2011. The trio began broadcasting games together in 2009.

Jaworski has been an analyst at ESPN since 1990. He's appeared on numerous NFL programs.

He released a statement expressing his gratitude for having had the opportunity to work on the broadcast.

I am grateful for having the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of working on Monday Night Football the past five seasons with Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and so many other talented people behind the scenes who make the show so great, and I look forward to bringing my passion and knowledge of the game to more fans in more places than ever before on any and all football topics.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Jaworski called the move bittersweet, though he admitted he's excited about the new projects he'll be working on. The former quarterback joined the broadcast booth five years ago.

Monday Night Football moved to ESPN in 2006 when Sunday Night Football went to NBC. It has been the highest-rated cable series every year since moving to ESPN.

The new broadcast team will be just the sixth two-man booth since MNF began in 1970.