NFL Network has made some major changes to its on-air talent and programming.
Sources have claimed that the network has parted ways with Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and that one of its most popular and long-running shows, "NFL Total Access," has been canceled after more than 20 years on the air.
Reports indicate that NFL Network has been making numerous layoffs and cutbacks for several months, and this decision appears to be part of that trend.
“As is normal course of business this time of year, we are evaluating our talent roster for the upcoming 2024 season and beyond,” Alex Riethmille, the Vice president of Communications at NFL Network, told The Athletic on Friday.
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“That process results in renewals, non-renewals, and additions to our talent lineup depending on programming needs. To those departing talent, we give our sincere thanks and appreciation for their hard work and contributions to NFL Media.”
Irvin, 58, joined NFL Network in 2009 as an analyst. In February 2023, the football legend was suspended from the network's Super Bowl week coverage in Phoenix after a woman who worked at a Marriott hotel accused him of making a sexually inappropriate comment.
The woman also alleged that Irvin engaged in unwanted physical contact by touching her arms and made a statement that he would find her later in the work week during a conversation that took place in the hotel lobby.
Irvin then filed a defamation lawsuit against Marriott International Inc., six other parties, and the accuser, seeking $100 million in damages. He claimed the female employee falsely accused him of misconduct.
According to Dallas Morning News, Irvin settled in September and returned to broadcast on NFL Network for the 2023 football season.
