Matt Ryan has recently retired from the NFL after a successful 15-year career. As a former NFL MVP and four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Ryan previously worked as an NFL game analyst with CBS Sports last season, making appearances during the playoffs and Super Bowl. He is now joining the network’s team as a studio analyst on NFL Today, replacing long-time analysts Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason.
Ryan will be working alongside James Brown, Nate Burleson, Bill Cowher, and JJ Watt for the upcoming season. Simms joined CBS in 1998 as the lead game analyst before transitioning to the studio in 2016. Esiason was a part of NFL Today for 22 years, making him the show’s longest-tenured analyst. Although they are leaving the show, both Simms and Esiason will continue working on a New York sports talk radio show that is simulcast on CBS Sports Network.
CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson expressed gratitude for the contributions of Simms and Esiason, acknowledging their excellence as NFL analysts. This change marks the first significant move under Berson’s leadership as he recently took over following the retirement of chairman Sean McManus.