Why was Steve Levy replaced by Chris Fowler on 'MNF' booth? Possible reasons for play caller's ESPN exit explored

According to recent reports, Steve Levy is set to be replaced from the Monday Night Football booth on ESPN, where he served as the play-by-play caller for the second team. As of now, Chris Fowler, the main play-by-play caller for ESPN's college football games, will be taking over.

The main team for Monday Night Football will still consist of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, but there's speculation that the discrepancy in their salaries may be a reason for the change. Joe Buck recently signed a massive $75 million deal over five years, earning $15 million annually, while Chris Fowler's previous contract was valued at around $30 million over nine years.

To sweeten the deal and give him more visibility, ESPN reportedly wants to add Monday Night Football games to Fowler's responsibilities.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be on the air for all Monday Night Football games excluding five, including the international one. That is where Chris Fowler and his team will come in. A team of analysts working with him is yet to be finalized.

It's worth noting that these reports come as ESPN's parent company, Disney, has announced a massive layoff spree across all their channels, affiliated websites, and physical parks.

Steve Levy's journey with ESPN so far and what the future holds after Monday Night Football

Steve Levy was the play-by-play caller for Monday Night Football's second team. He started in 2019 along with Bob Griese and Louis Riddick. After Griese left to join the San Francisco 49ers as their quarterback coach, Dan Orlovsky joined the team last year. Before the hiring of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck in 2022, he was in the lead team for Monday Night Football.

However, what Steve Levy is mainly known for is his NHL coverage. He has been a staple on the hockey circuit. He is known as "Mr. Extra Period" as he has been involved in three of the longest games in NHL broadcast history.

ESPN lost the right to NHL games after the 2004 lockout after they refused to go into a bidding war for rights. But all of that changed as they inked a multi-platform deal with the league in 2021, returning Steve Levy to his broadcasting role there. There might be more of a focus there for him going into the future.

Levy has also been an on-air staff member at SportsCenter and has previously filled in during Wednesday Night Baseball on ESPN. However, the network has cut back on those games as well. In 2020, he was an announcer for the XFL, but he hasn't appeared in this role for the current season. It's possible that, due to the parent organization's streamlining operations and the need to retain existing talent, there may be more tailored roles for many in the company.

With Chris Fowler taking charge of both Monday Night Football games and remaining in place for college football, it seems that Steve Levy will have to move away from his association with football on the network. It remains to be seen whether he will focus more on his NHL coverage and other duties. Overall, it seems that the broadcasting landscape at ESPN is undergoing some significant changes, and it will be interesting to see how things develop in the future.