Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. operated as ESPN’s NFL Draft experts for the better part of two decades, but have not worked together since McShay was laid off by the network in 2023. That apparently will not be changing anytime soon, and not because McShay does not want to.
McShay hosts “The McShay Show,” a podcast on The Ringer, and said in Friday’s episode he would like to have Kiper on as a guest. According to him, however, ESPN is not allowing it.
“What has gone on with Mel and I is some petty, petty s–t,” McShay said. “They absolutely refuse to allow Mel and I to be on the air together on any platform. Why? Because they’re rightfully worried that it will remind the audience of the obvious: they do not have anyone in-house that can recreate the magic that Mel and I had.”
McShay praised Field Yates, who is Kiper’s on-air partner now, but said their partnership is not as good because Yates has other responsibilities at the network.
“In order to make compelling content with Mel, you must challenge Mel. And in order to challenge Mel, you must be grounded in high-level content and sources and years of perspective, and it needs to be your full-time gig.”
McShay concluded by comparing ESPN to “the new girlfriend who’s going to block with their body the opportunity to let the public see the rapport her boyfriend has with the ex.”
McShay originally joined ESPN in 2006 and quickly became Kiper’s on-air foil. While the two had some contentious on-air exchanges, McShay made it very clear that he has nothing but respect for his former colleague.
When ESPN cut costs in 2023, McShay was one of the high-profile names to lose their job. Many would probably love to see him and Kiper together again, but it certainly does not seem likely to happen anytime soon.
