ESPN names Phil Dean new “Monday Night Football” producer

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — ESPN has named Phil Dean as its new producer for “Monday Night Football” beginning with the upcoming season.

Dean has been with the network since 1992. He has been the lead college basketball producer for 12 years and has produced the Women’s Final Four since 1995. He also has produced ESPN’s Saturday night college football games.

“Phil is as innovative and creative an event producer as we have at ESPN, and we are thrilled to make him the next producer of Monday Night Football,” Connor Schell, ESPN’s executive vice president for content, said in a statement. “Over the course of his impressive career, Phil has demonstrated his ability to lead with great vision, and has left his mark on every sport category that he has worked on. Together, he and director Jimmy Platt will do a wonderful job leading the MNF team moving forward.”

Dean does have NFL experience. He was part of CBS’ coverage from 1988-92 and worked on “NFL Today” as well as games and two Super Bowls. When Dean joined ESPN, he worked on “Sunday Night Football” for eight seasons. He succeeds Jay Rothman, who has been ESPN’s producer for its NFL games since 2001.

Dean will work alongside Platt, who was named MNF’s new director in 2019.

Who Dean and Platt will work with in the booth remains undetermined. The network has not named an announce team for the upcoming season. Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland have been in the booth the past two seasons.