After a decade of covering the New York Giants, Madelyn Burke is turning a new page at ESPN. From April, she will be part of the top television network, where women have created history. Just last year, Doris Burke became the first woman lead analyst to call the NBA Finals (or any major American men’s championship) on national television.
With the same last name and both thriving in the broadcasting industry, a question arose whether they are related. It has been answered before that, too, two years ago, when Madelyn was not even with ESPN.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Is Madelyn Burke related to Doris Burke?
No, Madelyn Burke and Doris Burke are not related. Despite sharing a last name and both working as prominent sports broadcasters, with Madelyn joining ESPN in 2026 and Doris being a Hall of Fame analyst. It was in 2024 when the two were part of the 2024 MetLife Women’s Leadership Conference. Doris was a featured speaker, and Madelyn hosted it and shared the photos on Instagram.
The 5 photo carousel post also had the caption, “Doris Burke is someone I’ve always looked up to,” began Madelyn. “She’s a trailblazer in the sports broadcasting industry, an incredible basketball mind, and one of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, and I feel so fortunate to share the stage with an icon. @dorisaburke (and no, we’re not related!).”
View this post on Instagram
Since Doris Burke keeps her personal life private, questions arose about the connection with Madelyn Burke. The Hall of Famer analyst also has a daughter, another potential reason for them to be linked. Burke divorced Gregg Burke in 2012 and has two children, Sarah and Matthew Burke. Even the two live a life away from the prying eyes of the media.
Because Doris had often spoken about the difficulty of balancing her demanding broadcasting career with motherhood. There were challenges, but now at 61-years-old, Burke continues to write her own legacy in the broadcasting career. Surely, she will be around if Madelyn Burke faces any new challenges.
Madelyn Burke and her journey before ESPN
On March 19, 2026, Madelyn Burke announced her departure 10-season run with the New York Giants. Fans began wondering where one of the most recognizable media voices would end up. Today, she announced that the destination is ESPN. “Some personal news: I’m over the moon to begin this next chapter of my career in my dream job! SportsCenter is a show I grew up watching, a cornerstone of ESPN for decades, and I’m so honored to join such an iconic program.”
The new job is a full-circle moment because Madelyn actually interned at ESPN during her college years. The Arizona State University alum graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism and began various projects in different roles. From 2006 to December 2009, she worked as a production assistant at ESPN for the Super Bowl, the NBA All-Star Weekend, and Monday Night Football. Her path to ESPN was anything but conventional.
She created a television channel for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2010, a web-based daily coverage platform on Clippers.com, and NBA.com. Madelyn Burke built it from scratch and was traveling with the team, which gave her huge insights early on. That’s why her role with the Giants fit like a glove. She took on social and digital content, sideline reporting on the WFAN broadcast, appearances on the weekly pregame show, and hosted Giants Postgame Live on MSG Network.
All those opportunities have now led Burke to an anchor on SportsCenter beginning in April.
