Earlier this month, ESPN officially acquired NFL Network, and the ripple effects are already showing across the league’s media landscape. Ever since the two networks merged, the futures of those at NFL Network have become uncertain. Familiar faces like Rich Eisen, Charles Davis, Daniel Jeremiah, Kurt Warner, and Joel Klatt brought stability during this transition. But it might have been the last such show for Klatt in particular.

Since 2021, NFL Network has had an informal setup that brought Joel Klatt onto the draft crew with Eisen and the others. But with the merger now complete, NFL Network employees have effectively become ESPN employees. That complicated Klatt’s situation as he remains under contract with FOX Sports, which puts his ESPN role in a tough spot. Thinking of the inevitable, Klatt seemed to share a parting message.

“I guess no one can predict the future,” he said on the latest episode of the Up & Adams show. “But with the merger, my place isn’t going to let me work for ESPN. And I doubt ESPN would want someone so prevalent on FOX. I’m loaned out. I’m a loaner. They loan me out for the lone weekend on the draft. I don’t know, maybe I’ll take my show and cover it as my show. We’ll see what happens.

“I love working the draft. Mostly because I really enjoy working with DJ, CD, and Rich. We have such a great time. I’ll definitely miss it, but at the same time, it is the way the world turns. I was at one point a minor league baseball player and left that, and then ended my football career. I learned a long time ago that you don’t get too caught up and nostalgic about things because they will change.”

On April 1, ESPN officially took over NFL Network and its media assets, like the NFL Red Zone. Since ESPN has run its own broadcast since 2006, maintaining two separate productions may not make sense in the long run. So, ESPN can pull the plug on NFL Network’s draft coverage as soon as next year. This means that the draft was probably the last of Joel Klatt covering an NFL Network event.

There can be some other personnel changes too. This fall, Charles Davis will join CBS Sports as their lead college football analyst alongside Brad Nessler. So, CBS could also restrict Davis’ involvement with ESPN’s draft coverage. But Rich Eisen, who has hosted NFL Network’s draft coverage for 20 years, is expected to remain in that role even with ESPN.

Meanwhile, this year’s NFL draft already hinted at how things might evolve under ESPN.

The 2026 NFL Draft coverage was a cross-network event

Last week, ESPN and NFL Network collaborated during the NFL Draft for the first time, producing separate broadcasts under one broader umbrella. Charlie Yook continued leading NFL Network’s production duties, but now with more resources under ESPN, including augmented reality graphics and drones.

“The shares are more traditional NFL Network going over on the ESPN side, but we’re truly a joint family moving forward, so we’ll figure out everything else afterward,” Yook said in an interview before the draft.

The draft became a crossover event with NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah appearing on ESPN’s broadcast. Even “Good Morning Football” host Kyle Brandt reunited with his former co-host Peter Schrager, who is now an NFL analyst. On day three of the draft, Brandt also joined ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Rece Davis.

However, the coverage of the event was not as well-received by the audience. Fans complained about lags in the broadcast, while host Mike Greenberg slipped up twice in his coverage of the event. Perhaps in the future, the event will get better with such a huge network now in charge of the show.