Damien Woody Departing ESPN After 15 Years

Damien Woody, who has been a key figure in ESPN's NFL coverage since 2011, is departing from the network as his contract was not renewed. He will remain on air through the end of the month, including a scheduled appearance on Thursday.

Woody, 48, played 12 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, and New York Jets, winning two Super Bowls and earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2002. He became a well-known analyst on various ESPN programs, overcoming a childhood stutter to establish his career.

His departure follows a series of layoffs at ESPN, which also affected other analysts like Karl Ravech and Ryan Clark. Woody had previously been retained by ESPN after a competitive pursuit from FS1, but after discussions about his future, he will now seek new opportunities.