Scott Van Pelt forced to miss ESPN Monday Night Countdown ahead of Packers-Raiders clash as Joe Buck

May 2024 · 2 minute read

ESPN's Scott Van Pelt has announced he will not be part of the network's Monday Night Countdown pregame show for Week 5.

The 56-year-old host told fans he won't make the trip to the MNF game between the Green Bay Packers and the home- team Las Vegas Raiders — and that ESPN broadcaster Joe Buck will fill in for his role.

Van Pelt is in his first year as the host of Monday Night Countdown as ESPN replaced Suzy Kolber, who was let go in June in part of the network's massive layoffs.

He also hosts the late-night edition of SportsCenter.

In a social media post, Van Pelt revealed he won't anchor Monday Night Countdown after losing his voice during a Sunday segment of SportsCenter.

"So, we played another fun edition of will Scott’s voice quit before the show ends last night," Van Pelt wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Read More on NFL

"Unfortunately, I woke up to zero voice at all.

"Just gone.

"As a result, no trip to Vegas for Monday Night Countdown or SportsCenter."

Then, Van Pelt also revealed that Buck and his wife, ESPN NFL reporter Michelle Beisner, would handle Monday Night Countdown duties.

Most read in American Football

He ended his post by writing: "Very frustrating to put everyone in this spot.

"Hopefully back at it soon."

Buck will take over Monday Night Countdown's pregame show until the last half-hour of the program.

He'll then head to the booth to prepare to commentate the Raiders-Packers alongside NFL Hall of Famer Troy Aikman.

Then, his wife, Michelle, will take over and continue to anchor the halftime show.

They'll be alongside ESPN analysts Robert Griffin III, Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark, and Larry Fitzgerald.

Buck has been the ESPN play-by-play MNF commentator since 2022 when he and Aikman made the move to the network.

He previously worked at Fox Sports for 27 years primarily covering the NFL and MLB.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEZqqupl6YvK570qmmq6xfbn95gpZqbWirk6TBtXnVmqVmqJWhwW6x0qmlZqWfo7GixYynoKCgpGKwsMHNrZuor55k