The Monday Night Football booth built in 2018 has been dismantled. Jason Witten exited after one season to return to the Cowboys. It was revealed Saturday Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland would not return after two seasons. They tried their best. But sometimes the best is not good enough.
A rabbit out of his … what?
Jason Witten had verbal missteps in his lone year, once saying Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers “pulls another rabbit out of his head,” an observation he then jokingly reiterated on Twitter. However, Witten owned his errors. “There have been some flubs,” Witten said. “I mean, I’ve made some mistakes. You try to own it, you embrace it. Hell, I’m not perfect. I’ve certainly had my fair share of mistakes on live television. More than anything else, you try to embrace it. You laugh at it, you smile at it . . . You don’t try to deny it.”
Manhertz, not Martinez
Nobody is perfect and that is best illustrated by Tessitore saying Christian McCaffrey threw a pass on fourth-and-two to “Martinez” when the receiver on the trick play was Panthers TE Chris Manhertz.
The Booger Mobile
Can’t put the blame on Booger McFarland for this one. Jason Witten did not want another analyst in the booth and had that clause in his contract. So, ESPN decided to create a contraption Booger McFarland would sit in, above the field on the sideline. The only problems were it blocked some fans’ views and it was an absolutely disastrous idea.
Bills-Texans moments
McFarland had a particularly rough game when the Bills faced the Texans in the playoffs. On third-and-10 from the Texans’ 29 with 15 seconds left in the fourth, he suggested the Bills run a draw, then spike it. Ouch.
Josh Norman’s critique
Booger on the Bengals
Adams, Diggs weigh in
To which then-Vikings WR Stefon Diggs added: “They might as well let me commentate.” More on Diggs later …
‘The moment was too big’
For a guy challenged at his position, it was weak for Joe Tessitore to say “the moment was too big” when Niners kicker Chase McLaughlin, an undrafted rookie playing in his first game had kicked three field goals. He missed a game-winning, field-goal attempt from 47 yards wide left to keep the overtime period going when Tessitore pronounced McLaughlin wasn’t up for the moment.
Decaf Metcalf
The Vikings-Seahawks game in December of 2019 gave us moments. Joe Tessitore turned DK Metcalf into a Starbucks drink. It all worked out as a company ground out some beans for charity while working with the duo.
The Minneapolis Miracle mishap
Booger McFarland had his iconic mistake in a Vikings-Seahawks game. This one came after Minnesota had a wild pick-six in the second quarter. A few bounces went its way and safety Anthony Harris ran it back for a touchdown. McFarland said, “These are the type of plays that historically have gone against the Vikings. The Minneapolis Miracle. Plays that are fluke plays that went against this team. I’m sure Vikings fans are saying ‘it’s about time get one of these plays to go our way.’” But here’s the thing, the “Minneapolis Miracle” did go their way as Diggs scored as tiume expired in a playoff win over the Saints.
