ESPN is making sure its top NFL reporters stay with the company. On Tuesday, ESPN announced it has re-signed Jeff Darlington, Dan Graziano, Kimberly A. Martin and Ed Werder to new contracts. They will be joined by Sal Palantonio and Dianna Russini as they are also returning for another NFL season. The group will be providing NFL news on Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Live, SportsCenter and Get Up among other shows.
“This core group of NFL reporters are some of the most valued and esteemed voices covering the NFL,” Seth Markman, ESPN Vice President and Executive Produce, said in a statement. “Their connections and sources across the League are unparalleled and we are thrilled to have them back on fan’s screens – from stadiums, practice facilities and in-studio – year-round.”
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The NFL 2022 season begins this week, and the reporters will live, on-site at games across the country. Darlington will be covering Patriots vs. Dolphins, Graziano will cover Chiefs vs. Cardinals, Martin will cover Browns vs. Panthers, Paolantonio will be at Steelers vs. Bengals, Russini will have reporters from Ravens vs. Jets, and Werder will report from Buccaneers vs. Cowboys, which is the Sunday night game.
Darlington started at ESPN in 2016 and has previously worked at the NFL Network, Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post as a Miami Dolphins beat reporter. He has also covered the Florida Gators for the Orlando Sentinel and has won an Emmy Award for his work. Graziano started at ESPN as a blogger for the NFC East in 2011. He then covered the Giants for ESPN’s NFL Nation and was then named a national reporter in 2016.
Martin joined ESPN in March 2020 after spending time at Yahoo Sports, the Washington Post, the Buffalo News and Newsday. Along with covering the NFL, Martin is the co-host of ESPN’s only all-female podcast First Take, Her Take. Werder is entering his 25th year covering the NFL for ESPN. Since 2019, Werder has been a Dallas-based bureau reporter covering the NFL and the Cowboys.
Paolantonio has been with ESPN since 1995 and has become one of the most respected voices in the NFL. In addition to his NFL reporting, Paolantonio is the host of the ESPN show, NFL Matchup. Russini started her career at ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor in 2015. She became an NFL reporter in 2017 and is also a former soccer player as she competed at George Mason University.
