Charles Davis is out at ESPN. The longtime NFL Network draft and Scouting Combine analyst is part of the network’s latest round of layoffs, according to Awful Announcing, which cited The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. The move comes as ESPN continues restructuring NFL Network staff following its acquisition of the network’s assets earlier this year.
Davis has been part of NFL Media since 2006. He built his reputation there on draft breakdowns and color commentary, becoming a fixture on “Path to the Draft” and “Total Access.” He’s also spent years calling games for CBS on the side. Now, after two decades of steady work across nearly every major football broadcast, he’s been cut loose from the network that made him a household name during draft season.
Davis isn’t alone. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero and “NFL Live” analyst Ryan Clark were also let go this week, according to Yahoo Sports, which reported the cuts alongside those of longtime “SportsCenter” anchor Karl Ravech, injury expert Stephania Bell, and on-air personality David Lloyd. Clark’s firing reportedly played out live on the air Monday night, and Ravech’s exit came just one night after he called a Dodgers-Phillies game — a jarring end to a 33-year run at the network.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro addressed the cuts in a company-wide memo Tuesday morning. He framed them as a byproduct of folding NFL Network’s assets into ESPN’s existing operation, though he acknowledged some of the affected roles fell outside that integration, according to EssentiallySports. ESPN completed its takeover of NFL Network in April, a deal that also gave the NFL a 10 percent stake in ESPN. That overlap in staff, shows, and production teams made a round of cuts like this one likely from the start.
Media World Reacts to Charles Davis’ Exit
The tributes started rolling in almost as fast as the news itself. Fellow broadcasters and reporters flooded X to praise Davis, and the tone across the board was strikingly consistent: this wasn’t just a respected analyst losing his job, it was a genuinely well-liked person getting a raw deal.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah posted on X: “Charles Davis is the definition of class. You won’t find a better teammate or a better broadcaster.” —
Charles Davis is the definition of class. You won't find a better teammate or a better broadcaster. His preparation is unmatched & his kindness is legendary. My kids always call him Uncle Charles when they see him on TV. He sent me a handwritten note before & after each draft…
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) July 21, 2026
OutKick founder Clay Travis posted on X: “The most talented guy ESPN let go was Charles Davis. Absolute gem of a human being.” —
The most talented guy ESPN let go was Charles Davis. Absolute gem of a human being, truly elite knowledge of NFL Draft and football overall, both college and pro. Someone should grab him.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 21, 2026
ESPN reporter Jenna Laine shared a personal memory on X, recalling a piece of advice Davis once gave her at a training camp practice: “We don’t get to complain,” he’d told her, a line she says she still checks herself against. —
Five words from Charles Davis will always stick with me: “We don’t get to complain,” he said. I believe it was during one of those ‘dog days of summer’ practices, probably 10 years ago. I may have been whining about something. He reminded me that every day you get to do this job,…
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) July 21, 2026
NFL insider Albert Breer posted on X that Davis is “the absolute best,” calling him one of the most genuinely nice people in the business. —
Charles Davis is the absolute best, knowledgeable on everything he discusses on air, does a ton of homework, and treats everyone right—I don't think I've ever met anyone in our business who is as genuinely nice as him.
The definition of someone you can count on. https://t.co/nm5BDknto8
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 21, 2026
The reaction wasn’t universally warm toward ESPN’s decision-making, either. ESPN and NFL Network researcher Jack Andrade called Davis “the heart and soul” of the network’s Combine and draft coverage, arguing the move effectively signals the end of NFL Network as fans have known it, according to Pro Football Network.
What’s Next for Charles Davis
Davis isn’t leaving television. He’ll remain in the national spotlight this fall as the new lead color commentator for CBS Sports’ Big Ten football coverage, taking over for the retiring Gary Danielson. He’ll pair with play-by-play voice Brad Nessler in the booth.
That move isn’t new — CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson announced it back in March 2025, well before this week’s layoffs. “For the past two decades, Charles has been among the best analysts across the NFL and college football,” Berson said at the time. “He’s well known to fans, from calling college football national championships to NFL playoff games to the voice of ‘Madden NFL.’ We’re thrilled Charles will be returning to his roots — college football — and calling our top Big Ten game each week.”
Davis’s broadcasting résumé stretches back to 1997, when he got his start as a college football analyst for Fox Sports South. He moved to TBS in 2002, then to Fox full-time in 2007, where he worked three straight BCS National Championship games as the network’s lead college football voice. He shifted into the NFL side in 2015 alongside Kevin Burkhardt and Pam Oliver on Fox’s No. 2 broadcast team before jumping to CBS in 2020 to join Ian Eagle’s crew. Throughout all of it, NFL Network stayed his home base — until now.
| Network | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Fox Sports South | College football analyst | 1997–2001 |
| TBS | Game analyst | 2002–2006 |
| Fox Sports | Lead college football / NFL analyst | 2007–2019 |
| CBS Sports | NFL analyst (No. 2 crew) | 2020–present |
| NFL Network | Draft and Combine analyst | 2006–2026 |
With Davis and analyst Mike Klatt effectively out at NFL Network, only Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah remain from the network’s core draft broadcast team, according to Yahoo Sports. ESPN has said it still intends to produce a standalone NFL Network draft telecast alongside its ABC and Pat McAfee-led coverage, though what that looks like without some of its most recognizable voices remains to be seen.
For now, Davis’s next appearance on national TV will come this fall in the Big Ten on CBS booth — a landing spot secured more than a year before ESPN’s layoffs ever hit his name.
