ESPN and long-time NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport are closing in on a new deal.
The news of Rapoport’s and ESPN’s impending deal comes from Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it’s likely substantial because Rapoport is one of the very best in the business.
“ESPN is finalizing a deal to retain longtime NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, sources told Front Office Sports,” Glasspiegel reported.
This does not mean we have seen the last of Rapoport on NFL Network, though.
That’s because ESPN acquired NFL Network in a deal with the league earlier this year, which means the latter network’s talent is now under the ESPN umbrella.
That also means Rapoport will appear on both ESPN and NFL Network, Glasspiegel adds.
So, ESPN will have both of the most tapped-in NFL insiders in the business in Rapoport and Adam Schefter, who has been ESPN’s go-to guy for several years now.
We saw a preview of things to come following the ESPN-NFL deal in recent weeks.
Not only were ESPN and NFL Network employees reposting each other on X, but there was even a report from Schefter during the 2026 NFL Draft that credited both himself and Rapoport, which was just weird to see.
Rapoport has previously touched on working with Schefter in an interview with The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.
Rapoport said the pairing would be “like The Avengers” and that’s pretty spot on as far as NFL reporting is concerned because both reporters are at the very top of the business.
“If we were to work together, I think that would be awesome,” Rapoport said. “I have no idea if it’s gonna happen. But, you know, it’d be like The Avengers.”
The billion-dollar deal between ESPN and the NFL was approved by government regulators and finalized by the two sides back in January.
Per the agreement, the NFL received a 10-percent ownership stake in ESPN.
Meanwhile, ESPN gets to own and operate NFL Network, which will be part of it’s $29.99 per month ESPN Unlimited package.
ESPN also absorbs the league’s fantasy football operation into its own, and has rights to the RedZone Channel that so many fans love.
Also as part of the deal, ESPN will carry more NFL games than it does already, with the opportunity to get more down the road.
Thankfully, the oft-dreaded “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders will be done away with.
As far as we know, Rapoport is the first NFL Network talent to agree to a new deal with ESPN.