Former NFL linebacker and Notre Dame great Manti Te'o has been added to the league-owned network's list of analysts, as relayed by Ben Axelrod of Awful Announcing.
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Te'o will be joined by Ron Rivera, Nate Tice and Isaiah Stanback as newcomers to the NFL Network.
Of course, many know Te'o from the Netflix documentary Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist. But that was more than a decade ago, and now Te'o begins another well-deserved chapter.
Rivera, of course, is the former coach of the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders. he was fired by the Commanders in 2023.
"Despite Rivera possessing the more impressive resume, the biggest name of the NFL Network newbies is likely Te'o," Axelrod wrote. "Following his legendary — and ultimately, controversial — career at Notre Dame, the 2012 Heisman Trophy runner-up spent eight seasons in the NFL before retiring following the 2020 campaign. Like Rivera, he's made multiple appearances on NFL Network programming in recent weeks, telegraphing his official hiring."
Rivera, of course, has connections throughout the NFL and can offer a much-needed coach's viewpoint.
"All four analysts bringing different experiences to the network, with Rivera being the headliner of the group," Axelrod wrote. "The 62-year-old spent the last 14 seasons as an NFL head coach, most recently with the Washington Commanders, giving him a plethora of expertise regarding the league's players and coaches."
The 2024 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens. The Green Bay Packers visit the Philadelphia Eagles the next night.
