Mike Tirico Michael Todd Tirico ( ; born December 13 , 1966 in Ann Arbor , Michigan ) is an announcer for ESPN ' s presentation of " Monday Night Football " , and second lead broadcaster for ESPN ' s presentation of the NBA . In addition , Tirico hosts a multitude of programming on ESPN / ABC . He was the host of ABC ' s golf coverage from 1996 to 2007 , and continues in that capacity for ESPN ' s U . S . Open , Masters and British Open golf coverage . He also joined ESPN ' s broadcast team for the 2009 U . S . Open Tennis Championships , and was a studio host for the 2010 FIFA World Cup . Tirico was formerly a play - by - play announcer for college football on both ESPN and ABC . Biography . Career at ABC and ESPN . Tirico joined ESPN in 1991 as a " SportsCenter " anchor , after 4 years as Sports Director at CBS affiliate WTVH - TV in Syracuse , New York , during his undergraduate years at Syracuse University . Tirico is noted for his versatile nature and the variety of assignments he has handled for " SportsCenter " , Tirico has handled the play - by - play for ESPN ' s Thursday night college football package ( 1997 to 2005 ) , college basketball coverage ( 1997 to 2002 ) , NBA coverage ( 2002 to present ) , and PGA golf coverage for ABC ( 1996 to 2006 ) . Tirico has also hosted studio coverage of various ESPN and ABC covered events , including a stint on ESPN ' s " Monday Night Countdown " ( previously known as " NFL Prime Monday " ) from 1993 – 2001 and ABC ' s NBA studio shows . He also broadcasts NBA games on ESPN / ABC . He anchored the 2009 U . S . Open ( tennis ) . Tirico ' s period at ESPN has not been without controversy . Two books about the network , " ESPN : The Uncensored Biography " ( 2000 ) by former " New York Times " sportswriter Michael Freeman and 2011 ' s " These Guys Have All the Fun " ( by " Washington Post " writers James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales ) , recount incidents of alleged sexual harassment , for example . Tirico , Freeman writes , was suspended by the network for 3 months in 1992 for pursuing female co - workers . Broadcasting partners . Tirico has been paired in the college football booth with Tim Brant , Terry Bowden , Mike Gottfried , Kirk Herbstreit , Lee Corso , and David Norrie . His partner in NBA coverage have included Tom Tolbert , Hubie Brown , and Greg Anthony , and he has worked with Curtis Strange , Judy Rankin , Nick Faldo , and Paul Azinger in PGA coverage . He has worked with Len Elmore on college basketball coverage . Tirico is also partners with Jon Gruden on " Monday Night Football " . On April 21 and 22 , 2007 , he appeared as a guest host , filling in for Michael Wilbon , alongside Tony Kornheiser on ESPN ' s " Pardon the Interruption " . Radio career . Tirico hosted his first show from WAER radio in Syracuse , N . Y . , the station where he started his sports broadcasting career , on the campus of Syracuse University . Fellow Orange alum Bob Costas was his first guest . On September 20 , 2007 , Tirico began hosting the short - lived " Mike Tirico Show " on ESPN Radio from 1 – 3 p . m . weekdays ( Eastern time ) . The show filled the empty seat left by Dan Patrick . During the spring of 2008 , the title of " The Mike Tirico Show " , which featured Scott Van Pelt as a co - host , was changed to " Tirico and Van Pelt . " On May 19 , 2009 , Tirico announced he would be leaving the show to focus more on his television play - by - play duties , and the name of the show became " The Scott Van Pelt Show " . Controversy . In 1992 , Mike Tirico was suspended by ESPN for three months for unwelcome sexual advances towards female coworkers . In his book " ESPN : The Uncensored History , " published in 2000 , New York Times reporter Michael Freeman reported several instances of sexual harassment by Mike Tirico including attempted groping and sexual solicitation .