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Joins ESPN.com staff as an NFL analyst Thursday, August 31, 2000 By Chuck Finder, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Tom Donahoe was at his new place of employment yesterday preparing for his latest NFL gig as ... an online sports writer?
Actually, the former Steelers director of football operations joins ESPN.com as a pro football analyst. He also is tentatively scheduled to provide the same services every NFL Sunday on ESPN Radio and ESPN/ESPN2. Donahoe was in the network's Bristol, Conn., headquarters yesterday meeting his new bosses and fleshing out the newfound duties that come with his one-year deal. Terms weren't disclosed. He starts work Sunday, the opening of the NFL regular season.
"He's going to do a lot of things for us," said John Marvel, the vice president and executive editor of ESPN.com. "We're bringing in Tom for the season as our NFL analyst.
"We had Tom at the [NFL] draft. He did a wonderful job. He seemed to click with our users; there was wonderful user response. We talked briefly in the off-season about doing something this season if he didn't get back into football. We're really excited to have him."
Donahoe probably won't author much material for the content-driven site, although he is a former high-school English teacher and a one-time Post-Gazette contributor. His role likely will resemble the one he filled during the draft in April. He will participate in chat sessions and supply short, quick online analyses to breaking news or games in progress. He also will be available for Sunday radio and television work, as well.
"When you look at ESPN's analysts on TV, there are a lot of [former] coaches and players. We use them, too," Marvel said. "But we thought Tom, being a former director of player development, could give us a front-office perspective we haven't had before.
"We have a full-time NFL writer in John Clayton. To have our own analyst available as well, especially somebody with Tom's knowledge of the league, I believe gives us an additional competitive advantage."
Donahoe will work through the postseason and Super Bowl for ESPN, then the parties will discuss any possible future working relationship. He was in meetings and didn't return telephone messages yesterday.
Could the subjects of Kent Graham and Kordell Stewart get broached to the new ESPN.com analyst come opening weekend?
"I'm sure he'll be asked that Sunday," Marvel said, "and, from talking to him, he probably won't shy away from it."
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