ESPN "MNF" Analyst Louis Riddick Has Sights Set on NFL GM Job

A ninth-round draft choice out of the University of Pittsburgh in 1991 by the San Francisco 49ers, Louis Riddick went on to play seven years as a pro in the NFL for the Niners, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.

Following his retirement, the 52-year-old went on to work in Washington’s front office and also served as a scout before being promoted to Director of Pro Personnel. After Riddick’s tenure in Washington ended in 2007, he took a similar position with the Eagles and climbed the ladder to become Director of Pro Personnel in Philadelphia as well.

Now a color analyst for ESPN on Monday Night Football, Riddick still has hopes of running a franchise as a general manager, a position he has interviewed for in the past when jobs have opened up across the league. With more jobs set to open in a few days when both coaches and GMs are let go on the NFL’s “Black Monday” following the conclusion of the regular season, Riddick could have the chance to leave the booth and make a return to an NFL front office.

“I have one of the great broadcasting jobs in America, period,” Riddick told The Associated Press. “I have always been very up front, starting with (ESPN president) Jimmy Pitaro that this is not a situation where I’m going, ‘I want to get back to the NFL.’ If teams call and want to talk to me about being a general manager, then I have a definite interest in that kind of thing because it’s always been a career goal of mine, and it’s always been a challenge that I have been interested in. And if it were to be something that was a great fit for them and me, then sure, then we would take it down the road and see how far it would go.”

One possible landing spot for Riddick could be Chicago, where head coach Matt Nagy is likely to be fired and followed out the door by GM Ryan Pace. Asked about the possibility of taking the job if it were open during an appearance on The Waddle and Silvy Show on ESPN-1000 in Chicago, Riddick certainly sounded interested.

“Of course I would listen. Of course. It’s the Chicago Bears, man,” Riddick said. “It’s a blue blood franchise. Of course. And you know what … I’ll just leave it at that. Do you need someone who can really connect with Justin Fields, and develop his drop-back game so as to then marry it with his outlandish physical talent and ability to get outside the pocket and create and just really threaten people with his athleticism. Yeah, you do. Can that all be done in one offseason? Probably not. But you sure can make them good enough to where they are at the very least, an 8-8 football team. If not better than that.”

On Saturday night, Riddick and his MNF cohorts Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Lisa Salters and John Parry will be at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for the NFC matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Eagles as part of the second leg of ESPN’s first-ever Monday Night Football: Saturday Doubleheader.

Perhaps the MNF’s debut as part of a doubleheader on Saturday night will be aspiring GM Riddick’s last game for ESPN.