Former NFL player and analyst joins ‘CBS This Morning’ as host

Former NFL wide receiver and analyst Nate Burleson is set to join “CBS This Morning” as its new host, Variety reported.

Burleson shared the announcement Wednesday on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” a morning program he’s co-hosted since its inception in 2016. 

“You know, we started this show — which seems like forever ago — as friends, and now five years later, we’re family, like truly brothers and sisters, not just here at the table, but also everybody behind the scenes, which is why this is tough to say and right now I’m announcing that I will be joining ‘CBS This Morning’ as a host,” Burleson said 

Burleson, who played for four NFL teams in 12 seasons, will be joining co-anchors Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil as the program moves into its new studio in Times Square in the fall. Burleson will be replacing longtime CBS anchor Anthony Mason, according to Variety. 

The former player also said he will still continue to host CBS Sports’ “The NFL Today” while making regular appearances on CBS sibling channel “Nickelodeon” and taking on an expanded role at NFL Network. 

Burleson recently filled in as a guest co-host for the program while Dukoupil was on maternity leave, Variety reported. 

The move comes as a wave of former professional athletes start to make a name for themselves in the news media world, with some comparing the 39-year-old Burleson to ABC’s “Good Morning America” co-anchor Michael Strahan, who also used to play for the NFL, Variety noted. 

The Hill had reached out to CBS News for comment.