In the “Ten Things I Think I Think” portion of MMQB, Peter King imparted hope across the NFL universe when he said “I think there’s likely to be a change in the Thursday night announcer lineup for NFL Network games this fall, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mike Mayock, one of the fastest-rising stars in the analyst business, get involved in the booth.”

This would be glorious news. The decision by the NFL Network to put together a booth that included both Joe Theismann and Matt Millen was tone deaf. Sure, nobody is going to stop watching Thursday Night football, but it seemed to slap the consumer in the face and make the experience less enjoyable. They already have a huge Thursday night lineup of on-air talent, and I don’t think that if they are considering Mike Mayock, it would mean an unwieldy four man booth. Theismann would still dominate with his inanity.

So, if this bit from King has any teeth, it is highly likely that Theismann or Millen (or perhaps both) will be out after the one year run on Thursday night. I would be fine with both out and a two man booth, but if the NFL Network is just taking baby steps here, I think it has to be Theismann out first. I know it’s hard for Detroit area fans to stomach this, but Joey T makes Matt Millen look like Pat McInally taking the Wonderlic. Millen, at least, has the capability of working with others, while Theismann seems to contradict his partners frequently for its own sake and to try to make himself sound better. Theismann would be unworkable if they added Mayock; he would try to unsuccessfully demonstrate how much smarter he was after each Mayock comment. At least with Millen, he could play the role of the loveable drunken uncle who adds a humorous malapropism every now and again.

[photo via Getty]