Hall of Famer Mike Ditka in-studio before Eagles-Bears MNF Game on Monday, Sept. 19

Photos via ESPN Images

Chris Berman and ESPN will welcome NFL legends to Monday Night Countdown throughout the 2016 NFL season. Beginning this week, the Monday Night Football pregame (6 p.m. ET) will feature a special guest who will join Berman for the entire two-hour show at ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios to talk football and preview the MNF game.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka, who led the Chicago Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX and was part of ESPN’s Countdown shows with Berman from 2004-2015, will be the first guest in the series. He will join Berman on Monday, Sept. 19, in advance of ESPN’s Eagles vs. Bears MNF game.

“Having these football greats in the studio sharing their stories, as well as insights on today’s games will be a dream-come-true for me, more importantly for our viewers,” said Berman. “They forgot more football than the rest of us remember. This will be nothing short of Christmas every Monday night.”

Added Seth Markman, ESPN senior coordinating producer, NFL studio shows: “We have some of the biggest names in the history of pro football coming to Bristol this season to talk football and share stories with Chris Berman. It’s going to be a lot of fun and a great addition to our weekly Monday Night Countdown pregame.”

Upcoming Monday Night Countdown guests include (subject to change):

Date Special NFL Legend Guest MNF Game Sept. 19 Mike Ditka Hall of Fame player/coach and Super Bowl champion Eagles vs. Bears Sept. 26 Michael Irvin Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Falcons vs. Saints Oct. 3 Joe Theismann Washington Redskins Super Bowl champion Giants vs. Vikings Oct. 10 Dick Vermeil St. Louis Rams Super Bowl champion head coach Buccaneers vs. Panthers Oct. 17 Joe Namath N.Y. Jets Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Jets vs. Cardinals

Other guests planned for the remainder of the season include Buffalo Bills Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Bruce Smith and Washington Redskins Super Bowl-winning quarterback Doug Williams.

In addition to Berman’s interviews with the NFL legends, Suzy Kolber hosts coverage of Monday Night Countdown from the site of each week’s Monday Night Football game joined by analysts Trent Dilfer, Matt Hasselbeck, Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Steve Young. NFL Insiders Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen (currently on medical leave) have the latest news from around the league, and Michelle Beisner-Buck contributes a weekly feature.

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