Kirk Herbstreit explains how he plans to prepare for switch to NFL

Kirk Herbstreit has been one of the faces of ESPN’s college football coverage for many years, but now he is heading to the NFL broadcast booth. Herbstreit has joined Amazon, where he will lead Thursday Night Football coverage alongside Al Michaels.

Herbstreit recently joined the Pat McAfee show, where he broke down his plans for preparing for the switch to NFL from college, and he has been hard at work ever since the NFL schedule was released last week.

“I’m just in the process – I was waiting until the schedule came out,” Herbstreit said. “We got ahead of it because the week one we knew Chargers-Chiefs, which how about that. Herbert and Mahomes in Kansas City to get it kicked off on Thursday night starting Week 2. So I knew about that, so I’ve already been over there visiting with them and kind of going over. I’m just trying to lay a foundation. Like if you said Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee, USC, I mean I could give you kind of a foundation of who they are, what their DNA is without really looking at anything.

“That’s what I’m going to try to build here in May, June and July, is just kind of build that foundation up now that I know the tams that I’m doing. I’m just going to work from that Chargers-Chiefs game all the way down and do one a week so I can really dive in and understand and study the coordinators and understand the scheme. They’re a heavy man team, these guys love the quick game, whatever it is. Just try to really understand it so when I get to Week 1 or Week 3 or Week 5, I’ll have a folder or foundation of what I want to get into and then kind of stay up with it as the season goes on.”

Another prominent figure could be joining Amazon’s NFL coverage alongside Herbstreit

Last week, it was reported that former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman could be eyeing a move to the broadcast booth. Sherman is reportedly “deep in talks” with Amazon, although he isn’t closing the door on a return to the NFL is the right opportunity presents itself.

Sherman, a three-time All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion, played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. If he does ultimately join Amazon, he would be an intriguing add on an already impressive-looking team of broadcasters next season.