Andrew Marchand disputes idea that ESPN sees Ian Rapoport as Adam Schefter’s successor

As NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport plays out the clock on his current contract with his new employers at ESPN, all eyes are on if and how Rapoport can coexist with Adam Schefter, the top dog at ESPN and Rapoport’s longtime competitor for NFL news.

Multiple reports indicate ESPN plans to keep Rapoport and maintain NFL Network as a standalone entity similar to SEC Network after completing a takeover of the formerly league-owned network last week. But given the incredibly competitive nature of news-breaking in sports media and the intense rivalry that Rapoport and Schefter had until this year, it is natural to question how the two will work together.

Naturally, some have wondered if Rapoport would test the waters elsewhere — or if the Worldwide Leader could look for a way to offload Schefter with a potential replacement now in tow.

In a new episode of his podcast Marchand Sports Media, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that neither ESPN nor Schefter have any plans for his role to change any time soon.

“Adam Schefter is not going anywhere. That’s the number one thing,” Marchand said.

“The idea that there are succession [plans] out there, let’s break it down a little bit. If ESPN had not gotten the NFL Network to put under its roof, would anybody be mentioning the word ‘succession’ about Adam Schefter, like he’s going someplace?

“I know Woj retired early, and that was Woj’s to go and return to his alma mater and go to St. Bonaventure. Schefter, though, from my understanding, is 59… I think he considers himself a young 59. So that was a weird one to me. If someone’s putting that out there, I wouldn’t be doing that, personally.”

A previous report suggested that ESPN viewed Rapoport’s arrival as part of a “succession plan” for Schefter, with NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah viewed similarly in a future without Mel Kiper Jr.

Clearly, Marchand does not see it the same way.