Why Nate Burleson is hosting March Madness on CBS instead of Ernie Johnson

Why Nate Burleson is hosting March Madness on CBS instead of Ernie Johnson originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The 2026 NCAA Tournament is nearly through the second round.

The tournament has had some fun upsets and a few buzzer beaters, but there has been one notable change. CBS is known for broadcasting the first two rounds and in between games and during halftime, coverage cuts to a studio with a panel of basketball greats. Fans are used to hearing the iconic cadence of Ernie Johnson but this year Johnson isn't on the desk.

Instead, he was replaced by former NFL player Nate Burleson. The former wide receiver has shined in during NFL pre-game coverage, including appearances on kid-friendly, such as Nickelodeon's "NFL Slimetime. " Given that his background is in a different sport, many viewers were left scratching their heads, wondering why Burleson was tagged as the host for March Madness coverage Sunday instead of Johnson.

Here is more on why Burleson has been manning CBS' March Madness desk during coverage instead of Ernie Johnson. MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more Why Nate Burleson is hosting March Madness Burleson has been increasingly visible for CBS' football coverage during the season. But one of the main reasons, per Front Office Sports' Ryan Glasspiegel, that CBS is testing to see whether Burleson could eventually replace James Brown as the host of "NFL Today.