Tony Gonzalez Joining The NFL Today, Replacing Dan Marino & Shannon Sharpe

The landscape of The NFL Today pre-game show on CBS has changed. Starting next season, former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez will join The NFL Today. Instead of taking the spot of just one person, he's replacing two people. The network announced that Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe will no longer be part of the panel next season. Marino had been part of the panel since 2002, while Sharpe had been there since 2004.

To paint a clearer picture, in 2014, The NFL Today on CBS will consist of the following people:

• James Brown (2006)
  
• Bill Cowher (2007)
  
• Boomer Esiason (2002)
  
• Tony Gonzalez (2014)
  

This will be the first time CBS has only had a four-man panel since 2006. CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus released the following statement regarding the switch in personalities:

"While we welcome Tony, we want to acknowledge Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe who have contributed greatly to the success of The NFL Today for more than a decade," McManus said. "Dan and Shannon are true Hall of Famers on the field and in front of the camera. As they pursue other professional opportunities, we thank them for their hard work and dedication and wish them nothing but the best."

My impression is that a lot of people hated Sharpe's way of speaking, but I thought he added a different personality amidst a group that could keep him under control. Marino had the longevity aspect, but I always felt he was pretty generic in his opinions. I'll have to see what Gonzalez brings to the table, but I'm anticipating more of a mellow atmosphere on The NFL Today next season.

What do you think of the change in personalities for CBS?