With Josh Elliott gone, Good Morning America has made another hire and it's a big one.

Former NFL star Michael Strahan, one half of Live! With Kelly & Michael, also soon will be seen on ABC‘s morning infotainment program Good Morning America. 

Deadline says that Strahan will continue to co-host his daytime talker with Kelly Ripa. 

Ripa also had been approached about joining GMA, but she declined, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. 

Talks with Strahan began about a month ago, which predates news anchor Josh Elliott’s decision to depart GMA, announced over the weekend. Expect to see Strahan on GMA a couple days a week, initially. Elliott, formerly of ESPN, left the show to join NBC Sports. The addition of Strahan gives GMA an anchor with a sports background to take over that responsibility from Elliott — Strahan having spent 15 years playing for the New York Giants.

Live! With Kelly & Michael is having its best season in seven years, ratings-wise, averaging nearly 4 million viewers — up 13% versus same time last season.