Longtime sports broadcaster Chris Berman is leaving the network after the next NFL season.

The Big Lead says that Berman is in the final year of his contract, which ends sometime after the 2016-2017 football season.

He is expected to retire, rather than leave for another network.

Berman joined ESPN in 1979 and has been a mainstay of their NFL coverage. The network also let Berman host golf coverage which was a complete disaster. 

ESPN has been bleeding talent as it has tried to cut cost and rid the network of high salaries. 

ESPN has not yet named Berman's replacement.