Speculation arose that Michaels would leave ABC for NBC; however, he subsequently signed a deal to remain on "Monday Night Football", when it moved to ESPN in 2006. However, in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL (ABC's final NFL broadcast to date), it was widely speculated that Michaels was attempting to get out of his contract with ESPN to join John Madden (who worked alongside Michaels for the previous four years on "Monday Night Football" as an analyst) at NBC. Michaels added fuel to the fire by refusing to state his future plans, and he could not "respond to rumors... because that would become a distraction." On February 8, 2006, ESPN announced that its "Monday Night Football" team would consist of Mike Tirico on play-by-play, with football anaylst Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser as analysts. ESPN explicitly stated that Michaels would not return to either "Monday Night Football" broadcasts or ABC's NBA broadcasts, all but assuring Michaels' departure from ABC after 30 years, and joining Madden at NBC.