Mason out at ‘CBS This Morning,’ Nate Burleson to join as co-host

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As part of another talent shakeup at the third place “CBS This Morning,” current co-anchor Anthony Mason is set to be replaced by a former NFL player turned sports analyst, reports Variety.

Nate Burleson is expect to replace Mason at the “CTM” anchor desk in the fall of 2021.

Burleson already works at CBS as a football analyst, having played in the NFL. CBS confirmed that Burleson has signed on for “This Morning” and will continue contributing to NFL coverage on CBS and the NFL Network.

Mason, meanwhile, is expected to stay at the network as a “cultural correspondent.”

With this move, CBS appears to almost comically being trying to mirror what is rival and top rated network morning show “Good Morning America” did with former NFLer Michael Strahan.

After retiring from the NFL, Strahan moved into TV with analyst roles and also co-hosted the ABC produced “Live with Kelly and Michael” before moving over to “GMA” in 2016.

Mason previously anchored the show’s weekend edition before joining the weekday lineup in 2019 as part of an overhaul of the show introduced by then CBS News president Susan Zirinsky.

That included moving Norah O’Donnnell of the show for the “CBS Evening News” anchor chair, where she continues to languish in the ratings. Then co-anchor John Dickerson was sent to “60 Minutes.”

Gayle King still remains the only anchor to remain from the show’s original relaunch in 2012, when she debuted alongside Charlie Rose and Erica Hill (Hill was quickly replaced by O’Donnell).

King’s contract with CBS is up in 2021.