ESPN Switches Down-And-Distance Graphic on 'Monday Night Football' Amid Backlash

The ESPN Monday Night Football yellow down graphic took criticism by fans on Twitter.

ESPN's "Monday Night Football" returned this week, and the network caved to viewer's frustrations about a new neon yellow down scoreboard graphic that appeared during the first half of the telecast. 

In the night's first game, the Texans took on the Saints, but it was the scoreboard that had fans talking as ESPN made its down-and-distance graphic yellow.

But ESPN's PR man Bill Hofheimer tweeted, "Our ESPN production team is aware of the feedback on the #MNF down and distance graphic. We have called an audible and adjusted for the 2nd half of #HOUvsNO and for the #DENvsOAK game to follow. New look pictured here."

Our ESPN production team is aware of the feedback on the #MNF down and distance graphic. We have called an audible and adjusted for the 2nd half of #HOUvsNO and for the #DENvsOAK game to follow. New look pictured here. pic.twitter.com/SWLKKuW87w

— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) September 10, 2019

The orginal look confused fans as it made every play look like a penalty due to the traditional yellow flag graphic. The box even turns black during a penalty, further confusing fans. 

This complaint comes after fans ripped ESPN’s crew of Joe Tessitore, Booger McFarland and Jason Witten last season.

Here's what Twitter users had to say about the marker before it was changed:

Looking at ESPN’s yellow downs counter trying to figure out if it’s a flag or just the next down pic.twitter.com/VXybMW1rWf

— SI Media (@SISportsMedia) September 9, 2019

RT this if you want @ESPN to change the color of the down and distance graphic on MNF.

We must stop this horrendous yellow penalty flag pump fake.

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) September 9, 2019

Let's check in and see how ESPN is doing with its first Monday Night Football telecast of the season. https://t.co/IMOEyXpcT0

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) September 9, 2019

Like 80 percent of my timeline has complained about the ESPN down and distance marker being bright yellow and therefore looking like the usual graphic for “the ref threw a flag” and I really have no idea how multiple people looked at that and approved it.

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) September 9, 2019

What do you think will be the fate of ESPN’s yellow/green down marker:

A) ESPN quickly caves to pressure and gets rid of it in 2 weeks.

B) ESPN doubles down, refuses to change this season and says that people will eventually get over it.

— Mitch Goldich 🐙 (@mitchgoldich) September 10, 2019

This yellow down and distance marker on the bottom of the screen for ESPN makes me think there's a penalty flag on every play. Who thought that was a good idea?

— Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) September 9, 2019

.@espn please take this yellow-green down-and-distance color and throw it into the ocean. It looks like a flag pic.twitter.com/jNyMSY7kZA

— Riley McAtee (@RileyMcAtee) September 9, 2019

Everyone is complaining about the yellow in ESPN's new scorebug, but it looks neon green to me. Anyone else? pic.twitter.com/hxXpdrJDih

— Rob Tornoe (@RobTornoe) September 10, 2019

Hey @espn

Yellow is for flags

Other colors are for other things

— Stuckey (@Stuckey2) September 9, 2019

Wish @ESPN would change the color of the down & distance on the lower right part of the screen.

My dumb brain thinks the yellow means there’s a flag on every play.

— Ben Schragger (@BenSchragg) September 9, 2019