Greg Olsen was a key a part of the second-most watched TV broadcast of all time.
On Feb. 12, 2023, greater than 115 million individuals tuned in to Tremendous Bowl LVII to see the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. The sport was broadcast on Fox, with Kevin Burkhardt dealing with the play-by-play duties and Olsen offering shade commentary.
Subsequent month may present an encore of kinds. Tremendous Bowl LIX is again on Fox. The Eagles and Chiefs are again because the opponents. Burkhardt can be again within the broadcast sales space, and Olsen … nicely, he gained’t be again.
Olsen was changed as Burkhardt’s associate on Fox’s No. 1 broadcast staff this yr by NFL legend Tom Brady, who will wrap up his rookie season as a commentator on the greatest recreation of the yr. In a collection of interviews this week to advertise an occasion for his “The Heartest Yard” basis, Olsen made clear how he feels about being demoted and disregarded of the community’s postseason plans this yr.
“It sucks,” Olsen advised the Charlotte Observer.
He advised the Athletic that whereas “resentment” most likely isn’t probably the most correct phrase to explain his emotions on the scenario, “I additionally suppose it’s not too far off, if I’m being sincere.”
“I don’t have any unwell will — there’s no private resentment in the direction of Tom, or clearly Okay.B. and Erin [Andrews],” Olsen mentioned. “I nonetheless speak to all of them pretty commonly. … However yeah, it’s laborious to take a seat there and watch video games that over the past couple of years you have been making ready for and also you have been calling.”
A 3-time Professional Bowl choice at tight finish, Olsen ended his 14-year NFL profession following the 2020 season. He joined Fox in 2021 and was paired with Burkhardt within the broadcast sales space.
When Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left Fox for ESPN’s “Monday Night time Soccer,” Burkhardt and Olsen turned Fox’s No. 1 asserting staff. As such, they obtained to name the community’s greatest video games every week and all through the postseason. Within the 2022 season, that included the Tremendous Bowl.
The duo proved to be in style with followers, with an AwfulAnnouncing.com reader survey rating Burkhardt and Olsen as TV’s fourth-best NFL broadcast staff in 2023. For that very same yr, Olsen gained the Sports activities Emmy for finest occasion analyst.
However Olsen’s days as a part of that staff have been numbered from the start.
In Could 2022, Fox and Brady agreed to a 10-year, $375-million deal that might make the seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion the community’s lead soccer analyst as soon as his enjoying days have been over. Brady retired after the 2022 season, then took the 2023 season off earlier than becoming a member of Burkhardt within the sales space final fall.
Olsen landed on his ft. He and new associate Joe Davis could also be thought-about Fox’s No. 2 broadcast staff, however they have been voted by AwfulAnnouncing.com readers because the finest broadcast sales space of the 2024 season — 13 spots increased than the Burkhardt/Brady sales space. Olsen additionally teamed with Noah Eagle to name the Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans recreation for Netflix on Christmas Day.
It’s not sufficient for the 39-year-old Olsen.
“My aim is to name prime video games,” he advised the Athletic. “I’ve been very adamant about that over the past couple years. My aim remains to be to get again there. I don’t know what that appears like. I don’t know the place that takes place. However I’m persevering with to work in the direction of that aim and hopefully have the chance [to] get again to calling these marquee video games in some unspecified time in the future.”
The place which may occur stays to be seen. Olsen advised the Observer that he has two years left on his contract with Fox. Barring one thing unexpected, Brady, 47, would seem to have the highest analyst spot locked down at that community for the higher a part of the subsequent decade.
“It’s fairly clear that the trail, the upward trajectory so far as Fox goes, most likely is a non-factor,” Olsen advised the Observer. “I don’t know what the long run holds. I get pleasure from working at Fox. Fox has been superb to me. They know. I’ve been very sincere with them that I’m not content material simply calling one o’clock regional video games for the remainder of my profession.”