The Lions-49ers NFC Championship game tonight will be the “end of the road for Fox’s popular No. 1 NFL broadcast team of Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen.” Fox put a plan in place two years ago that after a year off from football, Tom Brady would "join Burkhardt as its lead analyst starting with the 2024 season." Olsen would then "drop to the network's No. 2 booth." But Olsen has put Fox in “quite the pickle” as he has "been outstanding." He has been "universally touted as being outstanding” (SI, 1/26).
The situation is "unusual," as Olsen “established himself as a voice worthy of the No. 1 role.” He has an ability to “teach throughout the broadcast while the game is evolving.” Rarely has a No. 1 analyst, who has "proven himself to this extent, been 'rewarded' with a demotion and replaced by a player with no broadcast experience." It did happen when Tony Romo "moved Phil Simms out of CBS’ top NFL spot in 2017" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/27).
