Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The NFL’s best broadcaster is poised to be pushed out to make way for Tom, and that’s unfair.
Enjoy Greg Olsen while you can, because the NFL’s best broadcaster could be two weeks away from being out of a job. Olsen was hired to keep the seat warm for Tom Brady, seen as the greatest prize in football broadcasting (for some reason), and now Olsen has proven that he’s the best, most dynamic, and engaging broadcaster we’ve had in years.
Brady was signed to a 10-year, $375 million contract in May of 2022, making him the highest paid analyst in the sport. It was a bet that Brady would bring in viewers, and offer unparraleled insight inside the booth — which is still possible, but the problem is that we know Fox already has that guy.
Greg Olsen was all over the ruling to wind the clock on a Dalton Schultz catch.
“When you go out of bounds, you have to be going forwards if you are contacted by the defender… you’ve gotta turn up and be physical into contact and get that official to stop the clock.” pic.twitter.com/KmwR4Nh5Pq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 23, 2023
Olsen has redefined color commentary. A role typically reserved for casual quips and bare bones explanations — Olsen has elevated his position in the booth to so much more. He’s contextualizing the game in real time, offering true insight, and showing that his knowledge of football extends far beyond playing tight end. Not only is he able to dial up and synthesize rules like the winding clock (above) to make it understandable to the average football fan, but he’s also able to succinctly explain why football concepts are present in the NFL.
Look at this moment from 49ers vs. Eagles: In a few sentences he explains the advantage of the RPO better than anyone in a booth has.
Olsen, once in the hunt to get a job on Monday Night Football joined Fox over the summer as a stopgap solution when Tom Brady unretired from the NFL, throwing a wrench in the network’s broadcasting plans. At the time it was viewed as Olsen was going to be Brady-lite, but he’s been anything but.
Not only is Olsen able to seamlessly show his football knowledge, but he has the personality to be able to be entertaining as well. I’m not going to condone Trent Williams slamming an opponent to the ground, but I do want Olsen channeling his inner carnie while breaking down a fight.
Greg Olsen with the impromptu Jim Ross flavor further solidifies his status as the league’s most valuable color commentator. Tom Brady would never.
pic.twitter.com/91LCMmtfki
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) January 29, 2023
Tom Brady will probably be fine. If you’ve every heard Brady speak you know exactly what he’s going to bring to the table. He will be able to break down some high level football concepts and offer an insight into the game that he’s gained by being a quarterback, but personality and relatability have never been things Brady is good at. I’d bet good money that he’s going to be boring as hell in the booth, and that’s a shame.
Fox already has the golden goose in Olsen, and they’re likely going to let him go so Brady can replace him. The business conditions have necessitated that. Where Olsen lands is anyone’s guess, but we need Olsen to remain a national voice on big weekly games, because he has changed how we absorb football in such a short time.
Is the dust settles and we’re facing a future of Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Greg Olsen as primary color commentary people in the booth: Olsen is going to run laps around the two quarterbacks.
