Fox Sports executive praises Greg Olsen ahead of first Super Bowl as Tom Brady’s deal looms

A Fox Sports executive was full of glowing praise for announcer Greg Olsen following his rookie broadcast season. 

Olsen has been part of Fox’s top NFL broadcast team since Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left for ESPN before the current season but that could change in a year’s time with Tom Brady’s 10-year, $375million deal with the network looming. 

The 37-year-old is set to call his first ever Super Bowl alongside his partner in the booth, Kevin Burkhardt. 

But executive Brad Zager insisted he has no concerns at all over Olsen’s ability to live up to the standards of the big game. 

‘There are one thousand things to worry about the week of the Super Bowl, Greg Olsen going out there and doing an amazing broadcast is not on my list,’ Zager told The New York Post.

Olsen has been part of Fox’s top NFL broadcast team alongside Kevin Burkhardt this season

Zager also insisted that the former tight end had been his first choice for the job and claimed he had no doubts over him. 

‘When I got this job, Greg was my first pick,’ said Zager, who hired Olsen as Fox’s No. 2 analyst behind Aikman when Olsen was still an active player. ‘I was all about making sure Greg Olsen was there at the time. He was below Joe and Troy. But once we saw what Greg could do during a full season, we had no doubts. I just loved Greg Olsen.

‘If you could design from scratch, somebody coming off the field to the broadcast booth, you would give them so many characteristics that we see in Greg every day. His passion for broadcasting, his passion for being part of the production crew, his passion for learning and getting feedback and being coached to be better and zero ego.

‘He just came in and was like, “I’m the new guy here. I want to be great at this, help me get there.” And I think what people at home have seen is the sum of all those things.’

Despite the glowing praise, Sunday’s showdown could be the first of just two Super Bowls Olsen announces. 

Brady, who announced his retirement from playing after a Super Bowl-laden career on February 1, has a reported 10-year, $375m deal in place with Fox. 

And, before the veteran quarterback hung up his cleats, Olsen confessed he was aware it was only a matter of time before the quarterback does end up vying for his job. 

‘We all know the reality,’ Olsen said, during an appearance on ‘The Waddle and Silvy’ radio show on ESPN 1000. 

Tom Brady has a reported 10-year, $375million deal with the broadcaster lined up 

‘I know what I signed up for this year. My goal — and I said this before the season even started — my goal was to try to do the best job that I could. Give people a fun listen. Give people maybe a little bit of a different perspective and insight into the game. Do the best job that I can.

‘Listen, if Brady ends up retiring and coming, and decides, and that’s how everything unfolds, it sucks. But at the end of the day, I’m a big boy. I know what I signed up for. I took a chance on myself. I rolled the dice. Let’s see how it plays out.’

Before just his second season in the booth, Olsen received a new five-year contract, which would be worth $50 million if he retains the top spot. If Brady takes over in 2024, then Olsen would be shifted to the No. 2 spot and his salary would drop to $3 million. 

Olsen can relax for now as Brady recently revealed that he will wait to transition into the booth until the fall of 2024. In other words: NFL fans will go an entire season without Brady in 2023 for the first time this millennium.

Seven-time Super Bowl champ revealed his retirement in an emotional video via social media

Previously, in May, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch revealed that Brady would eventually be Fox Sports’ top NFL analyst, although the starting date for the contract remained unclear. 

‘We are delighted that Tom has committed to joining the Fox team and wish him all the best during this upcoming season,’ said Murdoch, the 50-year-old son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. 

Fox Sports said Brady’s on-air partner will be longtime announcer Kevin Burkhardt. The five-time Super Bowl MVP will also work as a ‘brand ambassador’ for Fox, focusing on ‘client and promotional initiatives.’