Greg Olsen’s call in the 2024 NFC Championship Game was memorable. He and play-by-play analyst Kevin Burkhardt were in great form as they helped capture the 49ers’ historic comeback during which the Lions blew a 24-7 halftime lead to lose 34-31.
As usual, Olsen was great during the match. He was up to the task of shutting down every offense. And he was routinely able to explain Dan Campbell’s analysis-based decisions, as well as his misuse of a timeout at the end of regulation that ultimately helped the 49ers seal the victory.
Despite that, it appears Olsen is headed for an off-season demotion.
Tom Brady made it clear that he will join the Fox broadcast in 2024 after taking a year off post-retirement to recharge his batteries. Brady signed a $300 million deal to join the network, so it was always expected that he would displace Olsen when the time came.
“We’ve been planning this for two years,” Olsen explained to The Athletic on Tuesday. “We knew when we took the job that Brady would be there whenever he decided to come,” Olsen said. “But the only thing I will say is that I am very proud of what we did for two years. I don’t know any team, from (Kevin) Burkhardt to Erin (Andrews) and Tom (Rinaldi), to our producer, to our entire truck; “I don’t know if anyone produces a better football game than us.”
Olsen became a fan favorite during his two years on Fox’s No. 1 team thanks to his enthusiasm and the ease with which he explains the game. He was able to communicate advanced concepts, both analytical and otherwise, to fans, and that earned him recognition.
As such, it’s worth wondering where Olsen ends up next. He’s planning to look at “the full spectrum of opportunities” available to him as he knows he’s established himself during his two years with Fox’s No. 1 team.
“It’s hard to predict how all that will play out,” Olsen told The Athletic. “But my ultimate goal is to call opening games at the top of the standings and that pursuit won’t change regardless of what happens next year with my current position.”
So what’s next for Olsen? Here’s a breakdown of possible landing spots for him, which include the possibility of staying at Fox despite demoting him.
Greg Olsen Landing Spots
Fox’s No. 2 Broadcast Team
Just because Olsen won’t be the number one team at Fox doesn’t mean she’s done with the network. He acquitted himself well during his two seasons as Fox’s lead commentator and endeared himself to people at the network.
“Fox management loves Olsen’s work,” according to Richard Deitsch of The Athletic.
With that in mind, Fox might be willing to give Olsen a sizable raise from the $3 million annually she would earn on the second broadcast team. If that’s on the table, it could be the prudent path for Olsen to take, according to Deitsch.
“Given Brady’s significant interests outside of broadcasting, it seems unlikely that he is close to completing his ten-year broadcasting/ambassador deal with Fox,” Deitsch writes. “The network’s NFL package is such that its No. 2 games each week are arguably as good as Amazon’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ schedule. Olsen would also be working with an excellent play-by-play voice in Joe Davis and a great sideline reporter. in Pam Oliver. Keep in mind that Fox gave Olsen the opportunity to be the number one analyst and network executives deserve credit for putting him in the chair when other places would have waited for a bigger name on the network. “NFL”.
Certainly, that’s a strong argument for staying put. And considering there is no other number one analyst position available at this time, Olsen can conclude that this is his best chance to call quality games and eventually move back up the totem pole.
And who knows? If Brady struggles to transition into the cockpit, Olsen could find himself back in the number one chair much sooner than expected.
NBC’s No. 2 team as Cris Collinsworth’s successor
If Olsen decides to pursue opportunities elsewhere, NBC could be the best landing spot for him among the networks with NFL broadcast rights.
The logic? Olsen would likely have the clearest path to a number one analyst position at the company. Cris Collinsworth has been entrenched at NBC for a long time, but he’s only signed through 2025. At that point, he’ll be entering his age-67 season, so it’s possible he could take a step back or move into a studio role on that moment. .
That scenario gives Olsen a clear path to a top job in two years. He could take on the role of Jason Garrett on NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show and serve as the show’s No. 2 announcer, giving Olsen the opportunity to call some big matchups each year.
Would it be as good as calling games for Fox’s No. 2 team? Maybe not. But if NBC can give him a guaranteed two-year wait until he takes over the No. 1 spot, he may decide that’s his safest option.
NBC has been thinking ahead with its “Sunday Night Football” hires in recent years. He poached Mike Tirico from ESPN long before he needed to replace Al Michaels as the show’s play-by-play analyst and even gave Drew Brees a huge deal in an effort to make him Collinsworth’s eventual successor.
Olsen would be a safe bet, unlike Brees. That may be enough to convince NBC to strike, give Olsen a big deal, and then figure out what a succession plan will look like from there.
Amazon Prime’s No. 1 Team as Kirk Herbstreit Replacement
Many were surprised when Amazon Prime cast Kirk Herbstreit as Al Michaels’ partner on “Thursday Night Football.” After all, Herbstreit was best known for his college football coverage, so how would he fare with weekly NFL responsibilities as well?
The answer: Herbstreit has been good. He had to carry the transmission at times as Michaels’ fastball lost some velocity, and Herbstreit performed adequately in that role.
That said, it’s clear that Herbstreit’s strength and passion remain in the college ranks. Given the amount of travel he does for the college game (he routinely flies from ESPN’s College GameDay to another location to call another game), he might be willing to reduce his workload a bit.
Amazon will surely be interested in Olsen if he is available. So if a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached and Herbstreit is willing to give up his position to focus on college football with the 12-team playoff era approaching, perhaps he could exit broadcasting to make way for Olsen.
However, that seems like a long shot. And Herbstreit may not want to give up a role that allows him to call college and professional games at the highest level. But if that option presented itself, Olsen would fit.
