The relationships between coaches and the broadcasters who cover them can run much deeper than fans may think at first glance. And that is apparently the case between Gus Johnson of Fox Sports and new Michigan State football coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald was recently hired by the Spartans to return to the Big Ten after his controversial firing at Northwestern. After a decorated career as a player and coach at the school, he was fired in the midst of a hazing investigation. However, Fitzgerald maintained that he had no knowledge of the widespread troubles throughout his program. And after settling a wrongful termination suit where Northwestern acknolwedged that was true, it cleared the path for him to return to coaching.
Although Fitzgerald has spent a lot of time in the Big Ten, it was a surprise to see him share such a warm embrace with Gus Johnson given the Fox Sports announcer probably hasn’t called that many Northwestern football games in his career.
However, with Gus in town for college basketball duties with Fox for the massive Michigan-Michigan State game on Friday night, Fox Sports caught the pair in an enthusiastic embrace where Fitzgerald lifted the announcer off the floor. The Fox Sports caption said that the pair were “buddies for life.”
— welovesports40 (@welovesports40) January 31, 2026
Although some may view it as a heartwarming scene, it did draw at least one skeptical comment from college basketball writer Jeff Goodman, who apparently wasn’t as impressed.
Wow. Just wow. pic.twitter.com/IEbrYqqolA
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 31, 2026
I’m not sure one hug is going to permanently compromise Gus Johnson’s integrity as an announcer if and when he does call a Michigan State game with Fox Sports. Given the Spartans’ recent past, they are a long ways away from being featured in a Big Noon Saturday showcase. But it does make you wonder what other unlikely BFF relationships are out there in the sports media world.
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