Greg Olsen has already reached the pinnacle of his profession as a color analyst, working Super Bowl LVII.
The same two teams that played in that 2023 game, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, will meet again in Super Bowl LIX. This time, Olsen will watch as Tom Brady, the man who supplanted him as Fox Sports’ No. 1 analyst, works the game with play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
Despite rave reviews for Olsen’s work, Fox Sports made a 10-year, $375 million commitment to Brady, who has struggled at times in his first season.
That move bumped Olsen to the network’s No. 2 broadcast team and he’ll be on the outside looking in for the Super Bowl.
He’s not comfortable with the feeling. Olsen spoke with WCNC Charlotte sports director Nick Carboni about that and other matters this week.
“A lot of fans want to know — do you think there’s a path for you to be in the booth for championship weekend, a Super Bowl again, in the near future?” Carboni asked.
“I hope so,” Olsen said. “I’ll be honest, it’s hard sitting home on the couch watching the games, and you’re sitting there, and you’re living and dying with every broadcast and … dissecting everything that’s said and done. Listen, I’ve been very honest. My goal getting into this was to not just call regional 1 o’clock games and just be happy to be there. I’ve called the highest games, we’ve called some of the biggest games in NFL history, some of the biggest audiences in NFL history.”
“To not do it [Super Bowl] anymore is hard; it’s not ideal. Wherever it is, whatever network it’s on … my goal is to continue to show I’m as good if not better than anybody in this industry; I just need a chair.”
I asked Greg Olsen if he sees a path to broadcasting a Super Bowl again soon, given Tom Brady’s deal
“Wherever it is, whatever network it’s on…my goal is to continue to show I’m as good if not better than anybody in this industry, I just need a chair.” @wcnc #Panthers pic.twitter.com/Y0fVdvAHlW
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) January 27, 2025
Olsen has handled his demotion from Fox Sports’ No. 1 team like a professional. He’s shared some broadcasting advice with Brady. And he continues to draw praise for his work. Still, he told The Athletic’s Joseph Person that it’s a tough situation.
“I don’t think resentment’s probably accurate. But I also think it’s not too far off if I’m being honest,” Olsen told Person when asked about any resentment toward Brady or Fox. “I don’t have any ill will — there’s no personal resentment towards Tom or, obviously, K.B. (Kevin Burkhardt) and Erin (Andrews). I still talk to all of them fairly regularly. I’m hoping to see them next week down in New Orleans and grab dinner or a drink and just kind of shoot the sh*t, catch up.”
