Fox analyst Greg Olsen said Monday he’s not actively pursuing the Carolina Panthers’ head coaching position. Yet he definitely expressed interest in taking the spot if it’s offered.
The former Panthers star surfaced as a possible candidate for the post shortly after the team fired Frank Reich on Nov. 27.
When asked Monday during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show if he’s really interested, Olsen did not hesitate. In fact, he seemed enthusiastic about the possibility of coaching his former team.
“Who wouldn’t [be]?” Olsen answered. “Obviously, this is a city that I love, this is a team that I played the bulk of my career for. I want to see them have success.
“I live here, my kids are here, we want to see the Carolina Panthers return to the level we were able to have a good five-six year run where we were one of the better stories in the NFL …”
His former team made news this week with the firing of Frank Reich – is @gregolsen88 really interested in coaching #KeepPounding??
We asked the fantastic @NFLonFOX analyst that very question:#NFL pic.twitter.com/CglZOxXiZP
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) November 30, 2023
However, Olsen made it clear he’s friends with Panthers interim coach Chris Tabor, who he’s known since their days together with the Chicago Bears.
But if the Panthers call Olsen, he said he’d be “crazy” not to consider the idea of coaching the team where he played nine seasons.
Olsen’s job status is something else he may consider. Currently working on Fox’s No. 1 broadcast team with play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, Olsen will move to the No. 2 team next season when Tom Brady joins the network in his new role.
A report earlier this year noted that Olsen’s salary is $10 million per year as the analyst on Fox’s No. 1 team, but would be $3 million on the No. 2 team. The average NFL head coach makes roughly twice that figure.
“I love doing what I’m doing right now,’’ Olsen said. “How this future unfolds, [there are] a lot of moving parts [and] a lot of this is out of any of our control.”
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.