Tom Brady can objectively replace the best in the business.
Greg Olsen, who will replace Brady as Fox Sports’ top NFL commentator next season, won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Personality/Event Commentary on Tuesday despite his looming demotion. Olsen will join Joe Davis on Fox’s second team after Kevin Burkhart’s two-year stint with the first team.
In one of the more awkward posts seen on sports media PR accounts, Fox “proudly” congratulated Olsen on her win.
Olsen defeated fellow nominees Troy Aikman, Cris Collinsworth, Bill Raftery, John Smoltz and Tom Verducci. This is his second Emmy win in his career, after last year he won Outstanding Personality – Emerging On-Air Talent.
The former Pro Bowl tight end acknowledged the awkward situation in his acceptance speech, hinting that he’s not sure what his future holds.
“I think there’s a lot of people out there wondering what I’m going to say right now. People come in tonight and ask me, they say, ‘What’s the biggest impact on your future in your business?’ What’s the threat?’ And everyone’s like, ‘Brady and this. I think it’s Andy from Toy Story. If he gets into Collinsworth, Aikman, I think we’re dead.
“It’s pretty cool. I don’t know what the future holds. All I know is I love talking football. I love talking the ball. I love studying the ball. I love watching the game go. Wherever that takes me, whatever. So, right now I’m just more committed to the game of football.”
Olsen’s sudden and unexpected rise came when ESPN poached Fox’s top duo of Aikman and Joe Buck in 2022. It was never Fox’s plan for Olsen to take over the reins after just one season in the booth alongside Burkhardt, and the network acted that way when it signed Brady to a 10-year, $375 million contract to become the new Aikman after Brady’s playing days.
In the two seasons between signing with Brady and the anticipated start of his broadcasting career, Olsen earned high praise, including Super Bowl LII. Brady didn’t deny the talent of the man who will replace him earlier this year.
Mr. Olsen’s acceptance speech suggested that he would be interested if the top analyst job opened elsewhere, but Mr. Brady at FOX, Mr. Aikman at ESPN, Mr. Collinsworth at NBC, There aren’t that many job openings these days, including Tony Romo of CBS.
