Olsen delivers in his Super Bowl TV debut
Listening to Greg Olsen make his Super Bowl debut as Fox Sports’ lead NFL color commentator, it was hard not to wonder how Tom Brady would have handled such a broadcast.
After all, Brady is set to replace Olsen in time for the 2024 season. Fox reportedly awarded the retired quarterback a 10-year, $375 million contract, but there is no guarantee Brady would deliver as Olsen did during the Kansas City Chiefs’ 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57.
From the opening kickoff to the game’s final play, the broadcast duo of Kevin Burkhardt and Olsen sounded more like Super Bowl veterans – crisp, informative and prepared – than the rookies they were.
And Olsen distinguished himself with his assessment of the most critical play of the game.
Seizing the moment
With the Chiefs facing 3rd-and-8 at the Eagles 15-yard line with 1:54 to play, a defensive stop likely would have forced the Chiefs to attempt a field goal and given the Eagles ample time to march down the field on the ensuing possession.
But Eagles cornerback James Bradberry, matched up on Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, was called for defensive holding. The penalty gave the Chiefs a first down, all but sealed the game’s outcome and set up Olsen.
“I think on this stage, I think you let them play,” he said. “I think you let them play, finish this thing out.”
Upon further review
Mike Pereira, the former vice president of officiating for the National Football League and a rules analyst for Fox Sports, said he thought holding was the right call. Olsen, a former tight end who played 14 years in the NFL but is a rookie TV analyst, held his ground.
“Let’s go back to this penalty,” he said, as he described the replay of Bradberry trying to defend Smith-Schuster. “I hear what you’re saying, Mike. He’s trying to run a little whip route, sell the shallow cross, I know he’s got that right hand (on
Smith-Schuster), I get it. I just think in this moment, oh, man, that is a game-altering penalty.”
Olsen could have stood slightly firmer, but it was refreshing to hear him take a stance.
Highs from Fox Sports’ broadcast
h When the Chiefs deferred after winning the coin toss, Burkhardt and Olsen proved ready when they suggested it was a call worth contemplating. On opening drives this season, Burkhardt pointed out, the Eagles had scored 10 touchdowns. And they promptly did it again.
h After Jalen Hurts fumbled the ball and it was returned for a touchdown to tie the score 14-14 in the second quarter, sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi talked about Hurts’ composure.
He also said Hurts was taking responsibility for the costly mistake, and video showed Hurts talking to each of his starting offensive linemen. The sideline report was prophetic as Hurts led the Eagles to a touchdown on their next drive and a 24-14 lead at the half.
h A missed 42-yard field-goal attempt by Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in the first quarterback was more fun than expected. “Hits the post!” Burkhardt exclaimed. “No good! And so a good drive ends with the doink.
“Why don’t we hear it?”
On cue, Fox Sports producers played video and audio of the ball hitting the left goalpost. Doinkalicious.
Lows from Fox Sports’ broadcast
h After Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had three catches in Kansas City’s first nine plays, Olsen used a Telestrator to help explain how the Chiefs were taking advantage of mismatches on Kelce. It was insightful analysis. But there was no explanation when Kelce failed to catch a pass the rest of the half.
At halftime, Fox revealed Hurts had changed his cleats in an apparent attempt to get better footing on the slippery turf. Fox continued to do a good job updating viewers on the situation. But considering the network had two sideline reporters, it probably shouldn’t have taken so long to inform viewers about the Super Bowl that at times looked like the Slippery Bowl.