With a new NFL season just around the corner, Barrett Sports Media decided to take on a big project. We reached out to hosts, PDs, and reporters in every NFL city in the country. The question we wanted answered was simple: Who on your team’s roster has the brightest future in the sports media?
We spent the better part of a month sending emails and texts asking folks to participate. Some gave us an answer right away. Some required a little poking and prodding. Some didn’t respond at all. What are you going to do, right? It’s a busy time of year for all of us in sports radio.
In the end, here’s what we have. We will reveal a new batch of answers everyday from now until Friday.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Vince Marotta – Arizona Sports 98.7
The Arizona Cardinals’ roster is full of personality.
Perennial Pro Bowlers Patrick Peterson and Larry Fitzgerald are about as media-friendly as megastars can be.
Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen is one of the league’s “different” thinkers and definitely possesses an E.F. Hutton quality – when he talks, people listen (forgive the dated commercial reference.)
Offensive linemen D.J. Humphries, Justin Pugh and Evan Boehm, along with tight end Jermaine Gresham are some of the easiest people to interview because of their willingness to tackle whatever subject pops up.
But my choice for the current Cardinal who would make the best future broadcaster is safety Tre Boston.
Boston was a communications studies major at North Carolina and on his profile page on GoHeels.com, he says his career goal is to host his own reality television show.
He’s outspoken. Heck, he called the Cardinals’ original offer ‘very disrespectful’ on Sirius/XM NFL Radio before ultimately signing with Arizona just before training camp.
“I did a lot of work with NFL Network last year,” Boston told our radio show (Bickley & Marotta) in July. “Every other Tuesday I was there being an analyst for them. Being able to do that, I think that set me up for a future in media”
And Boston says he enjoys radio, but envisions himself as a studio analyst.
“I want them to see my passion behind what I’m doing. I definitely see that as part of my future after I’m done playing in ten years – maybe 20,” he said.
I can definitely see it too.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Kyle Bailey – WFNZ
The obvious choice here in Charlotte is TE Greg Olsen. Olsen flirted with ESPN’s Monday Night Football job during the offseason, and many fans were anxious about possibly losing Cam Newton’s most reliable target to broadcasting. In fact, some thought Greg was being a distraction and preferred he take the job as opposed to waffling about his future and costing the Panthers an opportunity to select his replacement in the draft. But ESPN ultimately went with Jason Witten, and the Panthers came to agreement with Olsen on a 2-year extension.
If you’ll recall, Olsen also got some valuable network reps last year with FOX while sidelined with a foot injury. It was an appearance that also carried some controversy. The network assigned him a Vikings game just a few weeks before he returned to the lineup against… the Vikings. Naturally, Minnesota was a bit displeased with Olsen’s presence and restricted his media access, which was expected given the paranoid nature of coaches and GMs in the NFL. Greg absolutely has a future in broadcasting, it’s just a matter of when he retires and which network snatches him up.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Ken Carman – 92.3 the Fan
Now that Joe Thomas has retired, this question has become a crap shoot since the team is so young, and the players aren’t yet confident in what to answer, and the answers they give like you would find in a veteran.
As of right now, I would have to say that Myles Garrett has the brightest future in sports media, but that’s if he wants it. He’s a good story teller and a student of history. Mix those with his name, and what we believe will be a strong career, he may have a job waiting on him post career. But, his future after the game may be more fulfilling to him in some other area of study.
Another one to keep an eye on is Drew Stanton. Quarterbacks can be good teachers, and can describe the “why” in a way that brings people with them, instead of talking above them.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Carrington Harrison – 610 Sports Radio
The Chiefs drafted a wide receiver out of Georgia in 2015 named Chris Conley. He seems like a natural candidate to make a transition into media but I’m not entirely sure he will be someone that “sticks to sports.” He’s already shown an interest in filmmaking and is a movie aficionado. He made a college Star Wars fan movie while at Georgia.
I could see him making more of a pop culture, E! Network type move or do something behind the scenes. He’s someone I could also see doing in front the camera work. He isn’t shy and would have the personality. I wouldn’t be surprised to him doing some guest work as a player. I think the transition is in micro content. He could be someone that could do short movie reviews and offers up commentary on a subject. I think if he wanted to, it would be a smooth transition.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Joe DeCamara – 94 WIP
