Right before week 1 of NFL football, BSM ran a special series asking hosts and PDs around the country to identify which player from their home team had the brightest future in the broadcast booth. You can read part four of that series by clicking here. It contains links to the other three parts.
The New York Post’s Andrew Marchand asked the same question this week of two people with CBS Sports. Chairman Sean McManus identified quarterbacks Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers along with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and Saints’ tight end Ben Watson. Former wide receiver and current analyst for both CBS and the NFL Network Nate Burleson named Larry Fitzgerald as a potential broadcasting star.
Marchand notes that it is possible these guys never become involved in broadcasting. “The interesting aspect for the modern stars as compared to those of the past is that they make so much money as players they don’t need to work on TV after retiring to support their lifestyles.”
NFL salaries have certainly risen, but that doesn’t mean retired players from this era aren’t interested in a career on TV when their career on the field comes to an end. Tony Romo and Jason Witten are two examples of guys that stepped right into the booth after retirement.
