As training camps get under way around the NFL, the countdown is on for fans looking forward to the football season. Just as several teams will have new looks, so too will some broadcast booths. The biggest change, of course, will be Tom Brady taking over the No. 1 analyst role at FOX Sports with Kevin Burkhardt, in place of Greg Olsen, who is now with Joe Davis on the No. 2 team. Olsen was a guest on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina, and talked about Brady, working with Davis and more.
Traina asked Olsen about Brady and whether or not the two have talked much now that they are teammates at the network.
“I’ve gotten to know Tom now over the last couple months,” Olsen said. “We spent a lot of time with him last week in LA at the seminar. He’s been awesome. It’s been great to just get to know him personally…Just getting to know him, getting to learn about his family and hearing him talk about his kids. It’s cool to see the human side of him and just kick back and hang and just get to kind of know him and whatnot. So, I’ve enjoyed my time with him. He’s been nothing but respectful and nothing but professional through all of this, which has been amazing.”
“Has he hit you up for broadcasting advice?” Traina asked.
“Yeah, we’ve spoken a lot now. A couple of times on the phone, obviously spent time together, like I said, in LA last week. You know, both personally, just getting to know each other and kind of shooting the sh**, but then also talking the industry and some of the things that when I first came out that I had to learn the hard way and things that I look at very differently now going into year four than I did going into year one.
“I think he’s doing a really nice job picking people’s brains and getting people’s opinions. And obviously he’s got the best partner you could ask for, especially for somebody learning the industry…When all else fails, just ask Kevin [Burkhardt] and just do what he says, because that’s what I’ve done for the last three years, and it’s served me very well.”
While a lot will be new for Brady, Olsen has experience working with Joe Davis, who had filled in for Kevin Burkhardt in previous years, as well as the producer and director who worked with Olsen his first year.
“I know them really well,” Olsen said. “I know their style. They’re world class producers and directors. They’ve been doing this for a really long time. And they’re awesome at what they do…I’ve done multiple games with Joe, probably four or five maybe. So, I’ve gotten to know Joe both working and also personally.”
Traina asked Olsen about other people labeling what has happened as a demotion or a step down.
“I’m very clear anytime anyone asks,” Olsen said. “I don’t look at it as like a demotion. I don’t look at that as, ‘oh, man, I’m moving down the ladder’ because these guys are unbelievably good, and I’m pumped to work with them. With that being said, yeah, when they say, ‘hey, we got Kansas City, San Francisco this year, first time we’re getting a Super Bowl rematch on network history,’ I’m assuming everybody in that room’s like, ‘man, I wish I was calling that game.’ So, yeah, I think from a competitive standpoint and especially after you get a little taste of it, of course, you want to call the best games.
“You want to call games to 40 million people. You want to call games on Thanksgiving in prime time. You want to call games in the 4:25 slot. I think everybody in the industry does.”
With all of that being said, Olsen looks at what he will do moving forward and said, “We’re going to call games no different than how we always have. And whatever time slot it’s in, our goal is to try to do the best job that we can…At the end of the day, I know I’m good at this. I know I can do it. I’ve done it…I’m going to be just as good with Joe is my goal…Me and Joe are going to do great in our minds. We’re going to be awesome in our minds.”
