While Curt Menefee may be the full-time host of Fox NFL Sunday, his job description is more than that. He’s a part-time therapist, traffic cop, mediator and friend. Menefee, now in his 19th season, handles the gig with a smile, seemingly ready for whatever may come his way that particular show. It’s live television, there are moving parts, some egos and time constraints to deal with, but they are no trouble for him.
He grew up in Atlanta and graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he not only received his Bachelor of Arts degree, but also an honorary doctorate in journalism. That’s where his career began as an undergrad. It’s also where veteran sportscaster Fred Hickman went to school. Hickman was working at CNN at the time and Menefee decided to pick up the phone and call Hickman.
A day later, Hickman called back, and the two had a conversation that led to an internship at CNN. He was responsible for logging games and other less than glamorous assignments. Menefee got noticed for his dedication and responsibility, staying late wanting to learn other aspects of the industry, like editing and producing segments. That willingness to explore and go above and beyond his duties, endeared him to producers which helped start him on his path.
ROAD TO FOX NFL SUNDAY AND BEYOND
Early in Menefee’s career, he hosted a live two-hour daily sportscast on Sports News Network, a nationwide cable sports program. He also served as a sports anchor and reporter at WISC-TV in Madison, Wisconsin, WLTV in Jacksonville and then at WOI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa.
From there, he moved on to Dallas where Menefee served as the sports director and weeknight sports anchor at KTVT. He also hosted a daily two-hour radio show on “The Ticket” sports radio.
By age 29, he started with FOX 5 NY as a sports anchor. It was then in 1997 he started at FOX Sports as a sideline reporter, then moved to play-by-play for FOX’s NFL Europe and FOX NFL coverage.
In 2007, Menefee became the host of FOX NFL Sunday. But he’s moonlighted in other sports for the network as well. He appeared on MLB on FOX as the play-by-play announcer for a game between the Angels and White Sox.
Menefee also hosted the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final on Fox, in the first broadcast of the tournament’s championship game on over-the-air TV in the US.
This year Menefee added another full-time gig to his resume. On January 7, WNYW announced that Menefee would co-host Good Day New York. Don’t worry FOX NFL fans, he will continue to host FOX NFL Sunday.
WHY IS HE SO GOOD?
What Menefee does so seamlessly makes him stand out among other hosts across the country. His job is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Trying to rein in personalities like Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson, Jay Glazer and Rob Gronkowski is a balancing act. Viewers love the personalities, but producers love to stick to their plan and make sure sponsors are happy with the product. Menefee allows both to happen simultaneously.
As host, he’s smooth, and an easy watch and listen. He is extremely charismatic and the enjoyment he gets out of his job is quickly noticeable. Menefee is quick on his feet and has to be, basically working without a net on a live show with multiple strong personalities. The fact that he is unassuming should not be misinterpreted as being weak or afraid of these guys, it’s quite the opposite. Menefee is so comfortable in his own skin on the show, he doesn’t have to ‘take it over’ or away from his panelists to be appreciated and respected. The solid job he does is reward enough for him, or so it seems and comes across as a viewer.
“I’ve always tried to keep in mind who I am. I mean, look, all four of the guys that are on the set with me are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You know, they’ve all won Super Bowls. Jimmy’s won two. Terry’s won four, you know?” Menefee told Yahoo Sports in 2022. “So, when people are tuning in to hear someone’s opinion about something, mine probably ranks fifth or sixth on that list, you know what I mean? I’m just being honest.”
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t valued, because he plays his part and plays it quite well.
“I think as long as you’re comfortable with who you are, and remember who you are, and, again, it’s not that you have no value. That’s your value, is understanding your role. It’s like being, you know– people like to use the basketball analogy– a point guard.” Menefee told Yahoo Sports. “You know, you don’t drive the lane and try to score all the time if there are a bunch of 7-footers in there. Sometimes you’re better off just passing, and letting the other guy score, and getting the assist.”
Menefee allows the panelists to be who they are, but at the same time, his command over the show comes into play when it’s time to move on with the show. I believe that the respect he shows for those that played the game comes back to him exponentially from the guys on set with him. They joke with him, like he’s one of the guys, because he is.
“People have no idea what he does for us,” Glazer told The Athletic last year. “He’s our leader. He’s our therapist. There are six of us on the show, so there’s 19 personalities — and Bradshaw and I got 12. For Curt to be able to keep us in check like this … you know, we’re family.”
Menefee has a tremendous working knowledge of the game and that comes across in every show. You can also tell how much he prepares for these broadcasts. The host never really knows for sure what the panel will bring to the show or what they may leave out. He’s the guy that fills the gaps to make not just himself look good, but the entire ensemble.
FOX NFL Sunday is ‘must view television’ during the season, because the formula really works and is presented well.
DID YOU KNOW?
Menefee hosted a couple of firsts on FOX Sports. In 2015, he hosted the inaugural coverage of FOX Sports coverage of the U.S. Open Championship. Also, in 2023, Menefee hosted FOX’s inaugural coverage of the Belmont Stakes.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
