Luke Kuechly is trading his gold jacket prep for a broadcast headset. The Hall of Fame linebacker is set to become Netflix’s top NFL analyst, according to a report by The Athletic.
What We Know: Kuechly will reportedly debut alongside NBC’s Noah Eagle on September 10, when the Rams face the 49ers in Melbourne. NBC is producing the game for Netflix, which carries five NFL games this season, including a Christmas doubleheader. Kuechly enters with broadcast reps already logged. He’s the Panthers’ radio analyst with Anish Shroff, co-hosts a podcast with J.J. Jansen, and worked two ESPN2 alt-casts last season with Dan Orlovsky and Field Yates.
What Remains Unclear: It’s not yet known how Netflix will structure its second broadcast team for the Christmas doubleheader. Netflix also has not confirmed the reporting by The Athletic.
What It Means: Kuechly’s rise continues a trend that breaks away the quarterback-heavy mold dominating top NFL booths. His hiring follows a path similar to former teammate Greg Olsen’s at Fox, and J.J. Watt at CBS Sports. Rewarding preparation over pedigree. With Kuechly set for Canton induction August 8, Netflix is betting a fresh voice can anchor its NFL coverage going forward.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.