FOX Sports play-by-play voice Joe Davis says a quiet beer helped Brady Quinn relax in the broadcast booth during NFL games. Davis shared the story during a recent appearance on Pardon My Take.
What We Know: Davis has worked for FOX Sports since 2014. Since then, he has called national NFL and MLB telecasts for the network. Moreover, he has served as FOX’s lead voice for the World Series and MLB All-Star Game since 2022. Quinn, meanwhile, joined FOX as a college football and NFL game analyst. The pairing began working together when Quinn was beginning to call NFL games for the network. During his Pardon My Take appearance, Davis shared a story about how he used to loosen up his broadcast partner during calls.
What They Said: Joe Davis (via Pardon My Take): “His first couple years doing games, he’d be really good once we got into the game. But he was really tense and uptight first couple series. So we would open up one beer. Half a beer here, half a beer there in unmarked cups. Not to get drunk while we’re doing the game. But more just to put him in that mindset of like we’re two dudes at the bar watching the game. He got so much better not because we were feeling anything, but because he just he kind of had that idea. Like alright, let’s chill.”
What Remains Unclear: Whether or not the practice is still being used for Quinn is unknown. The former Notre Dame signal caller now sits as a lead analyst on FOX Sports Big Noon Kickoff program, as well as hosting a daily radio program on FOX Sports Radio.
What It Means: Ultimately, the story shows how much booth chemistry shapes a broadcast. Many analysts arrive from the field, not the studio. As a result, a steady partner can ease that transition. For Davis, the fix was simple: make the booth feel like a bar, not a stage.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
