Greg Olsen was kicked off Fox Sports’ top broadcasting crew to make room for the GOAT ahead of the the 2024-25 season.
After hanging up his iconic No. 12 jersey, seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady signed a 10-year deal worth $375 million to be the network’s top color commentator alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt at Olsen’s expense.
Olsen had spent the previous two seasons as part of Fox’s top NFL duo alongside Burkhardt, but was demoted to the No. 2 pairing with Joe Davis as part of a decision that caused widespread outrage.
Olsen became a fan favorite with his insightful analysis and affable personality, winning an Emmy for his stellar broadcasting work since 2021.
Brady, meanwhile, had no tangible experience in the booth, and many felt aggrieved on Olsen’s behalf that he was immediately replaced by someone lacking the necessary credentials and living off their on-field status.
Their case was strengthened when Brady struggled to find the right tone early this season, and his Fox playoff debut has seemingly done little to change their minds.
On Sunday, Brady was calling his first postseason game, an NFC wild-card matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers, which the Eagles won, 22-10.
The legendary quarterback was under the microscope even more than he usually is, and messed up a call within the first ten seconds of the contest.
By the end of the game, fans had completely had enough, with many remarking that Fox’s decision to replace Olsen with Brady had well and truly backfired.
“Playoff hot take: Greg Olsen is better than Tom Brady at talking about football on television. And it’s not particularly close,” one account posted on X.
Many fans seemed to agree, suggesting Fox dropped the ball by meddling with something that didn’t need fixing.
“Greg Olsen is the best football color analyst on TV. Hands down. He got screwed when Fox signed Brady,” wrote one fan.
“Greg Olsen is the best analyst in the NFL. Tom Brady has a long way to go to be at the same level,” another added.
“I wish Brady had done the right thing & accepted the #3 or 4 spot and learned the job instead of demanding the top job,” a third suggested.
“I’m not a Brady hater, but agree Olsen is better,” a fourth wrote.
Olsen, a former tight end who played 14 seasons in the NFL, further endeared himself to fans with his posts on X throughout the Eagles-Packers game.
His insight on game management was a refreshingly detailed observation while some suggested Brady was talking in broad terms for casual fans.
NFL writer Ollie Connolly wrote on X: “Greg Olsen: ‘Here is the next step in in-game management.’
“Tom Brady: “What a juiced-up team. When I see a quarterback do that, it gets me fired up and gets his defense feeling the juice. That’s playoff football. Wow.”
Olsen is still under contract with Fox and has spoken highly of Brady since being replaced by him.
Olsen says he has no animosity toward Brady after getting to know him over the offseason and does not look at him as a broadcasting rival.
“I want him to do well. I want him to succeed. I want him to feel I’m a good teammate,” Olsen told The Athletic. “It’s no different than if he came into the locker room with I was a player and we happened to play in the same position.
“My success is not contingent upon Tom. Tom being really good doesn’t make me less good, and Tom being bad doesn’t make me better. Fox has two top teams, and that’s how I view it.
“But I’ve talked to Joe about this – I want people to think that Joe and I are the best crew on television. It doesn’t matter that we are the B crew.”
Brady, who has caught a lot of flak for his dual role as both a commentator and minority owner, will continue in the booth throughout these playoffs.
He’ll be on duty for the divisional round of games next weekend before calling the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LIX in February.
