FOX Sports eventually will welcome Tom Brady to the family. The network just doesn't know when.
Brady will become FOX's lead NFL analyst and network ambassador whenever he finally puts an end to his unprecedented playing career. There's reason to believe the 2022 season will be Brady's last, but no one can really bank on that given Brady's ongoing beatdown of Father Time.
As such, FOX will need someone to serve as its top NFL color commentator until Brady is make a shift to the broadcast booth. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport on Tuesday floated who could temporarily assume that role.
"I know some of the discussions revolve around Greg Olsen. Great dude," Rapoport said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I asked him about it during the owners' meeting. He politely declined comment. They have not yet made it official, I assume because they were waiting on this. There is the thought that he would join Kevin Burkhardt and kind of hold the place for Tom Brady, which would be insulting on so many levels, except that it's Tom. I don't want to speak for Greg, but like, except that it's Tom Brady."
Olsen would be a borderline no-brainer pick for FOX. The former NFL tight end, who was suggested as a replacement for Troy Aikman when the latter joined ESPN, worked on FOX's B team last season alongside Burkhardt. An external hire at this stage in the process might be too much of a headache for FOX.
It could be an awkward situation for Olsen, as Rapoport noted. But those are the breaks when the greatest football player of all time/uber-famous celebrity is involved.
