The status of Greg Olsen is the latest source of uncertainty in boiling NFL TV hot stove.
Fox Sports has not held any contract renewal talks with NFL analyst Greg Olsen, sports media writer Richard Deitsch reported Thursday. Olsen, who joined Fox Sports straight out of retirement in 2020, is currently the company’s secondary NFL analyst alongside Joe Davis.
Olsen was briefly the lead NFL analyst for FOX, taking the position after Troy Aikman left the network for ESPN in the 2022 offseason. The promotion came with a catch, as FOX had already announced the hiring of then-Buccaneers QB Tom Brady as its lead NFL analyst whenever he decided to retire from the NFL. Brady stayed in the league one more season and then took a year off thereafter, allowing Olsen to occupy the lead chair for two seasons — including Super Bowl 57 in 2023.
Despite winning acclaim (and multiple Emmys) for his performance, Olsen was promptly demoted to the secondary team as soon as Brady moved into the broadcast booth in the 2024 season.
Since his demotion, Olsen has publicly expressed his desire to return to the Super Bowl rotation. John Ourand of Puck reported in August that Olsen has an opt-out clause in his contract if offered a #1 position by another network, but none have come calling thus far.
He may yet have the opportunity available to him this offseason. CBS, which has the Super Bowl next season, parted ways with Tony Romo earlier this month and has not yet committed long-term to his replacement J.J. Watt. Olsen’s predecessor at FOX, Troy Aikman, is on an expiring contract at ESPN and said in a radio interview Thursday that he is a “free agent” looking forward to finding out where his “next landing spot might be.” After this coming season, ESPN/ABC does not have the Super Bowl again until 2030.
There is also a potential position on another lead team next season, albeit one that is not part of the Super Bowl rotation. Prime Video recently re-signed “Thursday Night Football” analyst Kirk Herbstreit, per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, but the streamer is said to have “flexibility” to exit the deal if a preferred option comes along.
Olsen was highly sought during his playing career by both FOX and ESPN, and made guest analyst appearances as an active player for both companies — even calling games for FOX. His quick ascension seemed to mark the fulfillment of his potential, but that trajectory was disrupted by his subsequent demotion.
