When the calendar turns to August, and football turns into one of the top items of thought in our minds. We ask ourselves about the commentators will see work on our favorite team(s) games this season on Fox and CBS? We can now answer the Fox portion of this question. On Tuesday, Fox Sports released their full lineup of commentators for their upcoming 2016 NFL season (their 23rd season of NFL coverage) and a Super Bowl season as well for friends over at Big Fox. Here's goes nothing, for those of you who don't to read the release:
1. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews
2. Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, Pam Oliver
3. Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin
4. Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman (select weeks), Peter Schrager
5. Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale
6. Dick Stockton, Chris Spielman, Kristina Pink
7. Sam Rosen, David Diehl, rotating reporters Shannon Spake, Holly Sonders
Contributors: Brady Quinn (analyst), Matt Millen (analyst), Danielle Trotta (sideline reporter)
Let's start with the obvious should we. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, Kevin Burkhardt and John Lynch, Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston return as Fox's #1 (A), #2 (B), and #3 (C) teams respectively. Erin Andrews begins her first season as an NFL-only reporter. Pam Oliver begins her 22nd (and possibly last) season with Fox Sports. And Laura Okmin returns to full-time status this season after rotating games with Holly Sonders a year ago.
However, after the top 3 teams, that's where the changes began to arise. With Fox's firing of Tony Siragusa after last season, Fox replaces him with Fox NFL writer/reporter Peter Schrager. Schrager, of course, has worked on Fox's #7 or #8 team the last 3 seasons. Schrager, I think, is a very decent reporter, so he is very deserving a full-time gig like this. Schrager, recently joined NFL Network to host their new morning show "Good Morning Football". (Despite this, Schrager will continue his duties with Fox as well). Schrager will work with play-by-play commentator Thom Brennaman and analyst Charles Davis. Chris Spielman will work select games with the Brennaman-Davis crew when he is not scheduled to work with Dick Stockton.
The #5 team of Myers-Barber-Hale remains intact. Then, you look at #6, your first question is: Where's David Diehl? We will discuss Diehl's status a little bit. But, former Lions linebacker Chris Spielman (who worked from FSN in the late 1990's) re-joins this network this season to work with veteran announcer Dick Stockton (Stockton, along with Albert, are the only two announcers to work on Fox NFL's coverage full-time since its debut in 1994) and sideline reporter Kristina Pink. Spielman is coming over, from ESPN, where he worked on their college football coverage, most recently with former partner (now lead voice of Monday Night Football) Sean McDonough. Spielman, from the limited analysis I heard from him is very solid. Stockton, of course, is known as the "break-in" broadcaster. Stockton helped "break-in" Troy Aikman, Daryl Johnston, Charles Davis, John Lynch, Ronde Barber, among others. I think this team will be alright.
For my analysis at the bottom of the roster. For those of you who wanted the David Diehl question answered, here you go. Diehl will work Sam Rosen the #7 team. Rosen, of course, is a very good announcer on football and hockey. Diehl, I thought, didn't show very much as an analyst a season ago. As a result, Fox demoted him. Let's see if Diehl can bring a little bit more to the table this time around. Then, you have Shannon Spake (coming over from ESPN) and Holly Sounders rotate as reporters. Spake, is someone, who brings preparation and a wonderful attitude to this new job (Spake worked with Fox previously on some NASCAR stuff in the mid-2000's). Sonders, I thought, did OK on NFL assignments last year. This year, I expect a bit more from Sonders, however. (But cut her a break, she is still adjusting to NFL sideline reporting).
To wrap up our analysis, Fox will use Brady Quinn, Matt Millen, and Danielle Trotta on game analysis and sideline reports throught the season. I feel like, if Fox has 8 games in a given week, this might be the #8 team. Or Fox will rotate these folks around on the higher announcing teams. Well see. Well, that's my analysis. Can't wait to watch Fox games this season to hear these announcers.
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