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| Joe Buck and Troy Aikman -- Google Images |
NFL on Fox Schedule
Well, ladies and gentlemen, just send an prayer to the heavens and sometimes they're received. Today, Fox Sports announced their broadcast teams for their 25th season of NFL football coverage! Without further ado, let's take an look.
First off, here's the broadcast order (team analysis to follow later):
1.) Joe Buck / Troy Aikman // Erin Andrews // Kristina Pink (TNF only)
2.) Kevin Burkhardt / Charles Davis // Pam Oliver
3.) Kenny Albert / Ronde Barber // various reporters (yeah!!)
4.) Thom Brennaman / Chris Spielman // Shannon Spake or Peter Schrager
5.) Chris Myers / Daryl Johnston // Laura Okmin
6.) Dick Stockton / Mark Schlereth // Jennifer Hale
Other play-by-play announcers: Sam Rosen, Brian Custer, Dan Hellie and Kevin Kugler
Other analysts: Cris Carter, Greg Jennings, Brady Quinn and Jeff Fisher
Other reporters: Shane Bacon, Tiki Barber, Karyn Bryant, Doug Gottlieb, Sarah Kustok and Sara Walsh.
| Studio Programs - Fox NFL Kickoff; Fox NFL Sunday; Fox NFL Gameday Prime
** Fox NFL Kickoff (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET on FOX) **
Host: Charissa Thompson
Analysts: Colin Cowherd, Dave Wannstedt, Michael Vick & Tony Gonzalez
Insider: Peter Schrager (most weeks)
Contributors: Cooper Manning & Josh Norman
** Fox NFL Sunday (12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX) **
Hosts: Curt Menefee & Sahmir Blackwell
Analysts: Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long & Michael Strahan (Tony Gonzalez to contribute to halftime/postgame in place of Johnson)
Insider: Jay Glazer
Prognosticator: Rob Riggle
** Fox NFL Gameday Prime (11:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. ET on FOX) **
Host: Charissa Thompson
Analysts: Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe & LaDamian Tomlinsion
| Studio Programs - Fox NFL Kickoff; Fox NFL Sunday; Fox NFL Gameday Prime
** Fox NFL Kickoff (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET on FOX) **
Host: Charissa Thompson
Analysts: Colin Cowherd, Dave Wannstedt, Michael Vick & Tony Gonzalez
Insider: Peter Schrager (most weeks)
Contributors: Cooper Manning & Josh Norman
** Fox NFL Sunday (12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX) **
Hosts: Curt Menefee & Sahmir Blackwell
Analysts: Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long & Michael Strahan (Tony Gonzalez to contribute to halftime/postgame in place of Johnson)
Insider: Jay Glazer
Prognosticator: Rob Riggle
** Fox NFL Gameday Prime (11:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. ET on FOX) **
Host: Charissa Thompson
Analysts: Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe & LaDamian Tomlinsion
Second of all, here's my analysis on each broadcast team
* Buck / Aikman // Andrews // Pink (TNF games)
Well, first off, you have longtime announcer Joe Buck teaming up with former 3-time Super Bowl Champion QB Troy Aikman. Buck & Aikman have been teamed up together since 2002, first with Cris Collinsworth for 3 seasons at the outset, and then just Buck & Aikman ever since. Obviously, these two can't be without one other. Obviously, Joe has given some great calls (Stefon Diggs .. Sideline .. TOUCHDOWN !! in last year's Saints-Vikings NFC Divisional Playoff) in more recent seasons. Aikman has already been solid in his analyst work. Buck, Aikman & Andrews will be working only Sunday doubleheader games as opposed to every Sunday (minus Thanksgiving weekend some seasons) in the past. They will pick up the TNF tab this year, as previously mentioned. Kristina Pink will be joining them for TNF only. The team will kick off their season with America's Game of the Week in Week 1 between the Cowboys and Panthers at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox.
* Burkhardt / Davis // Oliver
Kevin Burkhardt is just great in everything that he does. Burkhardt, since joining Fox Sports five years ago has done it all from play-by-play for MLB, NFL & college basketball to studio hosting MLB & college basketball to reporting from golf events. Burkhardt enters his 6th NFL season calling NFL games for Fox. For the second straight year, KB will be teaming up with Charles Davis. Davis obviously is so awesome! CD is doing great at his #2 spot. Davis has lots of football experience, from his days calling college football for the network to calling Madden NFL games with Brandon Gaudin. Burkhardt and Davis will be joined once again by Pam Oliver, who enters season #24 covering the sidelines. The trio opens up their season in Week 1 with the 49ers at Vikings broadcast at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox.
* Albert / Barber // various reporters
Kenny Albert returns for another season. Albert has called NFL games for Fox since their start in 1994. Albert has worked with various people over the years in the game booth including Ron Pitts, Anthony Munoz, Tim Green and Daryl Johnston, among others. Albert will team up with former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Ronde Barber for the second straight season. Obviously, the #3 team has been the highest assignment for Ronde since joining Fox in 2013 (working with Stockton in his first year). Ronde can use some more seasoning with Albert. Since reporter Kristina Pink moves over to TNF this season, various reporters will be filling in the same slot. More on that, later. This broadcast team will have the Week 1 matchup between the Jaguars and the Giants at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox in order to get their season going.
* Brennaman / Spielman // Spake or Schrager
Longtime NFL on Fox and MLB on Fox play-by-play commentator Thom Brennaman returns once more. Not an surprise here. But Brennaman's voice has been downgrading his calls over the last several problems ever since Brennaman undergone an procedure to try to fix this issue back in 2016. For the second full season straight (third season), Brennaman will team up with analyst Chris Spielman. Joining this team on the sidelines will be either Shannon Spake or Peter Schrager. Schrager won't be handling an full slate of games this season like in the past. Spake will be covering most games while Schrager accepts an more full-time role in the studio, Schrager will be slated to handle 4 games this year and therefore Spake will handle the remainder of them. This broadcast team's first game assignment will be the Week 1 America's Game of the Week contest between the Redskins and the Cardinals at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox.
* Myers / Johnston // Okmin
Just like with the four crews mentioned above, the Myers-Johnston-Okmin crew remains intact from last season to this season. Myers has called NFL games since 2003, first as an sideline reporter and then moving upstairs to the broadcast booth in 2011. Johnston has called NFL games since 2001, with Dick Stockton first and then Kenny Albert for 10 seasons from 2007-2016. Laura Okmin has called NFL games since 2008 in one shape or another. The first up for them will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints Week 1 matchup from New Orleans at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox.
* Stockton / Schlereth // Hale
Dick Stockton returns for his 25th straight season for the NFL on Fox. Stockton is kinda considered an mentor at this stage, helping break in new analysts for Fox, trying to get their feet wet. Just like last season, Stockton will team up with former Broncos and Redskins linebacker Mark Schlereth. Jennifer Hale moves up from #7 last year to #6 this season. The crew will jump-start their season with the Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos Week 1 America's Game of the Week contest at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox.
* Contributors
Instead of naming permanent #7 and #8 teams, Fox is giving various personalities an chance for their NFL coverage. Contributing play-by-play announcers include Sam Rosen, Brian Custer, Kevin Kugler and Dan Hellie. Contributing analysts include Cris Carter (!!, yep the "First Things First with Jenna Wolfe and Nick Wright co-host"), Greg Jennings (did that Buccaneers-Packers game last year with Tim Brando and Jennifer Hale), Brady Quinn and Jeff Fisher. Contributing sideline reporters include Doug Gottlieb (!!), Sara Walsh, Sarah Kustok, Karyn Bryant, Tiki Barber and Shane Bacon. Sam Rosen, Cris Carter and Sarah Kustok will complete Fox's Week 1 slate with the Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins broadcast at 1:00 p.m. ET.
