Tag: Fox Sports

Oct 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; FOX commentator Tom Brady stands on the sideline before a game between the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

NFL won’t punish Tom Brady for criticizing ejection

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tom Brady will not be punished by the NFL after criticizing officials on Sunday during Fox’s broadcast of a game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

Brady, a Fox Sports analyst, made the controversial comments when Detroit safety Brian Branch was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay wide receiver Bo Melton in the second quarter.

“I don’t love that (ejection) call at all,” Brady said. “Obviously it’s a penalty, but to me, there has to be serious intent in a game like this.”

Brady, as part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, is not allowed to make certain comments during broadcasts, with criticism of officials being among the things that he can’t dive into.

However, the NFL announced Monday that there would be no consequences for Brady due to the tame nature of his critiques.

“The concern would be if Tom was egregiously critical of officiating or called into question the integrity of an official or the crew,” NFL chief spokesman Brian McCarthy told Sports Business Journal. “That did not occur in this instance.”

Brady purchased 5 percent of the Raiders in October, but some owners had been concerned that his analyst gig would lead to conflicts of interest. Because of that, the NFL deemed in August that the legendary quarterback was not allowed to criticize officials or other teams across the league.

–Field Level Media

A Big Noon Kickoff logo is seen on a lift as setup continues for the Fox Sports NCAA football Big Noon Kickoff pregame show, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, on the east side of the Pentacrest on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City, Iowa. 211008 Big Noon Setup 007 Jpg

Reports: Fox to show college football game every Friday in 2024

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Fox will broadcast a Friday college football game every week of the 2024 season, The Athletic and Sports Business Journal reported Thursday.

College football’s TV schedule will not be ironed out until May, but the games eligible for the Friday night treatment will feature teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Mountain West conferences.

Once reserved for high schools, Friday night football is not new to the Big Ten, which started putting select games on Friday nights in 2017. The Big Ten Network and Fox Sports 1 (FS1) have carried those games in the past.

Now, games will be carried on Fox each week in the run-up to the network’s “Big Noon Saturday,” its weekly show that competes with ESPN’s “College GameDay” and highlights its best game of the week.

The college football games will fill an empty window after Fox did not renew its agreement for WWE’s “Friday Night Smackdown.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 21, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) smiles on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady not joining FOX until 2024

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tom Brady will take the 2023 football season off, delaying his debut as a FOX Sports analyst until the 2024 season, he said Monday.

Brady, 45, made that announcement on Colin Cowherd’s show on FOX Sports Radio, “The Herd.”

The quarterback, who said last week that he is retiring after 23 NFL seasons, signed a reported 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX before the 2022 season to become its lead analyst. There was no set start date other than post-retirement.

Brady said Monday that he appreciated FOX giving him time to adjust after the 2022 season, which was both professionally and personally trying for the seven-time Super Bowl champ.

Kevin Burkhardt and analyst Greg Olsen, who took over as the top broadcast team when Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left FOX, will call Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.

Brady said he’ll be tuning in.

“I’ll be 50 percent watching the game, and 50 percent listening to those two,” Brady said.

Brady spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in 10 Super Bowl games.

–Field Level Media

Jan 25, 2022; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton speaks during a press conference at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Sean Payton joins Fox Sports for 2022

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Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton will join Fox Sports as a studio analyst for the 2022 NFL season, Pro Football Talk reported Monday.

Payton has been linked to Fox since late April. He also reportedly was talking with Amazon about a role in their new “Thursday Night Football” programming.

It’s unclear what Payton’s exact role will be, but he will appear in studio on off days for Jimmy Johnson, per the PFT report.

The New York Post previously reported Payton was in negotiations to appear on both the network’s Sunday morning show as well as its pregame show.

Speculation is that Payton will do TV for one year before returning to the NFL as a head coach in 2023.

Payton stepped down as coach of the Saints in January after 15 seasons. He compiled a 152-89 record in 15 regular seasons and a 9-8 mark in the playoffs. He was suspended for the 2012 season over his role in the “Bountygate” scandal. Payton led the Saints to the Super Bowl championship in the 2009 season.

Payton said then he wasn’t retiring from coaching.

“I don’t like the word retirement,” Payton said in January. “I still have a vision for doing things in football, and I’ll be honest with you, that might be coaching again at some point. I don’t think it’s this year … that’s not where my heart is right now.”

The Saints promoted defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to replace Payton.

–Field Level Media

Jan 23, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) looks at the defense during the first half against the Los Angeles Rams during a NFC Divisional playoff football game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady’s next team? FOX claims QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tom Brady agreed to join FOX Sports as lead NFL analyst when he retires for good from the NFL.

Brady, whose retirement announcement in February was rescinded 18 days later, is back for another season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. When he decides to move on from the playing field, he has a job waiting.

CEO Lachlan Murdoch broke the news to investors Tuesday morning on the FOX Corporation earnings call.

Brady posted via Twitter, “Excited, but a lot of unfinished business on the field with the @Buccaneers.”

Brady agreed to a “long-term” pact and would call games with Kevin Burkhardt.

“Tom will not only call our biggest NFL games with Kevin Burkhardt, but will also serve as an ambassador for us, particularly with respect to client and promotional initiatives,” FOX said in a follow-up statement.

The pairing would be in line to replace Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, the No. 1 FOX booth for years before leaving recently to team up in the “Monday Night Football” booth for ESPN.

Brady turns 45 on Aug. 3 and the seven-time Super Bowl champion has said he won’t put a cap on how long he could potentially play in the NFL.

NFL analysts are being paid handsomely these days. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo signed a deal with CBS in 2020 that pays him nearly $17 million per year.

–Field Level Media

USFL

NBC announced as broadcast partner for USFL revival

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The return of the USFL in 2022 will be televised, with NBC announcing Wednesday it will pick up 21 of the league’s 43 games to be broadcast on multiple platforms, including its main network, along with USA Network and the streaming service Peacock.

The spring professional football league is owned by Fox Sports, with the other 22 games televised on Fox Sports platforms.

The USFL originally played six seasons starting in 1982 and included players like Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White, Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie and Mike Rozier. While the new league obtained original USFL trademarks, including logos and team names, it is not associated with the previous entity.

The new USFL will begin play next year with eight teams, all with names of teams from the past: Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers and Tampa Bay Bandits.

Although teams will have cities attached, all games are expected to be played next year in two Birmingham, Ala., locations.

–Field Level Media

Jan 30, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of the FOX logo on Ocean drive in South Beach Miami prior to Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Fox NFL Sunday cast sacked from studio over COVID concerns

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The Fox NFL Sunday cast will not be in studio when the network’s pregame show kicks off ahead of the Week 11 slate over COVID-19 concerns, Fox Sports announced Saturday.

So, no Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw or Michael Strahan in studio. Instead viewers will tune in to Chris Myers, Charles Woodson and Reggie Bush. Some members of the regular cast “will appear via remote,” the network said.

“In accordance with CDC guidance, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health safety guidelines – and out of an abundance of caution for our team – Sunday’s FOX NFL KICKOFF and FOX NFL SUNDAY pregame shows from our Los Angeles studio will not include their regular casts,” Fox said in a statement.

It’s unclear what precipitated the move.

Fox made a similar move earlier this month with its college football pregame crew, including analyst and former coach Urban Meyer, who announced a week later that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

–Field Level Media

Oct 24, 2020; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Urban Meyer during game coverage for Fox Sports at the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Meyer confirms he had COVID-19, will return this week

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Fox Sports analyst and former coach Urban Meyer on Thursday confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19 but will return to the airwaves this week.

Meyer made the comments during an interview with Columbus, Ohio, TV station WBNS.

“I’ve just recently gotten over it. I was relatively symptom-free, I tested positive and that’s why we couldn’t do Big Noon Kickoff last week,” Meyer told the station. “The good news is none of my partners and teammates had it, and we’re going to be back at it this weekend.”

Meyer and the entire Fox Sports college football pregame show crew – Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Brady Quinn, host Rob Stone – were held out of last week’s broadcast due to COVID concerns.

They were replaced by host Charissa Thompson along with analysts Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Emmanuel Acho.

Meyer owns a 187-32 career record and three national championships in 17 seasons at Ohio State (2012-18), Florida (2005-10), Utah (2003-04) and Bowling Green (2001-02). He won two titles with the Gators (2006, 2008) and one with the Buckeyes (2014).

–Field Level Media

Oct 24, 2020; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Urban Meyer during game coverage for Fox Sports at the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Fox pregame crew subbed over COVID-19 concerns

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Fox Sports announced Wednesday evening that the network’s normal pregame show analysts — Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and Brady Quinn — will be held out of this Saturday’s broadcast, with the New York Post reporting that the reason is related to COVID-19 concerns.

Per the Post report, the show’s analysts and host Rob Stone will be shelved for this weekend’s show leading into the Arizona State-Southern California game in Los Angeles because of quarantine protocols.

While the network did not disclose the specific purpose of the move, it did post a statement on Twitter that cited safety guidelines from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and “out of an abundance of caution for our team.”

Instead of the usual group, the network will feature host Charissa Thompson along with analysts Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Emmanuel Acho. Bradshaw and Long are longtime members of the network’s Fox NFL Sunday pregame show, on which Thompson is an occasional reporter. Acho participates on the daily “Speak For Yourself” show on Fox Sports 1.

In addition to the cast change, Fox announced that this week’s pregame program will be shortened from the normal two-hour format to one hour, starting at 11 a.m. ET before the noon ET kickoff at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Brady’s Bucs debut vs. Saints delivers ratings boost for Fox

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The clash between Drew Brees and Tom Brady, making his debut in a Tampa Bay uniform, was a ratings bonanza Sunday for Fox Sports, which said it was the network’s highest-rated Week 1 national telecast since 2016.

The game, a 34-23 win for the New Orleans Saints over the Buccaneers — drew a 16.2 rating, up 2 percent over last season’s opener, Fox said on Monday. The network said the game projects to rank as the most-watched telecast of any kind since Super Bowl LIV in February.

That was good news for broadcasters after Thursday night’s season kickoff game on NBC between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs drew 13 percent fewer viewers than the 2019 opener between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, according to ratings service Nielsen.

An estimated 19.3 million fans tuned in to see the Texans-Chiefs broadcast, while the Packers-Bears contest attracted 22.2 million viewers last season.

–Field Level Media