Today Fox unveiled their announcing teams for the upcoming NFL season, their 20th since acquiring the NFC package from CBS in the mid 90's. There are significant changes up and down the lineup including new faces and departures of longtime announcers. In an immense shock, Chris Myers and Tim Ryan have been named Fox's new #1 announce team and will call Super Bowl XLVIII in New York.
….
Anyone buy that? Anyone?
Ok so there aren't THAT many changes, but you'll still see some new faces on NFL Sundays. Here's the entire list of Fox's seven announce teams…
1) Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver
2) Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
3) Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick & Laura Okmin
4) Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch & Erin Andrews
5) Chris Myers, Tim Ryan & Jennifer Hale
6) Dick Stockton, Ronde Barber & Kris Budden
7) Sam Rosen, Heath Evans & Molly McGrath
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver are all back for their 12th season as the A Team, which makes me feel incredibly old and is also a testament to the job security that comes with being a top sports announcer. The #2 and #3 teams remain the same as well, although it's interesting Fox put the Albert/Johnston/Siragusa trio ahead of Brennaman and Billick in their announcement.
Fox made a rare switch in the NFL Playoffs last year, promoting the Brennaman/Billick team to a Divisional Round playoff game at the expense of Kenny, Moose and Goose. It was the first time that trio missed out on a playoff game since 2008. Unfortunately, Billick had one of the roughest fourth quarters in recent memory for an analyst so Fox may return to the status quo this year.
The formation of a completely new broadcast team at the #4 spot is where the first major change happens. SNY's Kevin Burkhardt joins the exclusive club of NFL play by play men as he's joined by John Lynch and Erin Andrews, who will combine full sideline duty with her Fox College Football hosting job. It's her first full season back on the sidelines since moving to Fox from ESPN.
Chris Myers and Tim Ryan return as the #5 team and Dick Stockton moves down the batting order to the #6 team with former Buc Ronde Barber, who has signed on with Fox and FS1 as an NFL analyst. He's got to be better on TV than Tiki, right? Finally, Sam Rosen and Heath Evans are back to round out the lineup.
So who's missing? Mike Martz does not return after joining Fox as a game analyst last year, which honestly isn't much of a surprise. Ron Pitts, who has been with Fox for several years as both a game analyst and play by play man, appears to be the odd man out. I'm sure Cardinals, Panthers, and Rams fans will greatly miss him. Also, it doesn't look like Fox has plans to use its #1 college team of Gus Johnson and Charles Davis on any NFL broadcasts this year.
Oh, and Rob Riggle is back for another year as the NFL on Fox's official funny man. Woo.
What are your thoughts on the NFL on Fox announcing lineup? Let us know in the comments below.
