It always felt like Fox Sports Super Bowl 2023 game-callers Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen had known each other forever. In a way, they had. Burkhardt once covered Olsen as a high school athlete, even interviewing him back then, long before either became a fixture on national broadcasts. Their paths crossed again years later through early broadcasting work and auditions at FOX. It seemed like a full-circle moment, sure. But more than anything, fans connected with how natural their chemistry felt.

Their partnership lasted just long enough to reach the Super Bowl—but not long enough to define an era.FOX had already made its long-term play, bringing in Tom Brady on a $375M deal that would eventually push Olsen out of the top booth. And just like that, a pairing that felt easy and unfinished at the same time was gone, until now.

“Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen reuniting to call Fanatics Flag Football Classic on Fox,” Awful Announcing reported via their X account.

Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen closed their FOX NFL chapter together, calling the NFC Championship between the 49ers and Lions in January 2024. That broadcast marked their final game as FOX’s top duo before Tom Brady stepped in to replace Olsen in the No. 1 booth.

Before that, Burkhardt and Olsen had worked the 2023 NFL season side by side, including Super Bowl LVII in February 2023 as FOX’s preferred commentators. That assignment came just a year into their run as a full-time pairing, making their rapid rise and equally quick breakup feel even more abrupt in hindsight.

Olsen served as the lead NFL analyst for FOX Sports alongside Burkhardt for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He stepped into that top role after Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left for ESPN, but he was eventually moved when Tom Brady joined. Even before they officially shared the No. 1 booth, their on-air dynamic had already been tested in smaller settings, calling XFL games together and even working on Olsen’s early FOX audition, which only strengthened the ease viewers later saw on NFL broadcasts.

This isn’t the first time an NFL player-turned-commentator bumped a veteran. In 2017, Tony Romo joined CBS as the network’s lead analyst, replacing longtime veteran Phil Simms. Simms, also a former NFL player, was shifted to studio coverage and eventually out of the No. 1 booth entirely.

Back in 2024, a shift happened because FOX signed Brady to a massive deal, which bumped Olsen down to a secondary role. While giving the top position to a legend like Brady made sense for the business, it was a tough pill for many fans to swallow.

With Tom Brady actually playing as a quarterback in this event, Saturday will mark the first time Burkhardt and Olsen have worked together in the booth since the change. The reunion comes during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles, a three-team exhibition featuring current NFL players, former stars, and members of USA Football’s national team. Brady is expected to suit up alongside names like Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow, adding an unusual layer to the broadcast with the network’s top analyst now part of the on-field action.

Inside FOX’s decision to move on from Greg Olsen for Tom Brady

Greg Olsen was absolutely crushing it in the broadcast booth at FOX. After a seamless transition from the football field to the microphone, he quickly became a fan favorite.

His natural chemistry with Kevin Burkhardt and his deep insights earned him major accolades, including being named Outstanding Emerging On-Air Talent in 2023 and winning an Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in 2024. He even called Super Bowl LVII, proving he belonged at the very top of the industry.

However, everything changed when Tom Brady arrived to take the No. 1 spot. Even though Olsen was doing a fantastic job, FOX moved him down to the No. 2 team to make room for the legendary quarterback. Olsen didn’t sugarcoat how he felt about the demotion, admitting that while he wasn’t exactly angry, it certainly didn’t feel good. 

I don’t think resentment is probably accurate, but I also think it’s not too far off if I’m being honest,” Olsen had said.

While he remained close with his colleagues Kevin Burkhardt and Erin Andrews, it was perhaps painful to watch someone else take over the Super Bowl spot he had worked so hard to earn.

Despite the setback, Olsen didn’t let the situation bring him down. He remained incredibly confident in his skills and made it clear that he isn’t finished with the big stage yet.

“I am going to call big-time games again, I’m going to call Super Bowl games again,” he told The Athletic. 

He has stayed focused on his goals, believing that his talent will eventually lead him back to the No. 1 position, whether at FOX or elsewhere.

On the other side of the booth, Tom Brady’s debut wasn’t exactly a warm welcome. Many fans were critical of his performance during Week 1, calling his commentary “colorless” compared to Olsen’s lively style.

But much like his playing days, Brady stayed focused and ignored the critics. He addressed the negative feedback directly.

“I’m here, I’m working, and I don’t care about the noise,” Brady said.

Even with all the tension surrounding the “No. 1 spot,” Brady and Olsen have kept things classy and professional, maintaining a good relationship behind the scenes.