Greg Olsen Nearing Free Agency, Potential CBS and ESPN Openings Emerge
The former NFL tight end's contract with Fox expires after the current season, amid significant shifts in broadcast booths at rival networks.
Greg Olsen is set to become a free agent at the conclusion of the current NFL season, with potential opportunities arising at CBS and ESPN.
Olsen's current contract with Fox concludes after the 2026 season, and the network has not engaged in discussions regarding an extension, according to Richard Deitsch of Sports Business Journal. This situation unfolds as CBS undergoes a period of change in its broadcast talent.
CBS Sports has seen recent turnover in its announcing teams, including the departure of Tony Romo following his OWI arrest and the subsequent hiring of J.J. Watt to join Jim Nantz in the primary broadcast booth. CBS currently lacks a solidified main broadcast team for the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, ESPN is also experiencing shifts, with reports indicating tension between Troy Aikman and the network. This friction reportedly stems from Joe Buck's substantial contract extension with ESPN and a pre-game argument between Buck and Aikman that occurred before a "Monday Night Football" broadcast.
Olsen, who transitioned to broadcasting in 2021 following his retirement from professional football, began laying the groundwork for his post-playing career in 2017. While still an active player, he made guest analyst appearances for Fox, becoming one of the few individuals to do so for the network while still in the league. He signed a contract with Fox in 2020 that stipulated he would begin broadcasting immediately upon retirement, a transition that occurred in 2021 after announcing his retirement on Fox NFL Sunday.
Olsen has most recently been paired with Joe Davis on Fox's second NFL broadcast team, having previously worked with Kevin Burkhardt.