The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have a lot on the line this Sunday, as they vie for a Super Bowl title. The game will be watched by hundreds of millions of viewers, which also makes the presentation of the massive tilt incredible important.
Fox Sports is the network broadcasting the game this year, and fans will be listening to Kevin Burkhardt narrating the action. This will be the first time since 2007 that a Super Bowl has not been called by either Al Michaels, Joe Buck or Jim Nantz, so it’ll be a great opportunity for a large audience to settle in with Burkhardt’s call on Sunday.
About Kevin Burkhardt
Kevin Burkhardt is 48 years old, and was born in Bloomfield, New Jersey. This is the tenth season that Burkhardt has been a part of Fox NFL coverage, as he joined the network in 2013. He’s worked his way up the ladder, and became the lead play by play announcer at Fox this season. Burkhardt has worked with a few different color analysts during his time at Fox, but will be joined by former NFL tight end Greg Olson in the booth on Sunday.
He’s certainly paid his dues in sports media, as Burkhardt has had a number of different roles over the years. Baseball fans will recognize him instantly, as he’s the studio host of Fox’s pre and postgame coverage of Major League Baseball. He also worked for SportsNet New York, as he was a field reporter for the New York Mets for several seasons. This gave him the platform to showcase his unique voice, and he’s never looked back.
Fox Sports’ Talent Transition
There have been a few changes at Fox Sports in recent years, as it relates to the talent calling their NFL games. Joe Buck was a mainstay at the network since the mid 1990’s, but left after last season to join ESPN. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was Buck’s longtime partner at Fox as a color analyst, but also left the network to join Buck at ESPN.
Whether they were ready for it or not remains an open question, but Fox decided to elevate Burkhardt into the number one team after Buck’s departure. He was something of a rising star, as he had been on the second broadcast team for a few years.
Looking Ahead
It’s going to be fun to watch Burkhardt call his first Super Bowl on Sunday, and observe what other doors might unlock for him in the future. In an interesting twist in the broadcasting rights rotation, Fox Sports will broadcast another Super Bowl in two years, which Burkhardt figures to be at the mic for as well.
Who he’s sitting next to at that time will be fascinating to track, as Fox signed former NFL quarterback Tom Brady to a 10 year contract last May. Brady has said that he would start his announcing career in 2024, which might put him in line to sit next to Burkhardt for Super Bowl LIX.
