For 13 years, Greg Olsen set the standard for what to expect from a good pass-catching tight end, whether it was with the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, or even in his final year with the Seattle Seahawks.
Besides his elite skills as a blocker, Olsen was as reliable as could be as a route-runner and red-zone threat, amassing 742 receptions for 8,683 yards and 60 receiving touchdowns.
Now, the three-time Pro Bowler is trying to find the same success in a slightly different career, serving as an NFL in-game analyst to provide some much-needed knowledge.
That’s why former NFL quarterback-turned-analyst Dan Orlovsky tipped his hat off to his colleague, praising him for how prepared and sound he’s been to start his new career:
Greg Olsen is the fantastic calling NFL games weekly. Aspire to get to where he is.
Prepared. Timely. Smart. Teaches. Story tells. Don’t make it about him but about the game.
Tremendous 👏
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) January 23, 2023
“Greg Olsen is the fantastic calling NFL games weekly. Aspire to get to where he is,” Orlovsky tweeted. “Prepared. Timely. Smart. Teaches. Story tells. Don’t make it about him but about the game. Tremendous.”
Notably, NFL broadcasts need to compete with Twitch and modern content creators, which is why the ManningCast may have been such a massive success.
Younger fans may not be fond of traditional broadcasts, so networks need former players to provide some value and give them an actual reason to tune in besides the game.
Troy Aikman has been a bit of a pioneer in that regard, which is why he signed such a big deal to take his talents to ESPN in the offseason.
Also, FOX signed Tom Brady to a 10-year deal to join the booth as an analyst once his playing days are over, just like Tony Romo did just a couple of seasons ago, so maybe Olsen can give him a few pointers if he decides to retire this season.
