With Troy Aikman leaving Fox for ESPN, Fox will need a new No. 1 analyst. (It also may need a new No. 1 play-by-play announcer, if Joe Buck finagles a one-year-early exit for ESPN, too.)
Andrew Marchand of the New York Post has a list of potential candidates to replace Aikman. They include an internal candidate — current No. 2 Fox analyst Greg Olsen — and several folks who currently don’t work for Fox.
Marchand lists Rams coach Sean McVay, former Saints coach Sean Payton, former Saints quarterback (and current NBC analyst) Drew Brees, and former Fox broadcast (and current 49ers G.M.) John Lynch as potential Aikman replacements.
Lynch, coincidentally, was asked several week ago about the possibility that he’d return to TV.
“From time to time, opportunities are presented,” Lynch said, via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. “I can tell you and everyone that my commitment right now is to this organization. We’re just coming off a season. My commitment is to the 49ers, the York family, to Kyle [Shanahan].”
The key words are “right now.” As in “right now, no one is offering me three times what I’m currently making with the 49ers to call games on TV again.”
Whoever it is, Fox will be paying someone big money. And before anyone grumbles about that, look at the money the sport is currently generating. Look at the money the networks are currently making; each is owned by a publicly-traded company, and all have strong-to-quite-strong-to-very-freaking-powerful balance sheets. Most importantly, look at the way the networks have positioned themselves to maximize those profits through the explosion of legalized betting — not to mention the way that gambling companies are positioning themselves to become networks.
Bottom line? The rising tide of legalized gambling money is indeed lifting all boats. And as the captain of a dinghy that’s floating in the shallow end of the harbor, you’ll see no complaints about that here.