CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Greg Olsen was a fan favorite during his career with the Carolina Panthers and his legion of followers has only grown since Olsen retired and entered the broadcast booth for Fox Sports, but Olsen's TV future could be in doubt as NFL great Tom Brady is poised to join the network next season.
Olsen recently sat down with WCNC Charlotte's Ashley Stroehlein to discuss several topics, ranging from his relationship with former Panthers players and coaches, rumors that he would consider a head coaching job in the NFL and what his next steps could be if Brady replaces him on Fox's No. 1 commentary team.
"I mean, all things indicate that Tom [Brady] is going to come and do it," Olsen said. "From everything that we've heard and everything everyone's heard, what that means for me going forward is yet to be determined."
The former Panthers star says from the time he joined Fox, it wasn't about simply doing TV, and that if he isn't part of the premier commentary team, he'll find something else.
"From the time I took the job, I said I'm not taking this just content on being one of the crews. I want to be the best crew," Olsen said. "If not, why? I'm not going to waste my time, I don't have to do this. And they understand that and I think they believe and I think that's a big reason why they gave me the opportunity to call these games because they believed in me and they trusted that I wasn't going to embarrass them."
As for when Brady shows up? Olsen says he really doesn't know what's going to happen, be it with Fox, another network or something entirely different.
"We'll see what else is in there internally at Fox, we'll see what else is out there around the league," he said. "But that goal doesn't change. That doesn't mean necessarily next year I'll do it, but is there a clear path to getting back to a top team? That's the goal, and how that exactly plays out, I don't think anybody at this point knows."
If Olsen does decide to exit the broadcast booth, would he consider a head coaching job? Olsen was on record this season saying anyone would be interested in a head coaching job. His stance hasn't changed, but don't look for the two-time All-Pro to trade his microphone for a clipboard and whistle any time soon.
"I would consider being a head coach," Olsen said. "I'd be very hard to leave my current job. It's a pretty good gig doing what I'm doing now, and coaching is a whole different animal. But if a unique opportunity presented itself that I got to run a team and really do things the way I would do things after being around it for a long time, I think anybody that loves football, anybody that's grown up in football like I have, and it's pretty much been their entire life for as long as they can remember, who wouldn't? The chances of me actually doing it are probably less likely than doing it, but there's no doubt in my mind I could."
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