Look, no one is watching the Super Bowl on mute. Even if you’ve decided to keep the volume up solely for the commercials, you’re listening to the game.
Which is what makes the broadcasters so important. The Super Bowl is a final culmination of dozens of narratives which have been spun throughout the NFL season. A good commentator knows how to illustrate those narratives, mixing factual information with excitement, while also being clear enough for non-football fans to understand.
It’s a tough gig. Which is why only four play-by-play announcers have called the Big Game on network television since 2004.
Once a network finds its ideal announcer, it sticks with them. Because finding the right mixture of knowledge, energy, humor and gravitas is exceptionally difficult.
Super Bowl LIX Announce Team
Super Bowl LIX will be broadcast on FOX, meaning the network’s lead football announce team of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will be on the call. Tom Rinaldi and Erin Andrews will join them as sideline reporters.
This is Burkhardt’s second Super Bowl as a lead play-by-play announcer. He previously called Super Bowl LVII.
This is Brady’s first Super Bowl as a broadcaster, but the former quarterback appeared in 10 Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning seven of them.
Andrews has been a sideline reporter in the Super Bowl four times with FOX. This will be Rinaldi’s second Super Bowl as a sideline reporter.
Iconic Announcers In Super Bowl History
Pat Summerall: Summerall is perhaps the most recognizable voice in the history of football. He called Super Bowls II, IV, VI, VIII, X, XII, XIV, XVI, XVIII, XXI, XXIV, XXVI, XXXI, XXXIII and XXXV over his 40-year NFL broadcasting career. His call of the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI will always be associated with the beginning of the New England Patriots dynasty: “It’s good! It’s good!”
John Madden: Madden was often the color commentator to Summerall’s play-by-play. He worked Super Bowls XIV, XVI, XVIII, XXI, XXIV, XXXI, XXXIII, XXXVI, XXXVII, XL and XLIII. The Super Bowl-winning coach was known for his wealth of football knowledge and his high-energy, fun broadcast style. “BOOM!”
Al Michaels: Michaels has been a regular voice of the Super Bowl since 1988, calling 11 of them (XXII, XXV, XXIX, XXXIV, XXXVII, XL, XLIII, XLVI, XLIX, LII and LVI). Perhaps his best call came in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIX, “Intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler! Unreal!”
Jim Nantz: Nantz has worked seven Super Bowls since 2007, all of them for CBS (XLI, XLIV, XLVII, 50, LIII, LV and LVIII). While perhaps best known for his work with The Masters, Nantz’s calm delivery is iconic. It feels cheap to say Nantz’s best call wasn’t even a play, but his delivery of “We have … a power outage,” during Super Bowl XLVII was great.
Joe Buck: According to some fans, Buck’s extensive baseball background made his delivery a bit understated early in his football broadcasting career. But the man has called six Super Bowls since 2005 (XXXIX, XLII, XLV, XLVIII, LI and LIV) and is one of the best in the business today. Buck’s call of the helmet catch will be remembered forever: “Caught! By Tyree with a leaping grab! And he got it on the helmet!”
How Much Are Super Bowl Announcers Paid?
Networks rarely release contract details in full to the public, but as of 2025 it is estimated that Burkhardt is making around $5 million this year.
Meanwhile, play-by-play man Brady signed a whopping $37.5 million per year deal.
The man that Burkhardt replaced, Buck, was making around $12 million per year with FOX. It is expected that Burkhardt’s salary will increase with time and loyalty to the network.
Andrews reportedly makes approximately $2 million a year as a sideline reporter. Rinaldi is said to be making the same.
Read More About The Super Bowl
This article was originally published on www.si.com as TV Announcers for Super Bowl 59.
