What 45.7 Million NFL TV Viewers Don’t See

January 26, 2016

Emily Kaplan in the MMQB:

After 14 years together, Buck and Aikman communicate almost entirely non-verbally. Between plays, Aikman scrolls back to plays on his monitor, sometimes zoning out of Buck’s play-by-play, or listening to Zyontz, the producer, in his ear.

Before Buck tees up Aikman, he’ll often tug at his arm to make sure he’s ready. When Aikman speaks, he has a tendency to shift the weight from his left foot to his right foot. He clears his throat nearly a dozen times a quarter, each time pressing a “cough” button that mutes his microphone.

Buck rarely stands still, leaning against the table in front of him, nursing a cup of tea and grabbing for more Halls.

During timeouts, both men often grab their phones and text their daughters (they each have two) about schoolwork and what time they’ll land back home. “It’s incredible to me,” says Mike Pereira, the former NFL VP of Officiating and FOX rules expert, who joins them in the booth through the playoffs. “The ease in which they operate, their calmness. I would be freaking out.”

It’s incredible how much work goes into each NFL broadcast, and they make it look easy on TV.