A Carolina Panthers legend has surfaced in the conversation for one of the biggest broadcasting jobs in the NFL.
CBS is working through a change at the top of its No. 1 broadcast booth after former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee, Wis. on July 23 on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI). The network has already announced an indefinite leave for Romo and turned to former Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt as his replacement on the top crew.
But that may not be the only path forward.
In the latest edition of his The Varsity newsletter, John Ourand listed former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen as a possible successor if CBS decides to move in a different direction. Ourand pointed to Olsen and Watt as two names in the mix should Romo’s situation lead to a more permanent change.
Romo still has four years and $72 million left on his contract with CBS, so any switch would first have to get through that commitment.
Olsen, meanwhile, has a contract setup at FOX that could give him an opening. He currently works as the network’s No. 2 color analyst for NFL games, and his deal would allow him to opt out for a No. 1 role elsewhere.
The former Panther added another broadcast honor to his résumé in May, when he won his third Sports Emmy. Olsen finished ahead of several others in that category, including former quarterback Tom Brady, who serves as FOX’s No. 1 color analyst.
In Other News...
Luke Kuechly Just Reignited A Debate Panthers Fans Know Too Well
Luke Kuechlys Hall of Fame case is no longer up for debate, but his place in the broader NFL pantheon still is. As he prepares to be inducted alongside Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri, the former Panthers linebacker remains the kind of player whose rsum speaks loudly enough on its own, with 1,090 tackles, 18 interceptions, seven Pro Bowls and an AP Defensive Player of the Year award.
So it caught plenty of attention when CBS Sports left Kuechly off its list of the 100 greatest NFL players, a snub that reopened an old conversation for Carolina fans about how the league remembers its best. The slight was even broader than one Panther star, too, since neither Cam Newton nor Julius Peppers made the cut, leaving the franchise without a single representative on the list. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Just Got Pulled Back Into A Panthers QB Debate
Bryce Young has settled back into the middle of Carolinas long-term quarterback conversation, even if the current expectation is that he remains the Panthers starter well beyond his option year in 2027. The broader question is less about the moment and more about what the franchise would do if the position drifts off track again, because the Panthers have lived through enough instability under center to know how quickly a plan can change.
One name worth watching from that angle is Baker Mayfield, whose situation with the Buccaneers could become relevant if the Panthers ever find themselves looking again. A reunion would be a long shot and would only come into focus under a specific set of conditions, but it is the kind of speculation that hangs around a team still trying to lock down its quarterback future for good. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Canales Just Sent An Early Panthers Quarterback Message
Dave Canales has already given the Panthers first preseason quarterback assignment, and it comes with a little bit of everything that usually defines August football: evaluation, opportunity and a lot of uncertainty. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett will start the Hall of Fame Game against the Cardinals, giving Carolina an early look at a player who will be under the microscope as the team opens camp competition and starts sorting out the depth chart behind Bryce Young.
Young and the rest of the starters are not expected to take part, including rookie offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, so this will be more about reps than results. Once Pickett is done, rookie Haynes King is expected to handle the next snaps, which leaves the Panthers with a first preseason game that says plenty about how they plan to divide the workload, even if it does not yet say much about how the quarterback picture will look when the real games arrive. [Read more 🡒]