Behind the Scenes with FOX’s NFL crew: Injuries, A.J. Brown tell the story in Philly-ZoomTech News

By Richie Zyontz
FOX NFL Lead Producer

Editor’s Notice: Richie Zyontz has been an NFL producer for FOX since 1994 and is in his twenty third season because the lead producer. He has greater than 40 years of expertise masking the league and has produced seven Tremendous Bowls. All through the 2024 NFL season, he’s offering an inside look as FOX’s new No. 1 NFL workforce, together with NFL legend Tom Brady, makes its journey towards Tremendous Bowl LIX. Learn extra behind-the-scenes tales from Richie Zyontz right here.

The biting chill of a late Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia was an ideal backdrop for a wild-card contest between the Inexperienced Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles. 

This metropolis is steeped in historical past — the place the Declaration of Independence was signed and america Structure was adopted. 

It’s additionally a metropolis wealthy in NFL historical past.

The Metropolis of Brotherly Love was as soon as the literal heart of the soccer universe. 

From 1947-1959, league headquarters have been run out of a Walnut Avenue workplace constructing. The commissioner was Bert Bell, a Philly native and Penn graduate, who not solely based and owned the Eagles however as soon as coached them too. 

The post-World Struggle II NFL was extra of a mom-and-pop operation than the slick, closely marketed product we see at this time. A name to the league workplace again then would sometimes lead to Commissioner Bell answering the telephone. He was Philly by and thru, and even died of a coronary heart assault whereas attending a Steelers-Eagles recreation at Franklin Subject in 1959. 

Too unhealthy outdated Bert wasn’t round in 1960 to see his beloved Birds defeat Vince Lombardi’s Packers within the NFL Championship Sport. It was Lombardi’s solely playoff loss en path to profitable 5 titles. For the Eagles, nicely, they must wait 57 years earlier than profitable one other. 

Again then, it was Corridor of Fame quarterbacks Bart Starr and Norm Van Brocklin squaring off. On Sunday, it was Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts taking heart stage, each coming off accidents and enjoying at lower than one hundred pc.

Neither quarterback performed notably nicely, providing up some ugly throws and unhealthy decision-making. Tom Brady famous at our manufacturing assembly how Inexperienced Bay had a slim path to victory towards the extra gifted Eagles. Limiting errors was the important thing. 

So what occurs? They fumble the opening kickoff and Love throws three interceptions. And that was an excessive amount of to beat as Philadelphia gained 22-10.

Brady is a robust proponent of the psychological facet of enjoying quarterback. Sound psychological processing and decision-making are what floats his boat. On Sunday, Love sank that boat. And Brady didn’t maintain again in his critique. 

But it surely wasn’t quarterback play that dominated the sport or the published. It was the conflict of attrition as gamers have been dropping from accidents left and proper.

One notably telling shot was backstage as Inexperienced Bay receiver Romeo Doubs was gingerly helped to the locker room after struggling a concussion. It was robust to observe however strengthened the worth of putting robotic cameras in hallways to seize these very moments. 

Accidents are delicate matters, and it generally looks like our selection of images might be invasive throughout a fragile second. However our job is to inform a narrative, and the accidents on Sunday have been a giant one. 

Now to the one second that livened up a dreary day of soccer. 

Like many individuals, I get pleasure from studying. In my spare time I can usually be discovered gobbling up a biography about Winston Churchill or FDR. Proper now I’m right into a story about Lewis and Clark. Fascinating story.

However after I’m producing a recreation, I have a tendency to not learn. Makes it arduous to pay attention.

Eagles star broad receiver A.J. Brown clearly has different ideas. As our cameras found, he has no drawback pulling out a guide throughout a playoff recreation. We’ve witnessed many distinctive moments by the years, however by no means a participant sitting on the bench studying a guide. 

“I have not seen too many individuals learn books [on the sidelines], however I’ve seen a quarterback eat a hotdog,” Brady remarked on the published.

Evidently, after we zoomed in on the title, that guide is now an Amazon prime vendor. What a world!

Our world now shifts to Detroit for a Saturday evening showdown between the powerhouse Detroit Lions and the upstart Washington Commanders. Will probably be Brady’s first have a look at Washington’s sensational rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and all of us look ahead to listening to his ideas.

Richie Zyontz has been an NFL producer for FOX since 1994 and is in his twenty third season as lead producer. He boasts greater than 40 years of expertise masking the NFL.

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