Longtime sports talk radio host Chris Russo has always been straightforward, a trait he found lacking in the Fox broadcast of Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. From an entertainment standpoint, the game was far from ideal for Fox, as the Eagles built a lead of 34 points near the end of the third quarter.
Viewers could see the Chiefs’ hopes of winning fade with each unanswered Eagles score. However, if you were only tuning into the Fox broadcast, you might not have realized just how outmatched the Chiefs were.
During Monday’s edition of Mad Dog Unleashed, Russo critiqued the lack of transparency from the Fox broadcast regarding the Chiefs’ significant deficit, starting with the Fox studio team’s analysis during halftime. “There are two things I would say about the broadcast from a Fox perspective,” Russo noted. “First off, at halftime, someone has to acknowledge that this game is over. The fans thought it was over; I thought it was over. Not one of those five guys mentioned that the game was done.”
He continued, “The Eagles’ defense is too good. They’re down 24-0, this would have been the greatest comeback in league history. They’ve got 23 yards of offense. The game is over. Not a single person said that at halftime. Even if you think, ‘Well, they get the ball first,’ just say it’s over to add some clarity. Don’t tell me they need a play. Everybody in football land knew the Super Bowl was decided.”
Mad Dog Russo hammers FOX’s halftime crew for not admitting that the game was over. Then he hammered Kevin Burkhardt for not admitting that the game was over (and for being a company man). Then he hammered Tom Brady – again – for never shutting up.
I think that about covers it. pic.twitter.com/daWPblGJ3r
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) February 10, 2025
Russo also specifically criticized play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt for his reluctance to acknowledge the game’s outcome, a trend Russo believes has persisted throughout the season. “I love Burkhardt; I’ve worked with him forever,” Russo expressed. “But sometimes it seems he’s broadcasting for Fox’s executives more than for the fans. It’s like he thinks, ‘Let me not say it’s over here because I’ve got Fox people wanting to keep the viewers engaged.’”
He emphasized, “You said it was a kill shot on the play to Devonta Smith for 31-0. Then at 34-6 you said they are only down four scores, that Kansas City has to score here. Kev, the game was over! Don’t be afraid to admit it; the game was finished. It’s not fair to the fans to pretend otherwise.”
Lastly, Russo commented on Tom Brady’s performance during his principal broadcasting assignment. Surprisingly, he acknowledged that Brady has made improvements but still has reservations about his presence on-air. “Brady is in a tricky spot. He did get on the officials early, which I appreciated, and he has improved in some areas. However, I don’t think he’ll ever reach the level of John Madden; it feels like every broadcast revisits his career play-by-play.”
Ultimately, while it may feel like an insult to viewers’ intelligence for a broadcaster to imply the Chiefs still had a chance, it’s common practice to keep the audience engaged. Although Russo may disagree with this approach, it’s understandable that Fox would avoid outright declaring the game over, as that could lead to fans changing the channel during their marquee event.
