Longtime sports talk radio host Chris Russo has always been candid, a trait he found lacking in Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. The game, from an entertainment standpoint, was far from ideal for Fox, with the Eagles leading by as much as 34 points near the end of the third quarter. While viewers saw the Chiefs’ hopes dwindle with each unanswered Eagles score, those only listening to the Fox broadcast might not have realized just how outmatched the Chiefs were.
On Monday’s edition of Mad Dog Unleashed, Russo critiqued the Fox broadcast team’s lack of transparency regarding the massive deficit the Chiefs faced, singling out the studio team’s analysis during halftime. He expressed frustration that no one acknowledged the game was effectively over at the half. “The fans thought it was over. I thought it was over,” Russo stated, emphasizing that the Eagles’ defense was too strong and the Chiefs’ performance too weak for a comeback to be feasible. He questioned how the Fox analysts, including Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Johnson, failed to convey the reality of the situation to viewers.
Russo further condemned Fox play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt, suggesting that Burkhardt often broadcasts with an eye on Fox executives rather than the fans. He remarked, “Sometimes I think Kevin is more concerned about keeping the viewers engaged for the network than being honest about the game.” Russo pointed out moments when Burkhardt downplayed the dire situation, highlighting statements made when the game was heavily skewed against the Chiefs. “I mean, don’t be afraid to say it. The game was over,” he insisted, lamenting that Burkhardt repeatedly failed to call it as it was during clearly lopsided moments.
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
Finally, Russo addressed Tom Brady’s performance in his significant broadcasting role. While Russo has been critical of Brady, he acknowledged some improvements in his work but still felt Brady lacked a commanding presence, suggesting that every broadcast seems overly focused on Brady’s past accomplishments rather than the game itself. “It’s almost like we’re going to break down Tom’s career play-by-play,” Russo commented, critiquing the tendency to delve too deeply into nostalgia during broadcasts instead of focusing on the current game.
While it may appear insulting for any broadcaster to underplay the Chiefs’ chances, it’s common practice to keep viewers engaged by not outright stating the game’s outcome. Even though Russo disagrees with this approach, it’s understandable that Fox might avoid declaring the game over to keep viewers from changing the channel during the network’s most significant event of the year.
