Kevin Burkhardt | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Burkhardt in 2024 | |
| Born | (1974-03-02)March 2, 1974 (age 51) Bloomfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Alma mater | William Paterson University |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Spouse | Rachel Burkhardt |
| Children | 1 |
Kevin Burkhardt (born March 2, 1974) is an Americansportscaster. He is currently the lead play-by-play voice for theNFL on Fox and lead studio host forFox Major League Baseball.
Burkhardt was formerly a reporter withSportsNet New York (SNY) duringNew York Mets telecasts from 2007 to 2014. He also called select Mets games during both spring training and the regular season during that time. He has been the primary studio host forMajor League Baseball (MLB) telecasts onFox andFS1 since the2014 season. He also hosts the "Reunion" episodes of the History Channel's reality seriesAlone.
Burkhardt was born on March 2, 1974.[1] He was born and raised inBloomfield, New Jersey.[2] Growing up, he was a fan of thePhiladelphia Eagles.[3] He chose to be an Eagles fan because his favorite NFL Huddle, a stuffed animal mascot sold inSears Catalog, was one of the Philadelphia Eagles.[3] His favorite player growing up wasRon Jaworski.[3]
In middle school, he did play-by-play forNintendo games and idolizedGary Cohen (who was later his partner in the Mets' broadcast booth).[4] He graduated fromBloomfield High School in 1992.[5] Burkhardt graduated fromWilliam Paterson University in 1997 with a degree in broadcasting.
Burkhardt began his career at the radio stationWGHT[6] in Northern New Jersey, spending eight years working for the station, covering events includinghigh school football.
Burkhardt also worked atJukebox Radio broadcastingNew Jersey Jackals minor league games forWJUX,[citation needed] owned by Jerry Turro. Several years into his career, and unable to get a better broadcasting gig, Burkhardt worked as a car salesman at Pine BeltChevrolet inEatontown, New Jersey.[7][3]
After working at WGHT, Burkhardt got a part-time job working atWFAN, doing freelance work and eventually becoming the station's full-timeNew York Jets reporter.[4][8][9]
During this time, he was a regular onOut of Bounds forPhiladelphia'sCN8, did sports reporting forTime Warner Cable, and on sports reports forWCBS 880.[8][9]
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Burkhardt joined the Mets broadcast team at the beginning of the 2007 season,[8] replacing Chris Cotter. Burkhardt interviewed for the SNY job but never thought he would be hired.[4] On SNY he appeared on shows such asMets Hot Stove,Mets Pre-Game Live,Mets Post-Game Live, andMets Year in Review. Burkhardt left SNY at the end of the 2014 season for a full-time job at Fox.
Despite his role with the Mets, Burkhardt wanted to call football games and was offered the ability to do so through theCompass Radio Network.[3] There he called the2009 Texas Bowl.[3] At Compass Radio Network, he called other college football games, as well.[3]
Burkhardt was also theplay-by-play voice forDallas Cowboys games on Compass Radio Networks from the inauguration of its America's Team Radio Network in 2011 until 2013, when he joined theNFL on Fox and was replaced by Kevin Ray.[10][3] His color commentator on the broadcasts wasDanny White.[11]
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In 2013, Burkhardt began calling games forNFL on Fox, teaming withJohn Lynch andErin Andrews as the network's #4 announcer team. This crew also called thedivisional playoff game between theNew Orleans Saints andSeattle Seahawks on January 11, 2014.[12] He also did fill-in work forMajor League Baseball on Fox in 2012 and 2013, and in 2014 was named as pre-game host for MLB coverage onFox andFox Sports 1.[7] He also joined theFox College Hoops team.[13]
AfterJoe Buck left Fox forESPN in 2022, Burkhardt was promoted to the leadNFL on Fox broadcast team alongsideGreg Olsen as color commentator (untilTom Brady joined Fox's lead broadcast team in 2024).[14] Burkhardt was the television play-by-play announcer forSuper Bowl LVII.[15][16] With his call, he became the first play-by-play announcer other thanJim Nantz,Joe Buck orAl Michaels to call a Super Bowl since 2004.[3]
He was praised for his work in his first season as Fox's lead broadcaster and during his call of Super Bowl LVII.[17] Throughout the season, critics commended Burkhardt for striking a good level of excitement when necessary and for keeping games exciting.[17][3] In Super Bowl LVII, he was praised for providing important information such as stating that despite the touchdown call by Eagles' running backKenneth Gainwell being overturned, Gainwell still managed to pick up the necessary yardage for a first and goal.[17]
Burkhardt is married to Rachel and they have a son.[18]
Kevin Burkhardt, 40: The former college catcher is a play-by-play announcer for select MLB games on TBS.
Burkhardt, a 1992 graduate of Bloomfield High School, can be seen every Sunday afternoon calling football games for NFL on FOX Sports.
| Preceded by | Lead play-by-play announcer,The NFL on Fox 2022–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Super Bowl television play-by-play announcer (NFC package carrier) 2023–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |