New Orleans Saints fans will hear a familiar voice calling games this fall. Super Bowl XLIV-winning linebacker Jonathan Vilma left his role as an ESPN college football analyst for the opportunity to call NFL games with FOX Sports, Andrew Marchand reported for The New York Post.
Vilma is expected to replace Ronde Barber in the booth next to veteran play-by-play broadcaster Kenny Albert. No. 51 previously co-hosted a college football Saturday pregame show with Mark Sanchez on ABC (in partnership with ESPN and Disney) while sometimes appearing on ESPN’s weekday morning shows.
Obviously, this wasn’t an opportunity he could pass up. Vilma has held his own in booth and panel settings as an analyst, but offering color commentary on games is new ground.
FOX is set to broadcast 10 Saints games this year, as well as their Week 2 preseason game with the Pittsburgh Steelers (which will be nationally-broadcast). That includes their season opener with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their midseason rematch with the San Francisco 49ers, and this year’s Christmas Day game against Minnesota Vikings. Not a bad slate to start with for a rookie broadcaster.
