When viewers flip to FOX for the Packers-Bears game Sunday, they can expect the broadcast to revel in the history of the rivalry. But the FOX production crew knows that this game is different.
“So often with this rivalry, it’s about what’s happened in the past,” game producer Richie Zyontz said. “Looking into the future, it’s fascinating to think about this rivalry opening up a new chapter because we don’t have enough data yet to really evaluate where these teams are at. With two new quarterbacks, everything is about that.”
Will the matchup of Jordan Love and Justin Fields become the main attraction in the next phase of the rivalry? Time will tell, but FOX will lean into that angle Sunday. The network will send its top crew to Soldier Field – play-by-play voice Kevin Burkhardt, analyst and former Bears tight end Greg Olsen and sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi.
“We’re certainly going to have something on the quarterbacks and the roster changeover,” Zyontz said. “What we’ve talked about internally is try not to look back too much. Aaron Rodgers is not there anymore. You’ll see some of that. It’s hard to avoid history just in terms of the quarterback position for both teams.
“I know that historically we do Bears games, and the quarterback position is always such a question mark that somehow Sid Luckman always comes into play. I think Bears fans are tired of hearing that; I’m tired of putting those graphics on the screen. So hopefully Justin Fields can come through and be the man for many years to come.”
Remote patrol
Northern Illinois will honor radio voice Bill Baker at halftime of the Huskies’ home opener at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against Southern Illinois. The game will air on WNTA (1330-AM), the Varsity Network app and the NIU Huskies app. Baker is in his 44th and final year as the voice of the Huskies. He has been on the mic for 508 football games, missing just one. Baker also has called more than 1,200 NIU men’s and women’s basketball games.
Other NFL games airing Sunday afternoon in the Chicago market: Buccaneers at Vikings, noon, CBS 2 (Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan); 49ers at Steelers, noon, FOX 32 (Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston); Eagles at Patriots, 3:25 p.m., CBS 2 (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo).
ESPN took the Cubs-Diamondbacks game for “Sunday Night Baseball” on Sept. 17.
