Behind the Scenes with FOX NFL Crew: The Packers-Cowboys thriller

By Richie Zyontz
FOX NFL Lead Producer

Editor’s Note: Richie Zyontz has been an NFL producer for FOX since 1994 and the lead producer for the last 20 seasons. He has more than 40 years of experience covering the league and has produced six Super Bowls. Throughout the 2022 NFL season, he will provide an inside look as FOX’s new No. 1 NFL team makes its journey toward Super Bowl LVII.

GREEN BAY, WI. — The soundtrack of big NFL broadcasts has been narrated by a select few voices. When you hear Al Michaels , Jim Nantz or Joe Buck, it’s safe to assume you’re listening to an important game.

The late, great Pat Summerall could order breakfast and make it sound like fourth and goal.

It’s a tough club to join.

Enter Kevin Burkhardt — a 10-year play-by-play veteran now in his first year calling FOX’s top game. In my opinion, that exclusive club has a worthy new member.

Sometimes you just click with people. Maybe it’s based on common interests or background. Perhaps it’s a similar sense of humor or a shared love of the New York Mets. But you feel the comfort immediately, and that’s how I feel nine weeks into my first season working with Kevin.

The secret sauce

Knowledge, preparation, relatability and likability are solid starting points for a successful broadcasting career. A strong voice that cuts through the sound of the crowd helps. But there’s another crucial element: enthusiasm. I enjoy listening to announcers who sound like they’re enjoying themselves. A sound that tells the viewer I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else other than calling this game.

KB has an ease about him that is a producer’s dream, and a collaborative spirit that was evident from our very first conversation . In that talk, he asked for a list of names of our entire technical crew so he could get a head start on learning who’s who and who does what. A very nice touch!

The palace guard

There are important support players all broadcast teams rely on. For play-by-play announcers , the two most critical jobs belong to the spotter and the booth statistician. Fortunately, our crew has two talented, experienced people flanking Kevin.

Mitch Smith, a native of St Louis and a former editor with The Sporting News, has been in broadcast booths for 20 years, and at Kevin’s side for the last 10. As spotter, he not only serves as KB’s second set of eyes for identifying players, but is a trusted sounding board during the game.

When calling an NFL game, having someone beside you to turn to for context and strategy is a huge comfort. Mitch is that guy.

FOX NFL announcer Kevin Burkhardt (middle) with booth statistician Jeff Nelson (left) and booth spotter Mitch Smith (right).

The other member of KB’s posse is Jeff Nelson (Nellie), a native South Dakotan who began doing statistical work as a college student in the late 1970s. Nellie is the keeper of the numbers. This is no easy task, as games move quickly and the time to react and compute has become shorter over time.

Like Mitch, he joined Kevin when his FOX play-by-play career got underway 10 years ago.

They both offer wise counsel and have blended in seamlessly with our crew.

But here’s a key stat neither is particularly happy with: Mitch was a St. Louis Cardinals football fan, Nellie grew up cheering on the