Kevin Burkhardt has become one of the leading lights of NFL broadcasting as the lead play-by-play announcer for FOX. The timing for the elevation to that role could not have been better, with FOX broadcasting Super Bowl LVII in Burkhardt’s first year in the role. Let’s take a look back at Burkhardt’s broadcasting career and how he got to the point of being the lead play-by-play announcer for the Super Bowl.
Broadcasting Appeared To Be Kevin Burkhardt’s Career Arc From an Early Age
Burkhardt’s desire to be a sports broadcaster has roots in his high school days when he would do play-by-play for his Nintendo Games. After graduating high school, he studied broadcasting at William Patterson University in New Jersey.
After graduating from college, Burkhardt worked for a number of local stations in New Jersey. His first eight years were spent with WGHT, where his roles included covering high school football. He would also work for Jukebox Radio, where he would have the opportunity to broadcast New Jersey Jackals minor league baseball games for the network.
His first work around professional football came with WFAN. After starting with the station as a freelancer, he worked his way up to become their full-time New York Jets reporter. In 2007, he made the switch to baseball as the New York Mets field reporter at SportsNet New York (SNY). He would remain at SNY, appearing across a number of their shows until he left for a full-time role with FOX in 2014.
Alongside working at SNY, Burkhardt called NFL games nationally for Compass Media. He would call the Dallas Cowboys games for the network prior to joining FOX Sports as an NFL play-by-play announcer in 2013.
Burkhardt Has Been With FOX Since 2012
Burkhardt’s first association with FOX came in 2012, filling in on their MLB coverage. That would continue into 2013 before he was named the pregame host for MLB coverage in 2014. Burkhardt would then go on to be the lead studio host of the network’s MLB postseason coverage that season.
In 2013, Burkhardt began calling NFL games for FOX. In his first season, Burkhardt teamed with John Lynch and Erin Andrews on what was then the No. 4 team for the network. Burkhardt and Andrews are now back together on FOX’s No. 1 team, while Lynch is the GM for the San Francisco 49ers. After Lynch left the network, Burkhardt worked alongside Charles Davis for three seasons.
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In 2020, Burkhardt was paired with Daryl Johnston and Pam Oliver in FOX’s No. 2 crew. However, when Greg Olsen retired from the NFL and joined FOX as a full-time color commentator, Burkhardt and Olsen paired together for the 2021 season. After Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left for ESPN, Burkhardt and Olsen were promoted to the lead broadcast team for the 2022 season.
In addition to Burkhardt’s NFL and MLB work, he is also a play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ college basketball coverage.
Did Burkhardt Play Professional Football?
No, Burkhardt is a career play-by-play announcer. While trying to break into sports broadcasting, Burkhardt worked as a sales associate at a local car dealership. His commitment to broadcasting is demonstrated by a scholarship that he and his wife, Rachel, have established at William Patterson University.
What’s Burkhardt’s Net Worth?
When it comes to Burkhardt’s net worth, there is a wide range of estimates. Some sites place his net worth at around $1 million, while others place it closer to $5 million. Part of the reason for that uncertainty is that Burkhardt’s salary is not definitively known.
While general estimates place announcers’ salaries in the region of $50,000 a year, the lead announcer team tends to earn a significant amount more than the other groups. Some estimates have placed Burkhardt’s current salary at around $500,000 a year.