The best athletes-turned-broadcasters

Romo was a four-time Pro-Bowler in his 13-year Dallas career, and while he put up some big statistical seasons and retired with a career 97.1 passer rating, it took him all of a month or so to take the broadcasting world by storm. Romo's presnap predictions were so accurate that he was asked to make them less frequently because he would get on a roll and call the action before it actually happened. Romo's work has stagnated in recent years, and while he's still popular, his critics, who bristle at his lack of preparation and nonsensical asides, are growing louder and more numerous.

The Hall of Fame lineman teamed with Al Michaels and the late Frank Gifford to provide a broadcast that was equal parts informational, witty, folksy and generally good-natured. Their run of success in the booth was due in large measure to Dierdorf's versatility as an analyst and his ability to break down the action in clear terms while adding humor that wasn't too "inside" for fans to appreciate. Dierdorf also worked as Michigan football's color analyst before stepping aside after the 2021 season.

Uecker wasn't much of a major leaguer, posting a .200 batting average in a career that spanned six seasons. However, he was a natural in the booth, with his quick wit earning him a reputation as one of baseball's most beloved ambassadors. There's also his role in the "Major League" film series — one that made him more famous than his playing career ever did. Somewhat surprisingly, Uecker's work in the booth has been primarily as the radio play-by-play man for the Brewers, a job he has held since 1971. Uecker has done some color analysis work as well, mostly for nationally televised games in a three-man booth.

Aikman won three Super Bowls and went to six straight Pro Bowls with the Cowboys in the '90s, and he is in the Hall of Fame despite topping 20 touchdowns only once in a season. Injuries ended his career prematurely, but Aikman's transition to the booth was smooth, as he proved himself a natural analyst. His first season with FOX was 2001, and a year later he was moved up to the network's lead announcing crew, where worked with Joe Buck until both left to take over the booth on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" in 2022. Aikman and Buck have developed solid chemistry during their time together, which has created a more laid-back environment with a little more levity than they had at the beginning of their partnership.

After a basketball career that ranged from unfortunate — the national championship game timeout fiasco while at Michigan — to infuriating — Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals — Webber made the transition to the broadcast booth. His enthusiasm was infectious, as he seemed to genuinely enjoy watching the sport and seemed happy when players perform at a high level. Webber was one of the best passing big men in basketball for the majority of his career, and it showed in his game analysis, which was insightful more often than not. Webber and TNT parted ways after the 2021 season, which was his 14th with the network.

Burke, who starred as a point guard at Providence, is the best NBA analyst working today. She is a trailblazer in broadcasting, as she became the first female analyst for the New York Knicks, has done copious amounts of work as a college basketball analyst and in 2017 was promoted to a full-time NBA regular-season analyst's role for ESPN. Burke has also worked for the last decade as ABC's sideline reporter during the NBA Finals. She can be sharp and funny without trying too hard, and she takes a back seat to no one when it comes to making insightful observations about the action on the court. In 2023, ESPN named Burke to their top NBA commentary team. As a result, she will be the first woman to work as a game analyst on television for a championship final in one of the big four leagues.

Hill was a do-it-all star at Duke, one of the best players the school has ever produced and was a force of nature in the NBA until ankle injuries robbed him of his explosiveness and shortened his career. Nevertheless, he was known as one of the most well-rounded players in the sport, equal parts athletic and cerebral. Hill's work as lead analyst for CBS' and Turner Sports' NCAA Tournament coverage has gotten better with each passing year. Hill's style is straightforward, but his basketball acumen is high, and in recent years he's shown more willingness to be critical when the situation on the court warrants it.

The 13-year veteran righthander, who spent time with the Mets, Expos and Athletics, might seem a strange inclusion on this list, but he deserves the recognition. Whether he's providing analysis for Mets games at the local level or for national telecasts, Darling is exceptionally knowledgeable and easy to listen to. He is one of the smoothest speakers working, is never short on opinions and speaks with the kind of easy confidence and affability that make his broadcasting work rise to the top of a somewhat crowded and very regional heap.

Kerr is now known more for coaching a virtually unstoppable Warriors outfit than he ever was for his broadcasting work, but he was predictably astute as a game analyst. Kerr had a reputation as a clutch, sharpshooting point guard during his 15-year career, one that saw him hit the series-winning jump shot in the 1997 NBA Finals. As an analyst he was insightful and quick on his feet, as well as being quick-witted and easily able to banter with the rest of the broadcast team. Anyone who has seen video of his speech at the Bulls' 1997 championship parade is likely not surprised by that last detail.

The legendary center who carved out one of the best college careers of all time while at UCLA, and whose pro career was a dominant one cut short by injury, has successfully transitioned from free-spirited ballplayer to free-spirited broadcaster. Is Walton high on life during his West Coast basketball assignments with play-by-play man (and straight man) Dave Pasch? Will he even talk about the action? Walton knows the game, but it is his perpetual hyperbole and frequent digressions that make his work so unique and entertaining. There are better analysts out there, but not that many, and none you'd rather hear at midnight Eastern time after a long day's work.

The Round Mound of Rebound had a Hall of Fame career as an undersized yet devastatingly effective power forward, and he was known in his playing days for being a colorful character. His work as a broadcaster has been equally well-received. Barkley is best known for his work on TNT's "Inside the NBA" studio show, but his work as a game analyst, though infrequent, was always humorous and entertaining. Barkley's outspokenness is one major reason why TNT's NBA coverage has garnered critical and popular praise.

The former Bengals wide receiver and three-time Pro Bowler, who caught 417 passes for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns in an eight-year career, is a polarizing figure for football fans. He has the rare ability to convince seemingly every fan, of every team, that he has it out for their guys, and is biased against them. Others have taken notice of something far more legitimate: Collinsworth is excellent at what he does. "Sunday Night Football" has become more prominent than "Monday Night Football," and Collinsworth's work alongside Mike Tirico is top-notch all the way through. He's equal parts critical, generous with praise and enthusiastic about what he's doing. He enjoys the work, and it shows.

The former Duke hooper attacks his analyst's job with ESPN with lawyer-like attention to detail, which makes sense because practicing law is Bilas' actual job. He's an outspoken critic of the NCAA, and in a refreshing change of pace from some broadcasters, he isn't shy about being critical of an athlete's play when it is warranted. He has a dry sense of humor that works well with the equally excellent Dan Shulman, and despite his cynicism clearly loves and enjoys the game. His Twitter persona might rub some the wrong way, but there's no denying that Bilas is one of the best analysts around.

Is there irony in McEnroe, long known as the bad boy of tennis, working as a member of the media? Probably, but he's entertaining and never pulls punches in his role as a broadcaster. One of the best shotmakers of all time, McEnroe won seven Grand Slam singles titles, three Wimbledon championships and four U.S. Opens. McEnroe always seems genuinely appreciative of and entertained by brilliant play, and he does a good job of conveying that sentiment to the viewer. Conversely, when he's critical he can be direct and cutting, but he isn't afraid to admit when he's wrong — a pleasant change from his playing days.

The two-time major champion, who famously blistered Oakmont Country Club with a final-round 63 to capture the 1973 U.S. Open by one shot, was a different kind of golf commentator than fans were used to. Whereas most analysts were almost sympathetic to the woes of the competitors, Miller frequently and harshly took players to task for their errors in judgment, focus or just plain old performance. He had no sympathy for golfers whose nerves got the best of them, calling out players for choking down the stretch on a regular basis. Fans either loved him or hated him, and whichever side they took, they did so passionately. Miller called his final round at this year's Waste Management Open, but there will not be another like him in the world of golf telecasts.

Lipinski, the 1998 Olympic gold medalist, and Weir were a cultural phenomenon the minute they were paired together, and they quickly became, along with Terry Gannon, the lead figure skating commentary team for NBC. Their banter was well-received by audiences, as were their tangents during the broadcast. Beyond their mass appeal from a pop culture standpoint, both Lipinski and Weir are respected for their technical knowledge of skating and ability to turn it into easily understandable analysis for a mass audience. Their partnership has created opportunities far beyond the world of figure skating, and they'll be a fixture at the Winter Olympics for as long as they want to be, it would seem.

Meredith, a three-time Pro Bowler in his nine-year career as Cowboys quarterback, moved quickly to the booth after his playing career ended in 1968. He joined Frank Gifford and Howard Cosell in the "Monday Night Football" booth and was known for his easy-going style, as well as his propensity to sing, "Turn out the lights, the party's over," from Willie Nelson's song, "The Party's Over," once a game was no longer in doubt. Meredith was, for many fans and media critics, a fine complement to Cosell's generally over-the-top style and Gifford's low-key, play-by-play work. 

Raftery never played in the NBA, but he did have a solid career at LaSalle, and what he did on the court pales in comparison to the reputation he has carved out off it. There might not be a more beloved color analyst in college hoops this side of Bill Walton than Raftery. Remember his famous call of, "Send it in, Jerome!" on the occasion of Pitt forward Jerome Lane shattering a backboard with a dunk in 1988? Raftery's catchphrases are too numerous to list here, but his general enthusiasm for the game is infectious. 

Mendoza's softball career was a decorated one, as she holds multiple Stanford records and was an All-American all four years with the Cardinal. Mendoza also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2004 Summer Olympics as well as a silver in 2008. She made history as the first female commentator for a Major League Baseball game when she was in the booth for a game between the Cardinals and the Diamondbacks, and the following week she filled in for the suspended John Kruk on "Sunday Night Baseball." Mendoza joined the "Sunday Night Baseball" crew full time in 2016, and while there were some early bumps in the road, her knowledge of the game has shone through, and her clear articulation of strategy and concepts has made her one of the best analysts in the sport.

Gifford, who carved out a Hall of Fame career as a multipurpose threat at halfback and flanker for the Giants, made a successful transition to the broadcasting world after his playing days were over. He took over for Keith Jackson as the play-by-play man for the second season of "Monday Night Football" and worked on the program for nearly 30 years. Gifford was adept at both play-by-play and analysis, and his understated work in the former category, with Don Meredith and Howard Cosell providing much of the louder banter, garnered him much critical praise. Gifford was one of the most recognizable figures in broadcasting for several decades, and for younger fans his fame in that department exceeded that which he earned as a player.

Madden's inclusion here is a stretch of the term "athlete," at least compared to other pros on this list. Madden never played in the NFL due to a training camp injury, and his college career wasn't really high-profile. He had great success as a coach, of course, winning a Super Bowl with Oakland in 1976, and becoming the youngest coach to reach 100 victories. Madden's broadcasting work was iconic, particularly his pairing with Pat Summerall. Madden's catchphrases were a big part of his work, and while he was knowledgeable about the game, especially offensive and defensive line play, many came to enjoy his overall entertaining style. Madden also became the first broadcaster to work for all of the "Big Four" television networks and also broadcast a Super Bowl on each network. He retired from broadcasting in 2009, but he left an indelible mark on the industry, which was made abundantly clear by the outpouring of emotion when he passed away in 2021.

Feherty never notched a PGA Tour win, though he did post a top-10 finish in the 1991 PGA Championship as well as top-10 placements in The Open Championship in 1989 and 1994. But his career as a broadcaster has been much more successful. Feherty is known as one of golf's preeminent funnymen and someone who added levity to broadcasts — and a sport —that could rightly be criticized for being too staid. After a long run with CBS, Feherty moved over to NBC and the Golf Channel in 2016 and continued in a role similar to the one he had with CBS. Unfortunately, he jumped over to LIV Golf recently, which means his viewers number in the thousands - maybe. 

Esiason, the 1988 NFL MVP, was a four-time Pro Bowler as well as a 1988 All-Pro, and he nearly knocked off the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII. After his 14-year playing career ended, he went into broadcasting, a field that has been just as fruitful for him. Esiason was briefly the lead analyst for "Monday Night Football" in the late 1990s before transitioning over to the same role for Westwood One's radio coverage of "Monday Night Football" and the Super Bowl. He worked for Westwood one through the 2017 season, and still works on "The NFL Today," on CBS and is one half of WFAN radio's "Boomer and Gio" sports talk show in New York City. Esiason is a balanced, polished analyst, whose work never veers to the extremes. He has no problem being critical or positive, depending on what the situation calls for, and his expertise is obvious.

Olsen has made the most of his time on FOX, immediately showing plenty of promise as a game analyst alongside Kevin Burkhardt, and not missing a beat once Joe Buck and Troy Aikman's departure made him the network's top game analyst. Olsen doesn't do shtick, he's just extremely knowledgeable, and delivers his thoughts in a concise, clear manner. The assumption is that Tom Brady will eventually be handed Olsen's job, and if that's true, CBS ought to write a very large check to pair Olsen with Jim Nantz, and move Tony Romo somewhere else. Or at least, that's what I'd do.