Bradshaw’s botched “set-up” with Gronkowski draws fan criticism for Fox’s NFL coverage

An on-air exchange between Terry Bradshaw and Rob Gronkowski during Fox Sports’ NFL pregame coverage has become a talking point among viewers, with many fans questioning the veteran analyst’s performance on the broadcast.

The moment unfolded as Gronkowski, a former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end now serving as a panelist on the network, broke down the Arizona Cardinals ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Gronkowski praised quarterback Jacoby Brissett and called Cardinals tight end Trey McBride the best player at his position in the league right now.

Minutes later, Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw asked Gronkowski why he hadn’t discussed McBride. When the rest of the panel — including Michael Strahan — pointed out that Gronkowski had just finished praising the tight end, Bradshaw insisted the omission had been deliberate, telling the panel he had “set up” his colleague. Strahan’s sarcastic response of “brilliant mind” underscored the confusion of the moment.

Clips of the exchange circulated on social media, where a number of viewers reacted negatively. Some suggested Bradshaw, who has been a fixture of Fox’s NFL coverage for decades, appeared out of sync during the segment. Several fans called for the longtime analyst to step away from the broadcast, with one viewer describing his halftime recaps as difficult to follow. Not all comments were critical — at least one fan defended the panel generally, noting that Gronkowski’s own delivery can be uneven — while another pointed to the segment as an example of why they skip pregame coverage entirely.

The episode lands at a sensitive time for Fox Corporation, whose sports programming remains a cornerstone of its business. The company, classified in the Communication Services sector within the Entertainment industry, saw its shares trade at $64.79 on the day, up 0.61% from a previous close of $64.40, with a market capitalization of roughly $26.8 billion. The company operates through two segments — Cable Network Programming and Television — producing and licensing news and sports content, making the quality and reception of its NFL studio shows a recurring point of interest for observers of the business.

Bradshaw, a four-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has faced periodic calls from fans to reduce his role in recent years, though he remains one of the most recognizable voices in NFL media and continues to appear on the network’s flagship pregame show.

What to watch

Upcoming Fox NFL broadcasts will show whether the panel’s format or Bradshaw’s role changes as the season progresses. Fox Corporation’s next quarterly earnings report may also provide updated commentary on sports viewership and advertising performance tied to its NFL package.

Source: original release