By Richie Zyontz
FOX NFL Lead Producer
Editor’s Note: Richie Zyontz has been an NFL producer for FOX since 1994 and is in his twenty third season as a lead producer. He has greater than 40 years of championship expertise and has produced seven Super Bowls. Throughout the 2024 NFL season, he’ll present an inside look as FOX’s new No. 1 NFL staff, together with NFL legend Tom Brady, makes its journey to Super Bowl LIX. Read extra behind-the-scenes tales from Richie Zyontz right here.
The fantastic thing about sport is that it can’t be scripted. You by no means know what’s going to ensue.
As we ready for Saturday’s divisional showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, our collective salivary glands flowed with anticipation.
Then a sport broke out.
But permit me to digress.
For 30 years, FOX has traditionally been the house of the NFC, with occasional conferences between conferences.
(Related: More from Tom Brady | More from Richie Zyontz)
So our crew obtained an up-close have a look at some nice cross-division rivalries. Bears and packers. Cowboys and eagles. Rams and 49ers, amongst others.
But Ravens and Steelers? Not even one. Needless to say, we had been all excited for Saturday’s nationally televised tilt.
The tone and tenor of a rivalry usually begins on the prime with the coaches. As highlighted within the good HBO documentary “Hard Knocks” in regards to the AFC North, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh have agency management of their groups. They are the forms of dynamic leaders that our quarterback Tom Brady admires: leaders of males, not simply warriors on the chalkboard drawing up performs in a classroom.
Longevity is uncommon within the teaching world, however these two are notable exceptions.
Tomlin coached the Steelers for 18 seasons, Harbaugh led Baltimore for 17 seasons.
They have confronted one another as head coaches 37 occasions – in reality, solely Chicago’s George Halas and Green Bay’s Curly Lambeau have confronted one another extra.
When your names seem on a graphic alongside such legendary figures, your home in historical past is safe.
Before the sport, a fast handshake and hug at midfield belied their aggressive hearth. Familiarity breeds contempt, and regardless of mutual respect, that aggressive contempt was considerably revealed in our assembly with Harbaugh. He complained about Pittsburgh’s perennial happy-go-lucky type of play, suggesting that Tomlin usually will get his manner with officers. The tone of his voice was much less indignant than irritated. Harbaugh exudes a peaceful depth, no wasted phrases and sincere to the core.
Mike Tomlin (left) and John Harbaugh: a mixture of mutual respect and aggressive contempt. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
His counterpart, Tomlin, is extra performative, at occasions carefree, however at all times open and intensely quotable. It’s each manufacturing crew’s dream, and after making Steelers video games, we at all times want we had the prospect to see them extra usually.
Before a query is even requested, Tomlin will discuss in regards to the state of his staff, offering all the data and technique of any soccer coach.
For two weeks, our staff had entry to graphics of Tomlinisms, attention-grabbing and distinctive expressions that Tomlin has supplied through the years.
Unfortunately, the time by no means appeared proper to incorporate it within the present, so it’s going to stay in our pockets till the subsequent alternative.
And this brings us again to the unique premise: you by no means know what to anticipate when you begin the sport. About three hours earlier than kickoff, sport referee Bill Vinovich stopped by our manufacturing truck to say hi there. Officials are effectively conscious of the rivalries. Even if they do not name the sport the rest, they’re on excessive alert to maintain the simmering dangerous blood from exploding.
Kyle Van Noy’s hit on Russell Wilson was par for the course in a bodily encounter between the AFC North rivals. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Vinovich mentioned his crew spent just a little extra time discussing this throughout the Friday assembly. And so will we. Our cameras had been on alert from the primary moments of the pre-match warm-up to search for potential scorching spots.
During the match, we knew that each sort out collected might result in fisticuffs. And though the race was bodily and difficult, in that respect it was uneventful.
No melee. No arguments.
Tom Brady praises Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry after Ravens win.
Our first glimpse of Steelers vs. Ravens went as easy as crab desserts at Koco’s pub, whereas the weakened Yinzers had been overwhelmed by Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson and a ferocious Baltimore move rush.
Jackson is a drive of nature, gifted with an infinite talent set that even Brady, the best quarterback of all time, marvels at.
One factor that is at all times fairly attention-grabbing to observe up shut is the post-game dynamic between Tom and his “LFG” award winner. This week the distinction went to Jackson, who was grinning like just a little boy as he referred to as Tom the GOAT. The few seconds of banter earlier than recording at all times reveal the deep respect Brady has earned from his former friends.
And the trophy is not dangerous both.
Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson | Week 16 DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
This week our crew will witness one other intense rivalry because the Green Bay Packers journey to Minneapolis to tackle the Vikings in a sport so essential it will likely be broadcast within the late afternoon window (4:25 PM ET).
We’re solely 47 days away from Super Bowl 59 and these two groups are very a lot within the image.
Richie Zyontz has been an NFL producer for FOX since 1994 and is in his twenty third season as a lead producer. He has greater than 40 years of NFL expertise.
Get extra from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get data on video games, information and extra
