FOX is undergoing some huge changes this off-season which could make NFL look a lot different on the network.
The company is coming off the back of a record-breaking Super Bowl broadcast from New Orleans, Louisiana.
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The Fox NFL Sunday crew during their Super Bowl broadcastCredit: AP
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Terry Bradshaw has faced questions over his retirementCredit: Getty
But that game at the Superdome marked the end of an era for at least one member of the team.
More than 127 million people tuned in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 and end their hopes of a three-peat.
That was the highest domestic audience the game has reached.
But it also came with a couple of retirement bombshells and contract questions.
Both Terry Bradshaw, 76, and Jimmy Johnson, 81, addressed their futures during the Super Bowl week.
For Johnson, it proved to be his final broadcast after he announced this week he is retiring.
He appeared live on The Herd with Colin Cowherd this Monday.
“As you know, probably the most fun I’ve ever had in my career, and that’s counting Super Bowls and National Championships, was at Fox Sports,” Johnson told Cowherd.
“I have an absolute ball with my friends on the set, and the best friends I’ve ever had there with Fox.
“And I’ll tell you on top of that, I love working for Eric Shanks, our CEO, and our producer Bill Richards.
‘Thinking about it for five years’, Jimmy Johnson announces Fox NFL Sunday retirement in surprise live TV statement
“But I’ve made an extremely difficult decision.
“I’ve been thinking about it for the last four or five years, and I’ve decided to retire from Fox, and I’m going to miss it.
“I’m going to miss all the guys, and I’ll see them occasionally, but it has been a great run starting back 31 years ago.”
Bradshaw, meanwhile, was adamant he had more to give yet.
He spoke to reporters at a Fox Sports media event leading up to the Super Bowl.
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Jimmy Johnson announced his shock decision to retire this weekCredit: Fox NFL
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Terry Bradshaw wants to go on until he’s 80, four more yearsCredit: Getty
“I told my wife before I left the room a while ago, I’m sitting there, I said, ‘I’ve got two years left at FOX. I’m 76′, Bradshaw said.
“Okay, so it’s a young man’s game. I get that.’ Everybody wants the new.
“And so I said, ‘If we can get to the next Super Bowl, I’ll be 80. That’s, I think that’s time’. 80 years old, that’s pushing it.”
Michael Strahan worked with both Bradshaw and Johnson on Fox NFL Sunday.
He will continue to be a part of the team with Howie Long, Curt Menefee and Jay Glazer.
Rob Gronkowski is expected to slot into Jimmy Johnson’s position on the panel.
He appeared regularly on the show last year, mostly when Johnson was absent.
Meanwhile, commentator Tom Brady was forced to deny claims he is about to quit.
Brady just finished his first season in the broadcast booth with Kevin Burkhardt.
His part-ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders was confirmed during the season, and that led to restrictions placed on him.
Brady isn’t allowed to attend production meetings, watch practice or enter another team’s facility.
That led to speculation he might end his broadcasting career just one season into a 10-year deal with Fox worth $375 million.
But he defiantly said, “I don’t know where it comes from, I know it always says ‘sources close to Brady’ or whatever.
“But I’ve had the best time at Fox. I’ve loved every time going into the booth and working with such great people.
“I’ve loved the whole process of diving into all these different team, it’s been a lot of growth for me in one year.
“And I really can’t wait to see what it looks like in year two. And way beyond that too.
“So I’ve got nine years left on my deal, maybe longer, you never know.
“If Fox wants me and I want to go, then we’ll keep going. Because it’s been really fun so far.”
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Erin Andrews (center) is out of contract while Tom Brady (right) has dismissed rumors he might quitCredit: Getty
Two members of the team who are yet to agree to new contracts are Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson.
Andrews is the network’s lead sideline reporter and often works with Brady at games.
Thompson hosts Fox NFL Kickoff on Sundays at 11 am ET before the main Fox NFL Sunday show begins at midday ET.
The pair share a podcast called Calm Down, and both of their futures have been discussed on there.
“Erin and I also have an affinity for local news,” Thompson said.
“There’s going to be a time in our lives.
“I hope it’s a retirement community in Florida or somewhere where they can roll us out and we can work like a couple days a week.
“And The Morning News can or anytime like the Evening News can you imagine?”
