FOX Sports broadcaster quitting role for new career weeks after Jimmy Johnson

FOX Sports has suffered another blow with the departure of one of its football broadcasters, just weeks after ended his TV career. Ex-Seattle Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard is leaving his role as a college football analyst.

He instead intends to coach his son's football team. Huard's career saw him play quarterback at the University of Washington before joining the Seahawks and later serving as understudy to legend Peyton Manning at the Indianapolis Colts. He moved into , calling football and games for from 2020. This news follows the retirement of Johnson, the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach who clinched two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.

Johnson announced his departure from FOX Sports in March, having been a cornerstone of its NFL coverage for nearly 31-years. He was part of a beloved team that included Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Michael Strahan.

The 81-year-old revealed his retirement during an appearance on The Herd With Colin Cowherd. Huard, who was part of FOX's No. 2 college football booth alongside Jason Benetti, announced his decision on the Real Hawk Talk podcast, stating he wanted to concentrate on his son's high school football team.

The 48-year-old joined FOX in 2019, having previously worked as a sideline reporter for UFL games on ESPN, and co-hosted the Brock and Salk show with Mike Salk on 710 ESPN Seattle.

"I'm going to be the tight ends coach at Valor Christian High School," Huard said on his new direction. "I'd like to still do [broadcasting] down the road, but for these years, these formative years, my son's gonna be a sophomore.

"These are years I'll never, ever, ever get back. And I'm gonna jump into it." With Huard's departure from FOX's No. 2 booth, speculation is rife about his potential successor.

Mark Sanchez, a USC star and former NFL New York Jets quarterback, who joined FOX in 2021, is among the candidates poised to step up. The talented Robert Griffin III is another possibility, available since his exit from ESPN several months ago.

Reflecting on his personal choice to retire, Johnson, meanwhile, said: "The most fun I ever had in my career, that's counting Super Bowls and national championships, was at FOX Sports.

"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. I'm going to miss it. I'm going to miss all the guys. I'll see them occasionally. It's been a great run starting 31 years ago."

Amidst a season of transition, FOX also has the departures of seasoned journalists Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson to manage, as their contracts concluded with the end of the NFL season. While their return hasn't been ruled out, their careers at the network stand on uncertain ground.