“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.” Fox NFL Sunday has long been the home of Jimmy Johnson’s post-coaching football analysis. For three whole decades, this was where he turned insightful breakdowns and legendary banter into appointment viewing for millions. But a new era was brewing for Fox as Johnson announced his retirement back in March. With the new season just around the corner, Johnson finally called it a day for good. And what better way to end it than with a song?
Jimmy Johnson signing off was more than just the end of a television era. After the HOFer coach led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl rings and guided the Miami Hurricanes to a collegiate national championship, he took up the mantle of a broadcasting titan. And broadcasting was the place where he knew he belonged. “As you know, probably the most fun I ever had in my career, and that’s counting Super Bowls and national championships, was at Fox Sports.” Johnson had reflected during his announcement. And he found the perfect way to cap off his broadcasting career, with the squad right by his side.
Jimmy Johnson posted a picture from his last day with the Fox crew on his official IG handle. With the camaraderie deeper than ever, Johnson wrapped three decades at the analyst’s desk. Not with a stat breakdown or highlight reel, but with a soulful rendition of ‘End of the Road’, delivered arm-in-arm with fellow hosts and ex-NFLers. Rob Gronkowski hoisted a broad grin in the background, and Boyz II Men piped in harmony. In that moment, football’s ultimate competitor became its favorite crooner, surrounded by a fam forged in the fires of 31 NFL seasons. Johnson captioned the post, “Singing ‘End of The Road’ with my Fox guys & Boys to Men!!” The final broadcasting duty for Johnson ended as the music faded into a nostalgic tone. But what not?
For the Fox NFL Sunday team, Johnson wasn’t just a colleague. In a business where egos are as big as Super Bowl rings, Johnson was authentic, beloved, and steady. He was a source of insight and laughter, quick to drop a bit of homespun wisdom or a sharp read on a play-in-progress. As his co-star Michael Strahan summed it up best in a tribute on X, “It has been 17 seasons of fun and laughs sitting next to you. You’re truly one of a kind and thanks for being you and gifting me with one of the best friendships anyone could ever ask for. Hope you enjoy fishing and drinking beers on the boat. You deserve it, love you Coach.”
Johnson’s departure leaves a void in the Sunday routine. It arrives at a moment when the league and its media ecosystem seem to be in constant reinvention. Former legends transition to the booth, broadcast crews juggle new roles, and every network hunts for the next great voice. As Johnson sang his way through ‘End of the Road,’ surrounded by his Fox crew, the moment felt bigger than a retirement. It was both a curtain call and a torch-passing: filled with gratitude, nostalgia, and a tangible sense of transition. All of which brings us to the next act of the show.
Changing of the guards: Jimmy Johnson’s Fox saga continued by Rob Gronkowski
Fox had already made a big move last year with the addition of Tom Brady. As Jimmy Johnson walked away after a glorious career, the next man up is none other than Rob Gronkowski. As Ari Meirov reported on X, “FOX also announced that with Jimmy Johnson now retired, Rob Gronkowski will officially replace him in the studio, joining Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Michael Strahan on the desk.” Gronk isn’t just a replacement, though. He’s an exclamation point. The 4x Super Bowl champ TE will slide into Johnson’s seat full-time for the 2025 season. At 36, Gronkowski has already made sporadic appearances as a guest host, his outsized personality and candid style making him an instant hit and the occasional lightning rod.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2054: Commanders vs Eagles JAN 26 January 26, 2025, Philadelphia PA Fox commentator Rob Gronkowski broadcasts from the NFC championship between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Canha/CSM/Sipa USA Credit Image: Eric Canha/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field Pa USA NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xCalxSportxMediax Editorial use only
Gronkowski brings a new-school energy (irrepressible, loose, and utterly unfiltered) to a panel that’s thrived on both gravitas and chemistry. As one of the NFL’s greatest modern TEs, he’s instantly relatable to younger crowds but also carries the championship pedigree for the old-school viewers’ respect. It’s Fox’s bet that Gronk won’t just fill Johnson’s chair but will leave his dent in the studio furniture, bringing fresh stories and unpredictable energy. Remember when he challenged Indianapolis at the Indy 500? He’ll now bring that energy to the Sunday studio.
If Jimmy Johnson symbolized the old-guard football sage, Gronk might prove its the new-age showman. He’ll be ready to shake up slow Sunday routines and rewire the traditionalist vibe with a healthy spike and a heart laugh. For Fox, for the NFL crowds, and for the legends at the desk, the show, as ever, must (and will) go on.
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