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 workforce, together with NFL legend Tom Brady, makes its journey to Super Bowl LIX. Read extra behind-the-scenes tales from Richie Zyontz right here.
There is a few similarity in touring to NFL cities. For these of us who cowl the video games, it is principally about airports, accommodations and stadiums, a considerably mundane sample in what many contemplate a glamorous enterprise.
But there’s one place that swims towards the present, which maintains its attraction in all 32 levels of the NFL. And that is Green Bay, Wisconsin, the place nearly all meals is drenched in butter or cheese and the place life revolves round their beloved Packers.
Reminders are in every single place. Lambeau Field is positioned on Lombardi Avenue, not removed from Holmgren Way. Packers’ banners and signage are ubiquitous, adorning entrance yards, yards and storefronts. Our resort is steeped in Packers historical past. In reality, I had Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke looking at me from the toilet wall. It’s a bit of annoying to return out of the bathe feeling good and clear and see outdated No. 66 lined in mud and looking out able to combat!
Packers memorabilia is in every single place, together with this photograph of Ray Nitschke in a resort toilet. (Photo courtesy of Richie Zyontz)
The home that Vince constructed… and that Madden cherished
It takes simply 10 minutes from the stadium to convey you to a modest ranch-style dwelling adjoining to the Fox River. Built in 1959 by Vince and Marie Lombardi, it grew to become their residence throughout its ten-year keep in Green Bay. For soccer historians it has change into a sanctuary, a privileged stopping level for a fast snapshot.
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About 30 years in the past, the home got here in the marketplace and there was one notable purchaser. His identify was John Madden. Madden idolized Lombardi. As a younger novice coach, John as soon as took a six-hour thesis on Green Bay’s well-known “energy sweep” by the nice man himself.
One 12 months we hosted his All-Madden Team present from Lombardi’s former dwelling on Sunset Circle. There, within the basement the place Marie made her well-known cocktails and Vince watched movie of his sport, had been John Madden and Pat Summerall, filming our present with a nod to NFL royalty.
So, a number of years later, when Madden realized the home was in the marketplace, he expressed curiosity in shopping for it and turning it right into a Lombardi museum. Ultimately no provide was made, however the recollections of that day in Lombardi’s basement stayed with Madden for the remainder of his life.
When Vince Lombardi’s home was put in the marketplace, John Madden, a fantastic admirer of Lombardi, expressed curiosity in buying it. (Photo courtesy of Richie Zyontz)
This is Green Bay, a small city crammed with a proud historical past. With a inhabitants of 107,000, this football-mad neighborhood fills an 81,000-seat stadium. And it has been that method since 1960, when Lombardi was in his second 12 months as coach. If you need season tickets right this moment, you will have loads of firm. There are 147,000 individuals on that ready checklist. It’s that form of ardour, on this distinctive surroundings, that makes overlaying a sport at Lambeau so particular.
Lambeau Field is the place particular moments are made, together with Tom Brady’s favourite
Those particular moments have been quite a few within the video games we have lined through the years.
Brett Favre in 1995, taking part in on a badly sprained ankle and throwing 5 landing passes towards the hated Bears. The championship sport towards the Giants in 2007, when the wind chill was -23 and New York supervisor Tom Coughlin’s face was frozen and scary to see.
Legendary coach Vince Lombardi retains vigil exterior Lambeau Field. (Photo courtesy of Richie Zyontz)
Future Hall of Famers Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady battle for the 2021 NFC title, received by Brady’s Bucs, and finish with an emotional hug between Tom and his teenage son Jack.
Tom says he nonetheless cries excited about that second and calls it the favourite of his legendary profession.
Behind the scenes: Tom Brady hugs his son after successful the 2021 NFC Championship
That was the final of solely three video games Brady performed at Lambeau Field. With the Patriots, coach and soccer historian Bill Belichick dusted off outdated movie and confirmed his workforce what Green Bay meant to NFL historical past. Brady and his teammates might have watched outdated Packer greats like Don Hutson, Bart Starr and the legendary “energy sweep” that so intrigued John Madden a few years in the past.
It was the Lions who had been at dwelling within the unhealthy climate
Unfortunately, on Sunday, all of the custom and historical past meant nothing because the Packers had been schooled by the mighty Detroit Lions, 24-14.
Tom Brady, calling the sport with Kevin Burkhardt, says his favourite profession second occurred at Lambeau Field. (Photo courtesy of Richie Zyontz)
The climate was brutal, with sturdy winds and rain, and would seemingly favor the house workforce. But Detroit, taking part in its first outside sport of the season, dealt with the weather to perfection.
So did our intrepid reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi. They do the unheralded job of observing and offering info to the truck and sales space throughout the sport, rain or shine. After the sport it was all moist smiles and chilly fingers: Lambeau has that form of impact on individuals.
The unhealthy climate at Lambeau Field did nothing to decelerate the Detroit Lions. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Next week we return to Tampa because the Bucs battle the 49ers, who anticipate to have star working again Christian McCaffrey again within the fold. Visiting groups are 8-1 thus far this season with our crew. And whereas unhealthy climate adopted us in every single place, Tampa’s forecast appears nice for Sunday.
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.
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