NFL Pro Bowler Greg Olsen has a multimillion-dollar TV decision facing him, The Post has learned.
Olsen, the Carolina Panthers tight end, is deciding if he should continue to play or begin a career in broadcasting. Both Fox and ESPN have made offers to him, sources have told The Post, in an effort to lure him off the field as an analyst.
Sources said Fox is prepared to put Olsen in the booth but would likely need to put him on the No. 2 team or perhaps No. 3 to give itself a chance of convincing him not to play.
Though Olsen would not receive close to the at least $3.4 million he would bank if he continued playing this season, he would get in the door, with Troy Aikman potentially doing only the Thursday night-Sunday afternoon double-duty combo for one more season. Aikman could possibly opt out of Thursdays after this year and just do Sundays.
With ESPN, the potential role is not as clearly defined, though the executive now in charge of the network’s NFL coverage, Lee Fitting, has been in favor of a football analyst who could work both pro and college.
The big job that ESPN has available is one vacated by Charles Woodson, whom ESPN let go, on “Sunday NFL Countdown.” Internally, Tedy Bruschi, whom The Big Lead first mentioned, is one candidate to replace Woodson.
CBS met with Olsen but is not pursuing him.
Two sources who have spoken to Olsen, 33, believe he favors playing unless the TV offers come close to the money and/or there is a clear path to even more opportunities.
Olsen’s decision should come shortly. Last April, after tryouts for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” and Fox’s “Thursday Night Football,” he signed a two-year, $17.1 million extension with the Panthers. He received an $11.1 million signing bonus, according to OverTheCap.com. He is due a base salary of $1.9 million with a $1 million roster bonus and a half-million roster bonus. That means he has $3.4 million coming to him, but if he retires, he may have to give back some of his $11.1 million signing bonus.