NFL Legend Greg Olsen on the Preparation and Pressure of Calling the Super Bowl | The Game Inside The Games, Ep. 2

Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Dr. Michael Gervais

Sport Psychology, Finding Mastery, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Business, Self Help, Michael Gervais, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Psychology, Self-improvement, Education

4.7 • 1.7K Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For the players on the field, the Super Bowl is the ultimate test of skill and composure. But just above them, in the broadcast booth, another high-stakes performance is unfolding—one with no second chances, no instant replay, and no room for error.

In this episode of The Game Inside the Games, Dr. Michael Gervais sits down with Greg Olsen, former NFL star turned Emmy-winning broadcaster, to unpack the relentless preparation, mental discipline, and pressure that comes with calling the biggest game in sports.

Greg shares why broadcasting the Super Bowl was more nerve-wracking than playing in one, the mental traps sportscasters must avoid, and the game-day routines that helped him deliver when millions were watching. He opens up about self-doubt, trusting his instincts in the booth, and the mindset shifts that allowed him to rise to the top of the broadcasting world.

This episode is a masterclass in handling pressure, preparation, and performing at your best—whether you’re on the field, in the booth, or in any high-stakes moment of life.

Subscribe now and follow along with Finding Mastery all week as we unlock the mindset of high-performance athletes on the world’s biggest stage. Get The Game Inside The Games on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to New Orleans and the Game inside the games, presented by Microsoft co-pilot.
0:25.8	I am Sport and Performance Psychologist, Dr. Michael Jervais.
0:28.5	And I'm Greg Olson.
0:29.9	Together, we're pulling back to curtain on the psychology of pivotal moments that can make or break a Super Bowl dream.
0:37.0	For those of you who don't know, Greg played 14 seasons in the NFL.
0:41.2	And then following his retirement, became a sportcaster.
0:44.4	And after just one full-time year at Fox, he was promoted to the number one team.
0:50.0	Called the Super Bowl broadcast and received universal acclaim.
0:54.1	That's pretty cool. You played in a Super Bowl. You've called a Super Bowl broadcast and received universal acclaim. That's pretty cool.
0:55.3	You played in a Super Bowl.
0:56.7	You've called a Super Bowl.
0:58.3	Out of those two, which one had more nerves?
1:02.2	Which one was more nerve-wracking for you?
1:04.0	I've actually gotten that question a couple different times.
1:07.5	And I think going into it, before I called it, I think I was actually more nervous
1:12.1	before I was the broadcaster. And I'll tell you why, my whole life, I played football at every
1:17.7	level I was comfortable on the field. I always felt very prepared. Like it was just something that I
1:23.4	had known. It's something that I had done my entire life. And it was an area where you don't always play well.
1:29.2	You don't always have the best game or everything
1:31.7	doesn't always go your way.
1:32.6	But I never felt uncomfortable on a football field.
1:35.0	I always felt like I was in control of my own destiny.
	...

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