The Atlanta Falcons are moving out of primetime this week, but they aren’t exactly leaving the national spotlight.
Atlanta hosts the Chicago Bears at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with FOX carrying the Week 6 matchup. The network is sending its top NFL broadcast crew to Atlanta.
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall noted Tuesday that the Falcons are “out of primetime but still in the spotlight with the Fox A team coming to town.”
That means Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will be on the call for Bears-Falcons.
Tom Brady Will Call Falcons-Bears for FOX
Burkhardt will handle play-by-play alongside Brady, with Andrews and Rinaldi reporting from the sidelines.
FOX officially lists Burkhardt and Brady as its lead NFL broadcast pairing, with Andrews and Rinaldi joining them for the network’s top games each week.
It gives Atlanta another high-profile television assignment even after three straight weeks under the primetime lights.
The Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers 35-14 on Thursday Night Football in Week 3 before routing the New Orleans Saints 45-24 on Monday Night Football. They returned home for Sunday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5.
That one didn’t end nearly as well.
Atlanta led late before Baltimore rallied to force overtime and eventually handed the Falcons a 30-23 loss. Tua Tagovailoa replaced an injured Michael Penix Jr. during Atlanta’s overtime possession and threw an interception to Kyle Hamilton that ended the game.
The loss dropped the Falcons to 2-3.
Sunday’s game against Chicago moves Atlanta back into the traditional early-afternoon window, but getting FOX’s lead crew shows the matchup still carries plenty of interest.
Burkhardt and Brady are in their third season together as FOX’s No. 1 NFL booth. Brady joined the network full-time in 2024 after retiring following his 23-year playing career.
Andrews and Rinaldi make up FOX’s lead sideline team.
Falcons, Bears Both Looking to Bounce Back
The matchup also features two teams coming off difficult Week 5 losses.
Chicago enters Atlanta at 3-2 after suffering a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Bears had won three straight before the defeat.
Atlanta, meanwhile, has its own questions entering the week, beginning with Penix’s health.
The quarterback suffered a rib injury late against Baltimore and couldn’t return in overtime. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday he expected to have a better idea of Penix’s availability by Wednesday.
There has been optimism within the organization that Penix will be able to play against Chicago.
His status could become one of the biggest storylines Brady and the FOX crew are following by the time they arrive in Atlanta.
The Falcons had started to find some offensive momentum before the Baltimore loss. Atlanta scored 80 combined points in wins over Green Bay and New Orleans before managing 23 against the Ravens.
Chicago is trying to rebound from its own rough showing after Green Bay held the Bears to seven points.
FOX has five games in the early Sunday window, but Bears-Falcons will receive the network’s top team.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
For Falcons fans wondering who they’ll hear Sunday, it will be Burkhardt and Brady in the booth with Andrews and Rinaldi on the sidelines.
NFL Makes Notable Falcons-Bears Decision Ahead of Week 6