Jim Nantz Tells a Classic Phil Mickelson Fantasy Football Story
Jim Nantz joins Garrett Johnston on "Beyond the Clubhouse" this week and veteran broadcaster is an open book, sharing fun thoughts about his fantasy football team, remembering the most emotional broadcast he’s ever done, looking forward to the NFL season with Tony Romo, and discussing the Ryder Cup. You can listen here:
Nantz thinks this is one of the best U.S. Ryder Cup teams “in a very long time.” The sportscaster points to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers as the favorites for the NFL season and explains what he thinks makes Brady so successful. Nantz also paints a picture of what it was like to work the NFL season last season during Covid (mostly separated from his teammate Tony Romo) and what will be different about this season.
Nantz also tells some all-time stories about the fantasy football league he’s in with Romo. Romo and Nantz compete as a tandem against Tour players in their own respective groups like Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson, and Justin Thomas. Nantz remembers distinctively in 2013 when Mickelson made an alpha move by showing up for their fantasy football draft with his claret jug which he passed around for all to have a drink before they got down to business and made their picks.
Nantz also recalls how last season’s final matchup finished between Mickelson’s team and McDowell’s team in dramatic fashion. Mickelson held a huge lead and was letting everyone in the league know about it for twenty-four hours until the very last game of the season on a Monday night. The last player he had to dodge was Josh Allen who, of course, had a huge game for McDowell and “that one crushed (Phil) pretty good,” Nantz recalls. “This was definitely worse than (1999 U.S. Open and 2009 U.S. Open losses)," Nantz joked. "I think if you asked him he might own up to it."