Behind the Scenes with FOX NFL crew: A trip back in time to Green Bay

By Richie Zyontz
FOX NFL Lead Producer

Editor's Note: Richie Zyontz has been an NFL producer for FOX since 1994 and the lead producer for the last 20 seasons. He has more than 40 years of experience covering the league and has produced six Super Bowls. Throughout the 2022 NFL season, he will provide an inside look as FOX's new No. 1 NFL team makes its journey toward Super Bowl LVII.

Green Bay, Wisconsin, isn’t the most convenient destination. It usually requires two plane rides and an awful airport meal. Yet once you arrive, the experience is unlike any other on the NFL circuit.

This small city with 100,000 residents bleeds Packers green and gold. Everywhere you turn are reminders of past glories and local flavor. 

In the shadows of Lambeau Field, you can eat burgers, brats and chili at Kroll's. A few miles south in neighboring DePere, you can have dinner at the old Union Hotel, a favorite of Packers coaches from Curly Lambeau to Mike McCarthy. 

All conversations begin and end with the Packers. This is a community totally consumed with — and dedicated to — its football team.

Lombardi Time

Our crew stays downtown at the historic Hotel Northland, the site of Vince Lombardi's introductory press conference when he was hired as head coach in 1959.

Built in 1924, the hotel has hosted many famous guests, from Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy to countless visiting NFL players.

Those checking in will notice the clock behind the front desk is 15 minutes fast. That is in honor of the Packers' famously punctual coach, who ensured there were no latecomers to his meetings and required his players to show up early. It is forever referred to as "Lombardi Time."

Coach Lombardi's former home, located over on Sunset Circle, was the location for the taping of John Maddens "All-Madden Team" special in 1996.

Lombardi was Madden's hero, and when the property went up for sale a few years later, Madden gave serious consideration to buying it. He eventually decided to pass, but the sight of the Madden Cruiser parked in Vince Lombardi's driveway is a wonderful memory.

Pass the Sauerkraut

The Green Bay experience only gets better once you arrive at Lambeau Field.

Boasting a state-of-the-art Packers Hall of Fame and a gift shop second to none, Lambeau has become quite the year-round attraction. 

But on game day, it’s the alluring aroma of grilling tailgaters that immediately demands your attention.

Our FOX crew used to have its own tailgate gathering prior to games. My good friend and colleague, Mike Steavpack, a Green Bay resident and local legend, would spend days preparing, cooking and serving his beer-marinated bratwursts on Sunday mornings outside our TV trucks. 

But one windy day, the smoke from our grill set off a fire alarm inside the stadium's loading dock. The blaring siren didn’t interfere with anyone’s appetite — but we did have to relocate the grill.

The Orange Sleeves

One key member of an NFL broadcast crew is hired in the home city. This person is referred to as the "Orange Sleeves." He or she coordinates with the associate producer (AP) in the truck and the game referee to make sure the action is stopped and the commercials get in.

Through a series of signals, the "Orange Sleeves" alerts the ref that TV wants a commercial, and then once the referee signals a TV timeout, he or she remains on the field until TV is back from commercial. That communication is vital — any mistakes could cost the network money.

Since 1999, Paul Ihlenfeldt has worn the sleeves for every network at Lambeau Field.

Paul's late father, Len, held the position prior to that, starting in 1974. That’s almost 50 years of Ihlenfeldts wearing the Orange Sleeves at Lambeau!

Our crew has such high regard for Paul’s work that we have him travel to all FOX Super Bowls, and he'll be there again for us in Glendale, Arizona, in February.

With 30-second Super Bowl ads going for $7 million a pop, you can understand why the "Orange Sleeves" is such a crucial part of the production.

Frozen Tundra

Our crew has witnessed many memorable games at Lambeau, but the one that stands out is the frigid NFC Championship game in January 2008 against the New York Giants. 

With temperatures hovering around 2 degrees, and the stiff winds making it feel much colder, the game felt secondary to the conditions. I can remember seeing our crew that morning leaving the hotel, all wearing layer upon layer of cold-weather gear.

Just for the experience, I tried walking the field before the game and lasted about 10 seconds before making a hasty retreat. 

The lasting image from that day was Giants coach Tom Coughlin's reddened, frozen face looking on from the sidelines. 

Forty years after the original, we were truly part of a second Ice Bowl.

All in the Family

The brightest moments from Sunday's telecast didn’t involve the actual game. They instead featured two different families, the LaFleurs and the Olsens.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur are brothers, and they got to face off against each other with their parents and 97-year-old grandmother, Jean, in attendance. Before the game, we got to witness a family reunion on the field involving many hugs and one priceless photo capturing the moment. It was a very sweet moment.

But selfishly, our favorite moment involved Greg Olsen's 9-year-old son, TJ, as he got to shake hands with his hero Aaron Rodgers. Seeing the look on TJ's face as the Packers QB approached him two hours before kickoff was priceless. 

Sixteen months ago, TJ was recovering from a heart-transplant surgery. He's a wonderful kid and has become an inspiration for our entire crew. Seeing that beaming smile made our day.

TJ had a much better day than Rodgers, who was under constant pressure from a swarming Jets defense in the Packers' 27-10 loss.

Next week, we head to Silicon Valley when the 49ers host the Chiefs in a battle of two teams looking to bounce back from losses.