Cumulus Media announced on Tuesday that former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown has joined the Lions’ game-day broadcast team on WJR as color analyst. Brown replaces Jim Brandstatter who held the second spot on the football broadcasts for 31 years. Brandstatter had a five-year deal, with a renewal clause after two. The second year was just about to expire and WJR management decided to move in another direction.
Brandstatter, who broke the news on Twitter, said he was blindsided by the decision. The 68-year-old also calls play-by-play for Michigan football radio broadcasts.
Brown will provide commentary and analysis beside WJR’s play-by-play host, Dan Miller. Brown is a former first round pick from the University of Florida in the 1985 NFL draft. The Detroit Lions selected Brown sixth overall and he played for the Lions for 11 of his 18 NFL seasons. Brown also won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002, and was named to the Pro Bowl team seven straight seasons from 1990 to 1996. Brown said: “I am very excited by this opportunity. I know I have some big shoes to fill, but I’m excited about the chance to talk to all those great Lions fans every week.”
WJR Detroit GM Tom O’Brien said, “Jim Brandstatter did an excellent job for the past two years on WJR and for many years prior, and we’re proud of the work we did together. The addition of Lomas Brown, a former All-Pro Lion, will bring a unique perspective to the game-day broadcast.”
