Brian Baldinger

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Brian Baldinger
Date of birth: January 7, 1960 (1960-01-07) (age 48)
Place of birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Career information
Position(s): Offensive guard / tackle
Jersey №: 62
College: Nassau Community College
Duke University
Organizations
 As player:
1982-1987
1988-1991
1992-1993
Dallas Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts
Philadelphia Eagles
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Brian David Baldinger (born January 7, 1960) is a former professional football player and current National Football League television commentator for the Fox Television Network. He covers Atlanta Falcons preseason games as an analyst on WXIA-TV with Randy Waters. He is also a chief analyst on the NFL Network program titled "Playbook."

Baldinger was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Always big, strong and athletic for his age, Baldinger spent much of his youth playing a variety of sports in and around Cherry Hill, New Jersey. His family later moved to Apple Valley, Minnesota, then Massapequa, New York where he and his brothers became well-known locally as they continued to excel in sports. He played high school football at Massapequa High School, and lifeguarded at Tobay Beach during summers.

An offensive lineman, Baldinger played college football at Nassau Community College and Duke University; he graduated from Duke in 1982.[1] He went undrafted in the 1982 NFL Draft. Baldinger was offered a free agent contract by the Dallas Cowboys to come to training camp. He pleasantly surprised the Cowboys and earned a roster spot. Baldinger later played for the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles.

Baldinger began his broadcasting career at Fox in 1997 providing analysis for NFL Europe games. The network was impressed with his insight and style, and promoted him to a color commentary slot for NFL games. Baldinger has worked alongside play-by-play voices Ray Bentley, Curt Menefee, Joe Buck, Pat Summerall, and Kenny Albert; he currently teams with Dick Stockton in the broadcast booth. A resident of Marlton, New Jersey[2] Baldinger also co-hosts a radio show for One on One Sports and teaches seminars for Nadia Communications. He is the author of The Map to Clear Messages.

He has an older brother, Rich Baldinger, and a younger brother, Gary Baldinger, who also played in the NFL. Baldinger has a heavily mutilated right pinky finger that was injured when it became entangled in the facemask of an opposing player.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Brian Baldinger, database Football. Accessed November 25, 2007.
  2. ^ Luksa, Frank. "Lessons in Dallas prepared Baldinger", The Dallas Morning News, July 7, 2002. Accessed November 25, 2007. "Baldinger can explain how it happened and did this week from his home in Marlton, N.J."