FOX Sports Detroit is thrilled to announce our preseason Detroit Lions broadcast team: analyst Chris Spielman, a former NFL linebacker; play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard; and sideline reporter Jennifer Hammond.
The Detroit Lions will make Spielman available to media prior to their training camp practice Sunday, July 31 (approx. 1:30 PM) at their training and practice facility in Allen Park.
Spielman, a NFL and college football analyst for FOX Sports, is an All-Pro Linebacker whom played eight seasons (1988-1995) with the Detroit Lions. He was selected to four Pro Bowls during his time with Detroit. He also spent two seasons for the Buffalo Bills, retiring with the Cleveland Browns in 1999. Spielman is a former All-American at the Ohio State University, where he was awarded the Rotary Lombardi Award in 1987.
Spielman joined FOX Sport's lineup as an analyst for the NFL and college football for the network earlier this year after spending 14 years color commentating for ESPN's college football coverage. He began his career in sports broadcasting as a NFL studio analyst for FOX Sports Net, for two years following his retirement from the NFL. Spielman was also an analyst for Lions Preseason TV from 2001-04.
Shepard, a sports reporter, host and play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports Detroit, is also the host of the morning show on sports-talk radio WDFN-AM 1130. The 2016 Michigan Sportscaster of the Year, Shepard has served as the play-by-play announcer for Detroit Lions preseason games since 2008 and as the host of The Ford Lions Report during the regular season on the Detroit Lions Television Network. He has called play by play for all four major teams in Detroit. Previously, he has done college hockey play-by-play and MHSAA championships (football and basketball) play-by-play.
Hammond, the 2015 Ty Tyson "Excellence in Sports Broadcasting Award" winner, is a sports reporter for WJBK-TV FOX 2. The two-time EMMY Award winner has covered Detroit sports for FOX 2 since 1997. She returned to Detroit in 1994 to work for WDFN after getting her on-camera start on CLTV with the morning traffic reports and later as the morning sports anchor. Hammond got her start in the field in the Sports Information department at Western Michigan in 1983.
The trio will broadcast four preseason games on FOX 2: Aug. 12 at Pittsburgh Steelers, Aug. 18 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Aug. 27 at Baltimore Ravens and Sept. 1 vs. Buffalo Bills. Check local listings for replays on FOX Sports Detroit.
"All of us at FOX Sports Detroit are excited to welcome Chris, Matt and Jennifer as the broadcasting team in our second year as the cable TV home of the Detroit Lions," said Greg Hammaren, senior vice president and general manager of FOX Sports Detroit. "We've had the pleasure of working with Matt and Jennifer for a number of our other live events, and think Chris will bring his unique perspective as a former linebacker and energy to enhance our show."
