Colleen Wolfe| on Air Talent for NFL Network

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Additional terms apply. It's a place where friendships are forged, football is revered, and food is enjoyed. Solo Stove, the perfect flame for the big game. On Wednesday, it was Colleen Wolf of NFL Network. She is, well, first of all, she's over the moon excited and you'll hear why, but she's got so much energy. The two of us, we were major spazzes.

The engineers were playing with the microphones and making sure that we weren't screaming over the mics because the two of us could probably, yeah, we could probably light up maybe Mandalay Bay with our energy, with our megawatt energy. Oh yeah, I actually have to share that photo at some point. So sitting down with Colleen Wolf of NFL Network and NFL Media was a real treat and here's why. I was looking at her social media, I almost dropped the phone. I am so incredibly jealous and I told her this, Colleen, you flew with the Thunderbirds. Holy cow. I need to hear everything.

How did this happen? From the moment I was a little girl, I've always wanted to do this. Everyone in my family is in aviation. My dad was in the air force. He's worked for the FAA. He actually taught me how to fly. So I've always loved flying in planes and being in a fighter jet was always like, okay, that's never going to happen, but I would love for it to happen. And oh my gosh, it was so, so, so fun.

I can't even tell you like the, I feel like I'm still processing it because it just happened yesterday. And we did so many hours of like training. I had to get like medical clearance. There were briefings. Like I had to do that months ago to get like, I had to send in measurements for a G suit. And when I first walked in, like the first thing we did was like, they immediately were like, okay, so for parachute landings, if you have to eject, like this is how you're going to have to cut your lines on the parachute.

There's going to be a pocket knife like in your G suit. And I'm like, huh? So it was like five hours of us talking about like worst case scenarios and like egress training. And I was like, in theory, this was a really good idea.

I'm going to follow through, but am I going to die today? Um, I guess this would be a way to go out. Like it was so, I can't even explain what a life experience that was. There was like, they had my name on the plane.

It was, it was so cool. We did all sorts of different tricks. Like I didn't know if we were just going to go up and fly around a little bit amazing, which would have been awesome. Like would have been the best thing ever, but no, we did all of the tricks too. So we went up, we were doing these things called knife edges, where like all of a sudden you just turn the plane on its side.

So like planes when they're doing the air shows can pass each other at a knife edge. And we were doing barrel rolls and loops and all of these, like just flying upside down. I was in Top Gun yesterday and I was not prepared for it. And it was the coolest experience of my entire life. Everyone that worked there, all of the Thunderbirds and everyone that is involved in that program, they could not have been nicer. And you could just tell how much they all loved each other, the camaraderie that they have.

It was just the best energy ever that was there. And I actually saw a couple of them walking around and now that I've shared this like life experience, I'm like, Oh my God, like, Hey, what are we doing now? Like, those are my friends, right?

Like we've been through something together and now we must stay friends. But it was, it was awesome. I cannot wait to see all of the videos and things because I haven't even had a chance to look through the pictures and the videos that we took because I was so disoriented when I got off the plane. Were you? Yeah. And we were like coming in for the landing and I was like, Oh my God, there's cameras that are here.

Right. And meanwhile, my whole body was completely drenched in sweat. I was not expecting it to be a full body workout and it was, and my quads are killing me today because they put you through these paces of how you have to breathe when you pulled G's. And so they were telling me that the human body is basically equipped to handle like three to four G's.

And so he's like, we're going to just do a G warmup here and we're going to do five G's. So the suit that they put on you is hooked up to the plane. So automatically starts to compress your legs once you start to like hit a certain G force. So then they tell you like when to start breathing and you have to breathe in this way where you like essentially tense up all of your lower, your lower, your legs and your lower core. And then you have to breathe in a tiny little piece of air and then breathe out like the carbon dioxide and like leave it in the back of your throat. And then you do that every three seconds.

And that's literally the only way that you can like not pass out. It's very complicated. It felt complicated. And so I was like, I'm not sure I got the breathing down.

Can we go over this again? And they told me if I was going to pass out, basically what would happen is I would lose my color vision first. So everything would go black and white and then it would turn into a tunnel and the tunnel would slowly get like smaller until you black out. And I was like, okay, cool.

Really hope that doesn't happen. And when we did the G warmup, I lost my color vision because I wasn't doing the breathing right. And the tunnel started to close in. And I was like, no, we are not doing this before I do anything up here in the air.

Like I'm, I will stay conscious. And I was able to somehow some way by the grace of God, like get the breathing down right and reverse the tunnel. So I could like get through it. And then we ended up getting up to nine G's and it was awesome. They did 10 G's in Top Gun Maverick.

We pulled, we pulled nine G's. And this morning when I woke up, I felt like I had been on a week long bender, just drinking and partying. And mind you, I was in bed at eight 45 last night and did not have a single drink. And I was like somehow hung over this morning from this experience, but it was an experience of a lifetime, a bucket list item. Like I can't even, I'm on cloud nine. I, it was awesome.

Your smile is amazing. What was the adrenaline rush like? Do you remember all of the different maneuvers and stuff or was it a blur?

No, it was so cool. It was also, I couldn't believe the fact that it was cloudy and rainy in Las Vegas yesterday, but we were able to find this like small patch of area that the clouds broke and we could do all of these things. And it was really cool to see like through the clouds, there were the snow capped mountains like popping up and we were just like upside down, like flying and like the canopy was just so cool. You could see so much and yeah, the adrenaline was like nothing I've ever experienced before in my life. And I've been skydiving before and that was just so different. Like the way that they fitted everything, like they were screwing on a helmet, I like the oxygen mask and everything. You got to strap yourself in. It was, it was unbelievable.

Oh my gosh. So is this going to be a feature on NFL network? We're gonna, we're gonna put together a feature. We're doing it now. It was, I feel like the pilot that I flew with, like he's like my brother now. I'm like, where, where's triple?

Like they all have their call signs. I got like the flight surgeons named fire and he helped to like teach me how to breathe. I, it was like maybe five or six hours of training before I went up. And now I think I have to join the air force. You do. You might need to, the Thunderbirds could use a few good women. Yes. Colleen Wolf is here at the CBS sports radio desk on radio row and you'll know her from the smile on TV, this humongous grid, which would be me too, which is awesome.

So thanks for a couple of minutes. What is it going to feel like talking about the football now? I'm like, Oh, the super bowl, whatever. Like that was my super bowl yesterday.

Yeah. I, uh, I kind of can't believe that we're here in Vegas and the fact that Vegas is hosting the super bowl because it is such an unbelievably extra city, maybe the most extra city in the entire world. And then you drop the super bowl in this city, which is the most extra sporting event in the world. And my God, I don't know how Vegas is going to handle it. I don't know what is in front of us, but I guess that's what makes it exciting.

It's international women in sports day. And I just love that there are more and more of us as you walk around radio row, uh, women doing radio, TV, digital, and I like to ask other women we're about the same age. What made you want to get into this? You know, I never wanted to do this. This was not the plan. Um, so why am I here?

I don't know. No, I, she wanted to be a pilot. I did like, there was a long time that I wanted to be a pilot and I was actually going to go to college to be an art teacher.

So this was a total left turn. But the reason that I'm here is I did an internship in college at a sports talk radio station and I worked for their morning show. And from the moment I walked into that studio, I could not believe that this was a job that people got paid for and how much fun they had. And from that moment, it was a challenge that I kind of just had for myself. Can I do this? Like, what even are the requirements for this? Can I teach myself as much as possible about the sports about, and like, because at the time in Philly, I was covering like all four of the major sports.

How much can I learn in such a small period of time to position myself to, to do it? And I, the experiment is still going on right now. NFL network. I remember when it started, right?

It was considered kind of this outlier. How are they going to fill 24, seven hours of programming just about the NFL. Now that's before we knew that it's a year round sport, right? Yeah. Every month, there's something going on. And if there's nothing going on, they fabricate something.

They figure it out. Since what? 2014. Yeah. Right. So almost, well, a decade now.

I mean, yes. How much has it grown in terms of role in programming and just the buzz? It has been so fun and interesting to watch NFL network evolve and to be there starting in 2014, I was hired as like a, it was a digital startup kind of arm of the company where they didn't, they didn't really know what it was. And they gave me like a one year contract. It was a total flyer. And I was also like, I don't know what this is going to be like either.

So I don't know if I want to stay. And it kind of just took off from there. And at this point, I think I've hosted almost every show that's been on the network. I've been in every single role.

I feel like a very much a utility player. They can kind of put me anywhere and just like see how I react. And it was like to host Thursday night football on the road when we had it on the network, that was probably one of the most fun parts of my job there at NFL network. And I've become so close to all of the people that I work with behind the scenes. But then also all of the analysts, I feel like have become my big brothers in a way. So I feel like I have like 30 brothers now in my family. And it's just, we've all been through such funny, weird moments and experiences. Like the Super Bowls in general are always like life experiences. But just doing some of the things that we've had the chance to do, I feel so lucky and so grateful to have gotten this job and then to have the opportunities that I've had.

Is this the pinnacle? I don't know what else there is after Air Force Thunderbirds and NFL network. Well, I know after yesterday, I was like, well, now what? Now what do I do? Like, I have no idea. But I guess I never thought that I would have that experience.

So I have to just keep aiming even higher. So we're gonna have to figure it out. I guess. I read that you were a Philadelphia sports fan, Philadelphia Eagles fan. How would you assess what happened with them at the end of this year?

Oh my god, how much time do you have? What a disaster. I have no idea how it happened. But I felt like I could see the train wreck like everyone else. It was happening for so long. And I've never been less excited for a playoff game when the Eagles were playing the Bucks because it just felt like everything had already fallen apart. And they have the talent.

I just I don't quite understand. I think like losing both coordinators last year really hurt them. There's obviously a lot of drama going on behind the scenes that we don't necessarily know about. Even watching the game on Christmas when they won Christmas Day. End of that game, everyone was like yelling at each other and fighting with each other. And I was like, wow, this is like a really big family Christmas over here. That's kind of relatable, guys.

Yeah. But it really is a shame because they had all of the pieces in theory to go far and to potentially get back here again to a Super Bowl. But it just seemed like there were like the effort from a lot of the players wasn't there. And it just seemed like there was a massive disconnect between the coaching staff and the players. And I don't know if that will be fixed next season, but they're going to try and we'll see what happens. I found it pretty interesting that they brought in Kellen Moore to be the offensive coordinator when Jeffrey Laurie, the owner, had interviewed him before he hired Nick Sirianni to be the head coach.

And so that feels very much like a Nick Sirianni if you don't figure this out, like I don't know. Yeah, you're on notice. But also if they do figure it out, then maybe Kellen Moore ends up with like head coaching opportunities and then he'll be gone. So I don't really know what the long term play is here, but there's got to be some massive changes. One of the things I love about the NFL more so than it is the case in a lot of sports, but in the NFL, no matter what you think, you know, it rarely makes sense. It never goes according to any kind of plan. And it changes from half to half and quarter to quarter at the NFC Championship is a great example. Just when you think, you know, the NFL laughs in your face and everything turns upside down.

I always say that it's the best reality show. The NFL truly is because who saw some of these things happening this year? And, you know, the fact that we could have potentially had a Lions-Bills Super Bowl if things had broken just slightly different. And you just can never truly predict what happens.

But then you have the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl again. So it's like, huh, some things do somehow feel inevitable. But we get to meet so many new faces along the way, like Tommy DeVito's and the Pukanakua's and all of the characters.

The story that the NFL tells each season is so different. And that's why it's just so much fun. Oh, it's amazing. Well, it's great to finally meet you in person. Big fan.

Enjoy watching you on TV and hearing what you have to say, but also just love your joy that you bring all the time because that's me too. Yes, I can feel it. We get to do this for a living. Although I'm super jealous right now about the Thunderbirds. Oh, man. I'm like, I still cannot believe it even happened. I'm like processing it, trying to. It was so awesome.

Well, the Super Bowl may not compare, but have fun. Thank you so much for a couple of minutes. And you, too.

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