Brian David "The Facemask Fingerer" Baldinger (born January 7, 1960) is a former professional American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 player and former color commentator

Color commentator

A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...

 for National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 telecasts on the Fox

NFL on FOX

NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...

 network. He also covers Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 preseason games as an analyst on WXIA-TV

WXIA-TV

WXIA-TV, virtual channel 11.1 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Atlanta, Georgia. Popularly known by its 11 Alive moniker, WXIA is owned by the Gannett Company in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WATL...

 with Randy Waters. Baldinger is currently in his sixth year with NFL Network

NFL Network

NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...

, where he serves as an analyst with Sterling Sharpe

Sterling Sharpe

Sterling Sharpe is a former American football wide receiver and an analyst for the NFL Network. He attended the University of South Carolina, and played from 1988 to 1994 with the Green Bay Packers.-Early life:...

 and Brian Billick

Brian Billick

Brian Harold Billick is a National Football League game analyst for Fox, and is also an analyst for the network's Bowl Championship Series coverage. He was previously an NFL coach, most recently with the Baltimore Ravens from January 19, 1999 to December 31, 2007...

 on Thursday and Friday editions of Playbook

Playbook

Playbook may refer to:*A book that contains a script or story for a theatrical play. This written version of the composition is used in preparing for a performance**Fleury Playbook, a medieval playbook kept in a French abbey until the French Revolution...

, as well as NFL Network’s signature show NFL Total Access

NFL Total Access

NFL Total Access is a television news program on the NFL Network.The network treats it as the league's "show of record" and bills it as the only year-round show dedicated to the National Football League, despite the ESPN show NFL Live running year round as well.NFL Total Access is primarily hosted...

. He is also a regular contributor to NFL.com.

Early years

Baldinger was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. 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

Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...

. His family later moved to Apple Valley, Minnesota

Apple Valley, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 45,527 people, 16,344 households, and 12,405 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,625.5 people per square mile . There were 16,536 housing units at an average density of 953.6 per square mile...

, then Massapequa, New York

Massapequa, New York

Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....

 where he and his brothers became well-known locally as they continued to excel in sports. He played high school football

High school football

High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....

 at Massapequa High School

Massapequa High School

Massapequa High School is a four-year public high school located in Massapequa, New York for students grades 9 through 12. It is known locally for its low drop out rate and quality sports teams.As of the 2005–06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,868 students and 133.0 classroom...

, and lifeguarded at Tobay Beach during summers.

Playing career

An offensive lineman, Baldinger played college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 at Nassau Community College

Nassau Community College

Nassau Community College is a two-year college. It is located in East Garden City, New York, USA. The school is in Nassau County on Long Island. NCC maintains a nationwide reputation for academic excellence and ease of transferability to four-year institutions.- History :Created as part of the...

 and Duke University

Duke University

Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...

; he graduated from Duke in 1982. He went undrafted in the 1982 NFL Draft

1982 NFL Draft

The 1982 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 27–28, 1982...

. Baldinger was offered a free agent

Free agent

In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

 contract

Contract

A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...

 by the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

 to come to training camp and earned a roster spot. Baldinger later played for the Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

 and Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

.

Broadcasting career

Baldinger began his broadcasting

Broadcasting

Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...

 career at Fox in 1997

1997 NFL season

The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...

 providing analysis for NFL Europe games. The network was impressed with his soothing voice and handy repertoire of clichés, and promoted him to a color commentary slot for NFL games. Baldinger worked alongside play-by-play voices Ray Bentley

Ray Bentley

Ray Russell Bentley is a former professional American football linebacker.-Playing career:...

, Curt Menefee

Curt Menefee

Curt Menefee , is an American sportscaster who is the host of the Fox network's NFL show Fox NFL Sunday. His co-hosts are Jimmy Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Michael Strahan....

, Joe Buck

Joe Buck

Joseph Francis "Joe" Buck is an American sportscaster and the son of legendary sportscaster Jack Buck. He has won numerous Sports Emmy Awards for his play-by-play work with Fox Sports.-Education:...

, Pat Summerall

Pat Summerall

George Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...

, Kenny Albert

Kenny Albert

Kenny Albert , is an American sportscaster, and the son of sportscaster Marv Albert and the nephew of sportscasters Al Albert and Steve Albert...

, and Dick Stockton

Dick Stockton

Dick Stockton is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.-Early life and career:...

.

In May 2009, it was reported that Baldinger would be replaced by former NFL safety John Lynch

John Lynch (American football)

John Terrence Lynch, Jr. is a former National Football League strong safety and current NFL on Fox color commentator. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford.A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super...

 on Fox's telecasts. Shortly thereafter, Baldinger was hired by Compass Media Networks

Compass Media Networks

Compass Media Networks is an American radio network.The company launched in January 2009. It is owned by former Westwood One CEO and former COO of Connoisseur Media, Peter Kosann...

 to serve as lead analyst for their national radio broadcasts of select Sunday afternoon NFL games.

Baldinger also co-hosts a talk show for Sporting News Radio

Sporting News Radio

Yahoo! Sports Radio, formerly Sporting News Radio is a United States sports radio network that broadcasts sports news, talk, scores, and highlights 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On August 1, 2011, it was announced the network would change its name to Yahoo! Sports Radio, effective...

 during football season, and teaches seminars for Nadia Communications. He is the author of the book The Map to Clear Messages.

In 2011, Baldinger co-hosts from 10am to Noon, Monday-Friday, a sports-talk radio show for Philadelphia's "97.5 The Fanatic" sports station, an ESPN Affiliate.

Personal life

A resident of Marlton, New Jersey

Marlton, New Jersey

Marlton is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Evesham Township in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Marlton was 10,260.-History:...

, Baldinger has two younger brothers, Rich Baldinger

Rich Baldinger

Richard L. Baldinger is a former professional American football player. Baldinger, an offensive lineman, played twelve seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Kansas City Chiefs...

, and Gary Baldinger

Gary Baldinger

Gary Thomas Baldinger is a former professional American football player. Baldinger, a defensive lineman, played six seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Kansas City Chiefs. His older brother Rich Baldinger was his teammate with the Chiefs and also played at Wake Forest...

, who also played in the NFL. Brian Baldinger has a heavily mutilated right pinky finger that was injured when it became entangled in the facemask

Football helmet

A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...

 of Randy White (American football)

Randy White (American football)

Randall Lee "Randy" White is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker. He attended the University of Maryland from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame...

.