On an NFL game day, the mix isn’t just sound, it’s the heartbeat of the broadcast. The goal is simple: Make viewers feel like they’re standing on the field without overwhelming the action. Neither Daniel Naggard nor Jeremy Katz originally imagined themselves shaping the audio for primetime NFL games, but once they found their way into broadcast audio, both discovered the rare mix of pressure, precision and excitement that keeps them coming back.
Naggard started in the early 2000s in Syracuse, back when the workflow was still mostly analog and troubleshooting was half the job. His big break came in 2015 when veteran mixer Wendel Stevens invited him to join NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” a leap that meant six months on the road with a brand-new crew.
“It was terrifying and thrilling,” he said. “Only 6 million people watching.”
Seven years as an A2 gave him hands-on experience with RF, comms and field audio. That training made stepping into submixing a natural next move.
Katz’s route looks different. He cut his teeth working with bands, eventually landed at regional sports networks before joining Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” four seasons ago. His philosophy is straightforward: “My job is to capture everything happening on the field and hand the A1 something solid and clean. I try to be as aggressive as I can, and the A1 can decide what’s safe for air.”
Katz said the key is chasing clarity, not noise for the sake of noise.
Showing and Telling
Both mixers talk about audio in practical, picture-first terms. If something is happening on screen, the viewer should hear it—simple as that. From the quarterback’s cadence to a clean catch or the thump of a tackle, the goal is to match the energy and detail the cameras are showing. Anything that’s unnecessary, distracting or muddy doesn’t belong in the mix.
One tool they fully agree on is the mic mounted on the SkyCam. Hovering just above the action, it’s positioned closer to the players than almost any other microphone. Katz calls it “the best mic on the field,” and Naggard uses it as a bed of natural sound.
From there, player mics provided by the league give him extra detail on the line. He brings them up after the huddle breaks, rides them through the snap, then pulls them down quickly to avoid smearing the rest of the soundscape.
Parabs are another staple. Both mixers prefer committing to a single parab per play rather than blending multiple at once.
“Quality over quantity,” Katz said. “You get a clearer picture when you’re not stacking too much.” Naggard agreed that picking the right mic and trusting it is part of the craft. Sometimes you guess wrong, but when you guess right, it feels perfect.”
Nowhere is that more true than with the most coveted sound in NFL audio: the “doink.”
Across crews, mixers keep a friendly, season-long competition over who can capture the best goalpost hit. Katz joked that the entire “TNF” truck starts cheering the moment a kick drifts toward the upright.
Naggard remembered one playoff game where everything lined up: the contact mics on the post, the 416s under the crossbar, the tension of the moment and Mike Tirico’s call. “If that mic was down, it would’ve ruined the whole moment,” he said. “Instead, it was perfect. I rode the adrenaline all the way back to the hotel.”
An Art and a Science
Mixing the NFL isn’t easy—you’re dealing with massive crowd surges, stadium PA music, sideline chaos, sweaty linemen, unpredictable ref mics and dozens of camera perspectives that shift direction every few seconds. You’re anticipating where a play is going before it happens. You’re making choices that millions of viewers will react to instantly.
Both mixers emphasize that it’s a creative craft, not just a technical job. You learn by watching others, borrowing ideas, shaping your own style, and adjusting to each game’s personality. “There’s no single right way to mix,” Naggard said. “You pick up techniques, try new things, and keep refining. That’s what makes it fun.”
For viewers at home, the result is seamless: Every snap, tackle and catch lands with clarity and intensity.
Behind the screens, it’s hundreds of subtle decisions: mic choice, fader ride and EQ tweaks that make the difference between a flat, lifeless broadcast and one that truly feels alive.
