The Princeton Varsity Club welcomed former Princeton football teammates and current sports media personalities Kyle Brandt ’01 and Ross Tucker ’01 back to campus on Wednesday, March 23rd as part of the Jake McCandless ’51 PVC Speaker Series. Brandt and Tucker, after morning appearances on Good Morning Football (NFL Network) and WIP (94.1) Philadelphia Sports Radio respectively, spent the afternoon touring campus and visiting with Princeton coaches and staff before closing out the evening as featured speakers for a conversation titled, “Tigers in Front of the Mic.”
Click here for a photo gallery and highlight video of the event.
Brandt and Tucker shared with the students, staff/coaches and Princeton community members in attendance their most memorable experiences as student-athletes and how their time at Princeton shaped and prepared them for the successful careers they enjoy today in the sports media industry. They encouraged students to take advantage of all that Princeton has to offer by participating in extracurricular activities, campus events and educational offerings that align with their interests and passions. Each speaker noted that time at Princeton is limited, but the memories, experiences and relationships that students gain will shape them forever.
Brandt and Tucker, who were joined on-stage by Ford Family Director of Athletics John Mack ’00, also spoke to the chances they took in their professional careers, and how they chose paths less traveled to pursue their dreams. Brandt encouraged students to pursue career opportunities that they are most passionate about instead of following the status quo of their friends, family or classmates, while Tucker inspired with the message of saying “yes” to new opportunities and not being afraid to fail. Additionally, Brandt and Tucker shared insights and stories from their current roles working with and interviewing professional athletes, celebrities and high-profile media personalities.
The Jake McCandless ’51 PVC Speaker Series was endowed in the name of J.L. “Jake” McCandless ’51, who coached Princeton to the 1969 Ivy League football championship during the Tigers’ centennial year of football. Click here for a list of past featured speakers.
Learn More About Our Featured Speakers
Kyle Brandt is a co-host of the popular NFL Network show Good Morning Football where he discusses breaking news and important topics surrounding the NFL and each of its 32 teams. In addition to his network TV role, he also hosts his own podcast called Ten Questions With Kyle Brandt that interviews famous athletes and celebrities through a mix of trivia questions about their careers. Prior to his current roles, Brandt broke into the media industry as a cast member of The Real World Chicago, in an acting role on the soap opera Days of Our Lives and then as a writer and producer on The Jim Rome Show. An English major from the class of 2001, Brandt was a three-year starter at running back and kick returner for Princeton football.
Ross Tucker has also made a name for himself in the sports media industry, serving as a game analyst for CBS, Westwood One and the Philadelphia Eagles. Outside of the broadcast booth Tucker is also a successful businessman and entrepreneur. He is the host and owner of the popular Ross Tucker Media Podcast Network and a co-founder and CEO of GoBigRecruiting.com which helps student-athletes to submit profile information and videos to college recruiters. Before his current business ventures, Ross played seven seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman for the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. He graduated from Princeton in 2001 with a Politics degree and is a member of Princeton Football’s 150th Anniversary Team.
