Barry Jackson: How CBS’ Kevin Harlan became Dolphins fan favorite. And what he wants fans to know.

MIAMI The first thing Kevin Harlan wants Dolphins fans to know? That hes appreciative.

Hes grateful that in a business where fans can chew up network announcers, and accuse them of bias where there is actually none, that thousands of Dolphins fans enjoy his work and view him as a lucky charm of sorts.

I guess Im a little stunned by it quite frankly, Harlan said during a conversation earlier this year at Ball Arena in Denver, before a Heat-Nuggets game that he called for TNT.

I had to go back and take a look at what I had done with the Dolphins.

There was the Baltimore game [a 42-38 Dolphins win in 2022].

Im flattered.

Its probably a tough market to win over.

Im always grateful when people are happy with our work.

Dolphins fans reacted with joy when CBS announced that it has assigned Harlan to the Dolphins-Jaguars opener at 1 p.m.

Sunday and the Dolphins Week 3 game at Seattle at 4:05 p.m.

CBS is sending Sundays opener to 12% of the country, including all of Florida.

The reasons for Harlans popularity among Dolphins fans appear to be two-fold: 1).

Fans enjoy the overpowering delivery, the unrestrained energy and enthusiasm in his call, the patented Hes got Hill! on Tua Tagovailoa bombs to Tyreek Hill.

2).

Since Mike McDaniel became coach, the Dolphins always win when he announces one of their games for CBS.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Miami is 7-0 in games called by Harlan and analyst Trent Green on television.

The Dolphins have averaged 38 points in those games, and Tagovailoa has averaged 331 passing yards per game, with 22 touchdowns and a 126 passer rating.

Harlan called Dolphins wins against the Ravens, Bills and Bears in 2022 and victories against the Chargers, Broncos, Panthers and Raiders last season.

The Baltimore win was viewed as the career breakout game for Tagovailoa, who threw six touchdowns to fuel a big comeback that day.

When Harlan called the Dolphins-Denver game last September, Miamis 70 points tied the second most scored in an NFL game.

Last season, when I posted on social media that Harlan was assigned to an upcoming Dolphins game, the tweets received hundreds of likes and elicited dozens of comments praising his work.

Harlan said the people at CBS and Turner who monitor social media asked him, at some point last season, what is it with you and the Dolphins? Harlan had no idea, because I dont go on social media.

So I didnt know anything about it.

I dont look at it because [longtime CBS announcer] Verne Lundquist told me a long time ago, Dont ever go there.

So I never have.

But Harlans curiosity was piqued, to the point that he asked his three daughters to dig into the matter.

I asked them, Would you see what theyre saying about me on X? Harlan said.

They said, its all good stuff.

One of his daughters, Olivia, works for BetMGM, Skysports and Westwood One.

Our three daughters are on social media; my youngest Olivia is in the business, Harlan said.

Abigail is our oldest and she and Haley are both moms in Kansas City and married.

They still keep track [of their fathers mentions on social media] because they know I dont look.

But I always told them years ago: If you ever see anything you think I should know, let me know.

If you dont, dont say anything to me.

Olivia has looked up what Dolphins fans say about her father.

She will take screen shots and send them to me.

So Ive seen some of the things people have said.

The adulation and adoration that Dolphins fans have displayed for Harlan is unusual in a business where fans of local teams sometimes perceive national announcers as being biased against their team.

So for Harlan to experience the opposite of that suspicion or disdain from a local fan base makes me feel good because its not true in a lot of markets.

Ive had teams also where Ive done a succession of losses.

We havent had a lot of wins with the Raiders; our broadcast crew hasnt.

Harlan believes reasons for his popularity among South Florida sports fans extends beyond the Dolphins.

In April 2022, he called Jimmy Butlers 56-point Game 4 masterpiece in Miamis first-round playoff series win against Milwaukee, then worked the Heats seven-game Eastern Conference finals victory against Boston that year.

We did a couple of Heat-Milwaukee games and we had them in the [2022] conference finals and they looked so good.

So maybe those two together is maybe why people are marrying the story, he said.

Not only do I appreciate South Florida fans but I like the Dolphins.

Im looking forward to the future because I think the best is yet to come.

I believe that in every way.

I like what they do.

I like Mike McDaniel.

I like Tua and everything about that team.

Theyre like this comet across the sky.

You cant take your eyes off them because of what they do and how electrifying they are.

And with that, Harlan one of the real gentlemen in the business saluted Dolphins fans and made his way toward press row in Denver, because, well, theres always another game to call.

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