# Connor Onion's Fox Sports Rise > La Grange native Connor Onion joins Fox Sports after broadcasting career. - Title: Connor Onion's Fox Sports Rise · Chicago Sun-Times | Shortify - Summary: La Grange native Connor Onion joins Fox Sports after broadcasting career. Connor Onion, 31, a La Grange native and Lyons graduate, became Fox Sports' No. 2… - Keywords: connor onion, fox sports, la grange, lyons, college football, robert griffin iii, alexa landestoy, northwestern, indiana, big ten network, southern illinois, ball state - Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-media/2026/09/24/connon-onion-fox-sports-big-ten-network-mike-reis-robert-griffin-alexa-landestoy-southern-illinois-ball-state-lyons-township-la-grange-northwestern-indiana-college-football-chicago-bulls-adam-amin - Published: 2026-09-24T16:40:14.56+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: connor onion, fox sports, la grange, lyons, college football, robert griffin iii, alexa landestoy, northwestern, indiana, big ten network, southern illinois, ball state ## Connor Onion's name origin Connor Onion, pronounced O'Own-yun, was born with the family name O'Onion in Ireland. > It was O'Onion when my family was in Ireland ## Family name story His family dropped the 'O' to assimilate in the U.S. and became farmers growing onions. > They came to the United States and dropped the 'O' to try to assimilate and naturally became farmers ## Onion's broadcasting start Onion called games for Fox Sports, including college football, basketball, volleyball and baseball. > Connor Onion, with Robert Griffin III, calls college football, college basketball, volleyball and baseball for Fox ## High school football attempt In high school, Onion tried to walk on to Ball State football but was told he should consider broadcasting instead. > He was like, 'I’ve seen the few highlights you have from high school. I think it’s probably time you consider a different profession' ## Early broadcasting job Onion got a minor-league baseball job with the Quad Cities River Bandits in 2017. > Five teams responded, two granted him interviews and one gave him an offer for the 2017 season ## Southern Illinois experience At Southern Illinois, Onion worked with Mike Reis to improve his broadcasting skills. > Mike Reis told me, 'Connor, I think you’ve got potential, but you’ve got a lot of getting better to do' ## Big Ten Network job Onion joined the Big Ten Network in 2021 after calling women’s volleyball at Southern Illinois. > At SIU, Onion called women’s volleyball. That helped him get a job in 2021 at Big Ten Network ## Fox Sports promotion Fox promoted Onion to its No. 2 college football crew after Jason Benetti left for NBC. > This summer, after Jason Benetti left for NBC, Fox promoted Onion, 31, to its No. 2 college football crew ## Northwestern-Indiana game Onion will call the Northwestern-Indiana game Friday at 7 p.m. on Fox 32. > They’ll call the Northwestern-Indiana game Friday (7 p.m., Fox 32, 720-AM) ## Bulls broadcasting experience Onion subbed for Adam Amin during Bulls games, calling their double-overtime loss to the Jazz. > Bulls fans should remember Onion from his time subbing for TV voice Adam Amin last year ## Onion's birth story Onion was born during the Bulls' last three-peat, with his birth certificate noting 'Time of birth: End of Bulls game'. > I was born right in the middle of the two three-peats ## Onion's farmer market job During the pandemic, Onion sold onions at a La Grange farmer's market for extra cash. > When schools shut down during the pandemic, one of Onion’s odd jobs was selling onions at a farmer’s market in La Grange ## Next game schedule Onion will call Penn State-Northwestern at Ryan Field next Friday after the Northwestern-Indiana game. > Next Friday, he, Griffin and Landestoy will call Penn State-Northwestern, the first game at the new Ryan Field ## Key takeaway Connor Onion, 31, a La Grange native and Lyons graduate, became Fox Sports' No. 2 college football analyst after Jason Benetti left for NBC.