
He helped turn the NFL from pure sports to a combination of sports and entertainment when he signed on for the debut of “Monday Night Football” in 1970 and stayed over an entertaining but controversial career until 1983. Early in his broadcast career he was known for his Miller Lite commercials and then appealed to the younger set with his introduction of the “Madden NFL” video game series.Ĥ. Howard Cosell: He called his autobiography “I Never Played the Game,” but that did not stop him from pontificating on sports from football to boxing. Aside from his trademark “Boom!” call, he is known for coming up with the term “turducken” for his turkey/duck/chicken extravaganza awarded to the winning team on whichever Thanksgiving Day game telecast he was working. John Madden: The Hall of Famer won a Super Bowl as coach of the Raiders, where he had a 75.9% winning percentage over 10 seasons, and then went into broadcasting, having his greatest success and impact with Pat Summerall.
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He called a record 16 Super Bowls on TV, was named the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio and Television Award winner in 1994 and was CBS’ lead announcer on its PGA Tour coverage.ģ. He eventually became network sports’ play-by-play voice of the NFL, first with analyst, close friend and former defensive back Tom Brookshier and then most famously with John Madden for 22 seasons, on CBS and then on Fox. Pat Summerall: Started doing NFL games for CBS in 1962 after retiring from a nine-year NFL career as a kicker primarily for the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants. The story goes that Ed Sabol, Steve’s father, discovered Facenda at a bar in 1965 when he overheard him describing NFL Films footage that was airing on TV.Ģ.
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While he was a news anchor on Philadelphia TV from 1948 to 1973, he will forever be associated with the NFL. “He had a voice that could make a laundry list sound dramatic,” Steve Sabol of NFL Films once said. And we do mean voice – his was unmistakable.

John Facenda: Known as the “Voice of God,” he voiced over the greatest of the NFL Films productions. Some you might never have heard of others are as familiar as members of your family.ġ. They are chosen by accomplishment, reputation, longevity, significance and, admittedly, personal preference. They can be outlandish, understated or poetic, and for many of us they are indispensable parts of the NFL experience.Īs the NFL celebrates its 100th season, USA TODAY selects the top 50 broadcasters in league history. These are the men and women who make the games or the highlights come alive through their descriptions and enthusiasm. And still others saw the action they described only in your mind's eye as you listened to the radio. Others might have thrown a beer can toward the television at the sound of their voice. Hank Stram returned to his normal position as the color analyst on CBS Radio alongside Buck for the Super Bowl, while Summerall and Madden teamed for the first of eight Super Bowls together.Watch Video: Can Tony Romo be the next John Madden? Meanwhile, John Madden was off to Detroit to prepare for his Super Bowl telecast with Summerall. Summerall instead handled the call of the game on CBS Radio with Jack Buck, while Vin Scully and Hank Stram (CBS' "B team" for NFL broadcasts in 1981) called the game on television.

Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Tony Gonzalez, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Rob Gronkowski, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson Further information: List of NFL Championship Game broadcasters Television 2020s Season
