Image via Complex Original
21.
Many professional athletes struggle with the idea of hanging up their sneakers for good and moving on to the next phase of their lives when they retire. So some of them just don’t do it. Instead, they go into coaching or make the move to the front office and work on the business side of their respective sports. And those who are really lucky break into broadcasting and actually get paid—typically, paid very well—to watch and call games for companies like ABC, NBC, ESPN, and more.
However, not all athletes-turned-broadcasters are created equal. In fact, if there’s one thing that we’ve learned over the years, it’s that not all athletes are able to transition smoothly into the world of broadcasting. And it makes us appreciate those who are able to do it all the more. So with that in mind, we put together A Definitive Ranking of the Best Athletes Turned Broadcasters, featuring 20 former athletes from a variety of different sports who segued seamlessly into broadcasting once their playing days were over. You might be surprised to see who made the cut.
20.Bill Walton
Career Stats: Averaged 13.3 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.2 blocks during 10 NBA seasons with the Trail Blazers, Clippers, and Celtics
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA and college basketball coverage for NBC, ABC, ESPN, and the Pac-12 Network
If not for the crippling back injury that derailed Walton’s broadcasting career back in late 2009, he would likely be much higher on this list. He overcame a stuttering problem at the beginning of his career to become one of the most entertaining NBA broadcasters in the game, popularizing catchphrases like, “Throw it down, big man!” Fortunately, he resumed his broadcasting career a few years ago after undergoing back surgery, but he doesn’t call as many games as he used to and doesn’t have the same impact that he had before his back problems flared up.
19.Tony Kubek
Career Stats: Recorded 1,109 hits, 373 RBIs, and a .266 batting average during nine MLB seasons with the Yankees
Broadcasting Jobs: MLB coverage for NBC Sports, CTV, TSN, and MSG Network
When he first broke into broadcasting, Kubek struggled mightily and often rambled on and on and on and on and, well, you get the point. But after taking some pointers from legendary broadcaster Curt Gowdy, he eventually worked his way up the ranks at NBC and started calling games with Bob Costas. His broadcasting career ended abruptly in 1994 when he decided that he didn’t want to call Yankees games for the MSG Network anymore.
18.Don Meredith
Career Stats: Tallied 135 touchdowns, 17,199 passing yards, and 2,308 completions during nine NFL seasons with the Cowboys
Broadcasting Jobs: NFL coverage for ABC and NBC
“Turn out the liiiiiiights, the party’s over.” Meredith provided plenty of comic relief during the early days of Monday Night Football, frequently pulling out that line from a Willie Nelson song to let people know that the game was done. He was considered Howard Cosell’s “comic foil” and played a part in one of the best MNF broadcasting trios, if not the best MNF broadcasting trio, of all time.
17.Mary Carillo
Career Stats: Ranked as high as No. 33 in the Women’s Tennis Association Rankings during her brief professional career in the late 1970s and early 1980s
Broadcasting Jobs: Tennis and Olympic coverage for USA Network, PBS, ESPN, CBS Sports, Turner Sports, and NBC Sports
From dominating the airwaves during major tennis tournaments—Sports Illustrated once referred to her as “the sport’s top analyst”—to serving as an Olympic analyst during a handful of different Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Carillo has done a little bit of everything. But tennis is where she serves up the most knowledge and what she’ll likely go down in sports broadcasting history for.
16.Bob Uecker
Career Stats: Strung together 14 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .200 batting average during six seasons with the Braves, Cardinals, and Phillies
Broadcasting Jobs: MLB coverage for ABC, NBC, WTMJ, and the Milwaukee Brewers Radio Network
Most people instantly recognize Uecker from his role in the Major League movies. But the truth is that he’s been calling actual baseball games for years now—and doing a great job at it. Johnny Carson even gave him the nickname “Mr. Baseball.” But baseball isn’t the only sport he knows. Little known fact: He also served as a ringside announcer for WrestleMania III and made a return to the WWF for WrestleMania IV as well.
15.Mark Jackson
Career Stats: Averaged 9.6 points, 8.0 assists, and 1.2 steals during 17 seasons with the Knicks, Clippers, Pacers, Nuggets, Raptors, Jazz, and Rockets
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA coverage for YES Network, ABC, and ESPN
Although Jackson actually started his career working alongside the broadcasting legend Marv Albert, he made his mark on the NBA by teaming up with Mike Breen and former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy. His now-classic catchphrases, including “Hand down, man down,” and his excellent chemistry with Van Gundy in particular have turned him into a fan favorite and earned him a quick return to broadcasting this past spring after he spent three seasons coaching the Golden State Warriors.
14.Phil Simms
Career Stats: Threw for 199 touchdowns, 33,462 passing yards, and 2,576 completions during 14 seasons with the New York Giants
Broadcasting Jobs: NFL coverage for ESPN, NBC, and CBS
After winning a pair of Super Bowls during his career, Simms decided that he wanted his next career to involve Super Bowls, too. So he joined NBC’s lead NFL crew and eventually called Super Bowl XXX and Super Bowl XXXII alongside Dick Enberg and Paul Maguire. Since then, he’s also hosted the CBS show Inside the NFL on Showtime, voiced Madden NFL 13 and, this fall, he will do commentary during CBS’ Thursday Night Football.
13.Mickey Redmond
Career Stats: Recorded 233 goals, 195 assists, and 428 points during nine seasons with the Canadiens and Red Wings
Broadcasting Jobs: NHL coverage for CBC, ESPN, and Fox
Unfortunately, Redmond’s broadcasts can only be heard in Detroit these days, where he regularly calls Red Wings games. He’s also scaled back the number of games he calls every year due to health issues. But he continues to deliver a steady stream of “Mickeyisms” during Detroit games, which keeps the people in the D coming back—his antics also earned him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame a few years ago.
12.Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats: Tallied 38 home runs, 563 RBIs, and a .273 batting average during 13 seasons with the Yankees
Broadcasting Jobs: MLB coverage for MSG Network, WPIX, and NBC
Shortly after the Yankees released Rizzuto in 1956, they realized that they wanted him back. But they didn’t want him to play for them. Instead, they wanted him to call games as a broadcaster. He agreed to come and work for the Bronx Bombers again and spent the better part of the next four decades using catchphrases like, “Holy cow,” to call Yankee games. He worked alongside many legendary Yankee broadcasters, including Mel Allen, Red Barber, Frank Messer, and Bill White. He is considered to be one of the best Yankee broadcasters of all time.
11.Frank Gifford
Career Stats: Recorded 34 rushing touchdowns, 43 receiving touchdowns, and more than 9,000 all-purpose yards during 12 seasons with the New York Giants
Broadcasting Jobs: NFL coverage for CBS and ABC
The trio of Howard Cosell, Don Meredith, and Frank Gifford is widely considered to be the best trio in Monday Night Football history. Gifford, who was with the show from 1971 through 1985, was sort of like the glue that held the team together. Even though Meredith left for a few years in the middle of their run, Gifford stuck with it and became a MNF staple. And even when he left in 1985, he continued to fill in periodically for Al Michaels and maintained a working relationship with the show. He also served as a broadcaster for the 1972 Summer Olympic Games and a variety of other sports events broadcast on ABC.
10.Steve Kerr
Career Stats: Averaged 6.0 points, 1.8 assists, and a .454 three-point shooting percentage during 15 seasons with the Suns, Cavaliers, Magic, Bulls, Spurs, and Trail Blazers
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA coverage for TNT, Turner Sports, and CBS
Although he has now taken his talents to the Warriors and will serve as the team’s head coach from here on out, Kerr was a regular during TNT’s NBA games for most of the last decade. Outside of taking a brief hiatus to serve as general manager of the Suns, Kerr worked many games alongside Marv Albert after joining TNT in 2003. He was so good that he was selected to provide in-game commentary for a handful of NBA Live and NBA 2K over the years. He also got into working NCAA college games for Turner Sports and CBS and will always have a place in the Turner family.
9.Tim McCarver
Career Stats: Put together 97 home runs, 645 RBIs, and a .271 batting average during 21 seasons with the Cardinals, Phillies, Expos, and Red Sox
Broadcasting Jobs: MLB coverage for WPHL, NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox
Although he has often been criticized in the past for over-analyzing things on the baseball field and for being critical of several high-profile players, McCarver is easily one of the most decorated athletes-turned-broadcasters of all time. He has won three Emmy Awards for Sports Event Analyst, was the recipient of the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting, and was named to the broadcaster's wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. It’ll be hard for many other former athletes to receive those kinds of accolades anytime soon.
8.Cris Collinsworth
Career Stats: Caught 36 touchdowns, 6,698 passing yards, and 417 receptions during eight seasons with the Bengals
Broadcasting Jobs: NFL coverage for NBC and Fox
Collinsworth has had his fair share of critics over the years, but there’s a reason why NBC handpicked him to replace John Madden back in 2009. His knowledge of football, coupled with his passionate delivery and opinionated stances on, well, everything, have made him a favorite amongst NFL fans. He's become a regular in millions of American homes on Sunday nights during the fall when he calls Sunday Night Football alongside Al Michaels.
7.Walt “Clyde” Frazier
Career Stats: Averaged 18.9 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds during 13 seasons with the Knicks and Cavaliers
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA coverage for MSG Network
Make no mistake about it: Frazier is the voice of the Knicks. In fact, there are a lot of younger kids out there who don’t even know him as a former Knicks player. They only know him as the guy who wears crazy suits and gets fired up during Knicks telecasts. It has made him a Knicks legend both on and off the court at Madison Square Garden.
6.Tommy Heinsohn
Career Stats: Averaged 18.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists during nine seasons with the Celtics
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA coverage for WKBG, WFXT, WSBK, WABU and CBS
In Major League Baseball, it’s not uncommon to see a broadcaster work with the same team for 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years, but that kind of commitment and dedication is much more rare in the NBA. Which is what makes Heinsohn so special. Although recent health issues have forced him to cut back on the number of games he covers, he has worked side-by-side with his play-by-play partner Mike Gorman since 1981. The two men are one of the longest-running broadcasting tandems ever. Heinsohn simply refuses to give up his seat. Even though his health has forced him to miss a lot of road games over the course of the last few seasons, he continues to put in work as a studio analyst during Celtics games.
5.John McEnroe
Career Stats: Won 148 ATP titles, seven Grand Slam singles titles, and more than 81 percent of his total matches
Broadcasting Jobs: Tennis coverage for CBS, NBC, USA, ESPN, and the BBC
McEnroe is a guy who is known for being moody, temperamental, and not very nice. And while those characteristics sometimes made him look like a jerk on the tennis court, they actually help him out immensely as a broadcaster—they allow him to engage both hardcore and casual tennis fans and keep them interested. As long as he wants one, he’ll always have a job calling tennis matches.
4.Doug Collins
Career Stats: Averaged 17.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists during eight seasons with the 76ers
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA coverage for TNT, NBC, ABC, and ESPN
Is there anything better than sitting and listening to Collins call an NBA game? Between playing professionally for nearly a decade and then coaching for more than a decade, he knows just about everything there is to know about basketball. But at the same time, he’s able to deliver information about everything that he knows without confusing viewers or losing them in his explanations. He also referenced Baby and Clipse’s “What Happened to That Boy” during a broadcast earlier this year. So yeah, he’s pretty much become our go-to guy when it comes to former NBA players talking about hoops.
3.Pat Summerall
Career Stats: Kicked 100 field goals and 257 extra points during his ten seasons with the Lions, Chicago Cardinals, and New York Giants
Broadcasting Jobs: NFL, golf, and tennis coverage for CBS, Fox, and ESPN
To a whole generation of people, Summerall will always be “the guy who called games with John Madden.” But it’s important to remember just how influential Summerall was—and just how much he accomplished during his career. He called 16 Super Bowls, which is more than any other person on the planet, he was named the National Sportscaster of the Year in 1977, and despite the fact that he was a kicker in the NFL—a position that gets very little respect—he has his very own award, the “Pat Summerall Award.” It has been given to everyone from James Brown to Chris Berman over the last eight years and is seen as the ultimate sign of respect for those working in sports media. Not bad for “the guy who called games with John Madden,” eh?
2.Marty Glickman
Career Stats: Achieved All-American status as a football player at Syracuse University and was widely considered a favorite to medal in track and field during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany before he was replaced on the U.S. team due to anti-Semitism
Broadcasting Jobs: NBA, NFL, NHL, and general sports coverage for Paramount News, WNEW, WPIX, CBS, NBC, and more
Although Glickman accomplished a lot during his illustrious career and eventually earned himself a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, his biggest claim to fame is the fact that he mentored so many of the broadcasters who went on to do big things towards the middle and end of the 20th century. From his most famous protégé Marv Albert to Spencer Ross to Johnny Most, he played a part in a handful of successful broadcasters’ careers and helped show so many of them what the broadcasting game was all about. Because of that, his legacy has continues to live on today.
1.John Madden
Career Stats: Drafted by the Eagles in 1958 but never played professionally due to a knee injury (Later coached the Raiders to ten winning seasons in ten years and won one Super Bowl)
Broadcasting Jobs: NFL coverage for CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC
John Madden was more than just a sports broadcaster. Sure he called games, provided analysis during them, and broke down plays when he needed to, but he also did a number of other things to make his mark as a broadcaster.
At the beginning of his broadcasting career, Madden created the All-Madden team—a team that every NFL player wanted to land on at the end of every season. He also handed out “turducken” to the MVP of every Thanksgiving Day game. He punctuated some of the plays he called with “BOOM!” and “DOINK!” And he frequently relied on a telestrator to give fans a better look at what he was talking about on certain plays.
Bottom line: Madden was a one-of-a-kind broadcaster and, when he announced his retirement in 2009 by saying, “It’s time,” he left a void in the world of NFL broadcasting. There wasn’t a whole lot to his playing career, but he more than made up for that by putting his all into broadcasting.