Summerall, who covered 16 Super Bowls and forged a successful partnership with John Madden, dies in Dallas
Pat Summerall (left) with former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula in 2002. Photograph: Jeff Mitchell/Reuters
Pat Summerall, the deep-voiced NFL player-turned-broadcaster who spent half of his four decades calling sports famously paired with John Madden, died Tuesday. He was 82.
Susie Wiles, Summerall's daughter, said her father died in Dallas.
"He was an extraordinary man and a wonderful father," Wiles said. "I know he will be greatly missed."
Summerall was part of network television broadcasts for 16 Super Bowls. His last championship game was for Fox on February 3, 2002, also his last game with long-time TV partner Madden. The popular duo worked together for 21 years, moving to Fox in 1994 after years as the lead team for CBS.
At the end of their final broadcast together, Madden described Summerall as "a treasure" and the "spirit of the National Football League" in a tribute to the partner that complemented the former coach so well.
"You are what the NFL is all about, what pro football is all about, and more important, what a man is all about and what a gentleman is all about," Madden said.
As former teammate and broadcaster Frank Gifford put it in an accompanying video tribute: "America is very comfortable with Pat Summerall."
Summerall played 10 NFL seasons with the Chicago Cardinals and the New York Giants between 1952 and 1961. He started doing NFL games for CBS in 1964, and became a play-by-play guy 10 years later. He was also part of CBS's coverage of the PGA Tour, and the US Open tennis tournament.
When CBS lost its NFL deal after the 1993 season, Summerall switched to Fox to keep calling NFL games with Madden. He had hoped to keep working with CBS for other events like the Masters, but network executives saw it otherwise. At the time, CBS Sports anchor Jim Nantz said he was "very saddened" that Summerall didn't get to leave CBS under his own terms.
A recovering alcoholic, Summerall had a liver transplant in April 2004.
After an intervention involving, among others, former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, Summerall checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in April 1992.
Summerall received the liver of a 13-year-old junior high football player from Arkansas who died unexpectedly from an aneurysm. Summerall had an emotional meeting with the teenager's family the following year.
Born George Allen Summerall on May 10, 1930 in Lake City, Florida, he was an All-State prep football and basketball player there, and lettered in baseball and tennis. He played college football at Arkansas before going to the NFL.
After breaking his arm in the preseason as a rookie for Detroit, Summerall played five years for the Chicago Cardinals before four seasons with the Giants. While he was also a defensive back, Summerall was primarily a kicker, making 100 field goals and 256 of 265 extra points in his career.
Summerall was part of the NBC and CBS simulcast of the inauguralSuper Bowl in Los Angeles on January 15 1967. After working the first half in the broadcast booth, he switched places with Gifford at half-time and was a sideline reporter during the second half.
"To look at the Coliseum that day and see that there were like 40,000 empty seats and the most expensive ticket was $12, it's incredible to realize what was going on and what it's grown to over the years," he said during a 2009 AP interview. "It's sort of staggering to me."
After his final game with Madden, Summerall remained a full-time broadcaster for Fox one more season, doing primarily Dallas Cowboys games during the 2002 season. He decided to step down the following year when he realized he would spend most of the season away from home.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete.
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