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NFL Announcer Pat Sumerall Dies At 82

Eric Parra |
April 16, 2013 | 7:21 p.m. PDT

Executive Producer

 

Sumerall died of Cardiac Arrest while recovering from broken hip surgery. (creative commons)
Sumerall died of Cardiac Arrest while recovering from broken hip surgery. (creative commons)
Pat Sumerall, aged 82, passed away on April 16, 2013. 

Sumerall is best known for his time as an NFL announcer alongside John Madden in the 1960s through the 1990s. In his time, he worked for a variety of stations, moving from CBS to FOX and covering multiple super bowls. He eventually worked on other sports as well, in his career having called 13 Super Bowls, 26 Masters and 21 U.S. Opens.

 From USA Today

CBS announcers remembered him Tuesday: 

Jim Nantz: "Pat Summerall was a hero to me. I treasured the gift of friendship that I had with him. I was his understudy for 10 years. He could not have been more generous or kind to a young broadcaster. He was a giant and one of the iconic figures in the history of the CBS television network."

Verne Lundquist: "Pat was a friend of nearly 40 years. He was a master of restraint in his commentary, an example for all of us. He was also one of the great storytellers who ever spoke into a microphone."

Summerall's last Super Bowl worked was for Fox on Feb. 3, 2002, which also was his last game with Madden, ending a 21-year run together.

"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 then in a tribute to his partner to end that Super Bowl telecast.

Sumerall worked with Madden for 22 years and was best known as “the voice” of the NFL in the 1970’s and 80’s. While Madden covered the loud and exciting parts of a game, Sumerall would keep calm and focused to bring out a balance in their commentary. 

"We never had one argument, and that was because of Pat. He was a great broadcaster and a great man. He always had a joke. Pat never complained, and we never had an unhappy moment. He was something very special," Madden said. "Pat Summerall is the voice of football and always will be."

Sumerall  died of cardiac arrest at the University of Texas Southwestern medical center. He was a recovering alcoholic with on and off illnesses and a liver transplant in 2004, at the time recuperating after broken hip surgery.

 

Reach Executive Producer Eric Parra here.



 

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