Broadcasting Career
CBS Sports
After retiring from football, Summerall became a broadcaster for CBS Sports. He started in 1962 working part-time on New York Giants’ broadcasts. In 1964, CBS hired Summerall full-time to work its NFL telecasts, initially as a color commentator and then (beginning midway through the 1974 season) as a play-by-play announcer. Summerall covered other events including ABA basketball. Summerall also did sportscasts for the network’s flagship radio station until 1966 when he did a morning drive-time music/talk program, WCBS-AM. In 1969, Summerall took part in NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl III. He also co-hosted the syndicated NFL Films series This Week in Pro Football in the late 1960s and early ’70s.
During the 1970s, Summerall usually worked with Tom Brookshier as his broadcasting partner for NFL (mostly NFC) games on CBS, and the colorful Summerall-Brookshier duo worked three Super Bowls (X, XII, and XIV) together. Summerall, Brookshier, NFL on CBS producer Bob Wussler and Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie appeared as themselves during the 1977 film Black Sunday, which was filmed on location at the Orange Bowl in Miami during Super Bowl X.
In 1981, Summerall was teamed with former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden, a pairing that would last for 22 seasons on two networks and become one of the most well-known partnerships in TV sportscasting history. Summerall and Madden were first teamed on a 1979 broadcast of a Minnesota Vikings–Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.
Summerall’s stature as the premier TV voice in pro football was a result of two things: first, his ability to play the “straight man” alongside John Madden’s lively, verbose persona; second, his economical delivery that magnified the drama of a moment while allowing the pictures to tell the story. One of Summerall’s most memorable on-air calls was his account of Marcus Allen’s electrifying touchdown run in Super Bowl XVIII. The transcript is surprisingly sparse: “Touchdown, 75 yards!” That the quote is memorable is testament to the weight of Summerall’s baritone-like voice when he was at the height of his powers as an NFL broadcaster. This was a hallmark of his broadcasting career as simple calls like “Montana……Rice…. Touchdown!”(describing a Joe Montana to Jerry Rice touchdown pass) to describe a big play were frequently used.
It is often mistakenly assumed that Summerall and Madden handled the call on CBS-TV for the 1981 NFC Championship Game, when San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark made “The Catch” to lift the 49ers to a 28–27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and a berth in Super Bowl XVI. Summerall instead handled the call of the game on CBS Radio with Jack Buck, while Vin Scully and Hank Stram called the game on television. Meanwhile, John Madden was off to Detroit to prepare for his Super Bowl telecast with Summerall. 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.
Summerall also broadcast professional golf and tennis (including the Masters and US Open) during his tenure at CBS, and was the play-by-play announcer for the 1974 NBA Finals, CBS’ first season broadcasting the NBA.
Summerall continues to do voiceover work on CBS’ Masters broadcasts, and also provided commentary for the Golden Tee golf video game. Summerall’s last on-air assignment for CBS Sports was the 1994 Masters.
The NFL on FOX
In 1994, the Fox network surprised NFL fans by outbidding CBS for the NFC broadcast package. One of the network’s first moves was to hire Summerall and Madden as its lead announcing team. The two men thus continued their on-air partnership through the 2001 season.
Summerall and Madden’s last game together was Super Bowl XXXVI. After that game, Summerall announced his retirement and Madden was signed by ABC for that network’s Monday Night Football telecasts.
Summerall was lured out of retirement and re-signed with Fox for the 2002 season, working with Brian Baldinger on regional telecasts (primarily featuring the Dallas Cowboys, since Summerall was a Dallas resident) before retiring again after one year.
In 2006, he returned to the broadcast booth, paired once again with Baldinger. In Week 8 (October 29) of that year, he called a game between the eventual NFC champion Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers.
Summerall provided the play-by-play for the December 9, 2007 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and St. Louis Rams in Cincinnati.
NFL on ESPN
Summerall called several preseason and early regular-season NFL games for the ESPN network in 2004, substituting for regular announcer Mike Patrick while the latter recovered from heart surgery.
Cotton Bowl
In January 2007, Summerall returned to Fox as the play-by-play voice of the network’s coverage of the Cotton Bowl game between Auburn and Nebraska. He also called the 2008 game, which featured his alma mater, Arkansas, taking on Missouri; and the 2009 game between Texas Tech and the Ole Miss. Summerall teams with Brian Baldinger on the Cotton Bowl telecasts.
Super Bowl Legacy
Summerall has broadcast 16 Super Bowls on network television with CBS and FOX, more than any other announcer. He also contributed to 10 Super Bowl broadcasts on CBS Radio as an analyst or pregame reporter.