JoeC36 Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Posted by Michael David Smith on April 16, 2013, 5:19 PM EDT Getty Images Pat Summerall, an NFL player in the 1950s and 1960s who would go on to become one of the sport’s most respected broadcasters for decades, has died at the age of 82, according to the Dallas Morning News. Summerall grew up in Florida and played his college football at Arkansas, where he was a standout as an offensive and defensive end, as well as a kicker. In 1952, the Lions took him with the 45th overall pick in the NFL draft. An injury limited Summerall to just two games in his rookie season, and in 1953 the Lions traded him to the Chicago Cardinals, where he played for five years. Summerall’s final four seasons came with the Giants, where his greatest moment as a player came when he kicked the winning field goal to beat the Browns in a crucial December game despite suffering a leg injury in pre-game warmups. Summerall retired after the 1961 season and was immediately hired by CBS Sports, where he gained great fame as a play-by-play man, teamed first with Tom Brookshier and then with John Madden. Summerall and Madden stayed together after FOX out-bid CBS for NFC rights in 1994 and were a pairing until 2002. In all, Summerall and Madden worked together for 22 NFL seasons, and they’re regarded by many as the best broadcasting duo in American sports history. Known for his plainspoken, straightforward style, Summerall wanted the attention on the players, and not on himself. He’d often call a game-changing play in a manner so simple that he’d say little more than, “Montana. Rice. Touchdown.” Those of us who grew up in the 1980s can remember a time when we’d turn on the TV on a Sunday afternoon and know, if we heard Pat Summerall’s voice, that we were getting the best game of the week. And hearing the best broadcaster in the business. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/16/pat-summerall-dies-at-82/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechJet Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 WOW! R.I.P Mr. Summerall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebag Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier -Best football announcing team of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New York Mick Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Great broadcaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Oh Wow RIP Pat great announcer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaJetsFan Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Yep, lots of memories - he was a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelticwizard Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Grew up with him doing the commentary. Always epitomized class and restraint. One of the few broadcasters who really did add a lot to the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73andMe Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 RIP Pat Summerall. You were special! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crusher Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Iconic. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastineau Lives Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Every game felt like Thanksgiving or Christmas when you heard his voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JADEDGREEN Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 One of the greats! RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 RIP. There are so few guys doing the games that I respect, but he was certainly one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Mostro Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 What I loved about Summerall was his "less is more" approach -- he never got in the way of the game the way so many announcers do. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxJet Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 rip sorry see he go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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