MNF Broadcaster Lore
Howard
Cosell's presence initially caused Henry Ford II, chairman of the Ford
Motor Company, the show's main sponsor, to ask for his removal. Cosell
dodged another controversy when he appeared to be intoxicated on the air
during the November 23 game between the New York Giants and Philadelphia
Eagles. Already under the weather, Cosell drank at a promotional party
prior to the game, then ended up vomiting on Don Meredith's cowboy boots
near the end of the first half. Jackson and Meredith ended up announcing
the rest of the contest.
While the NFL's image was often spotless to Gifford, his own broadcasting mistakes often proved to be embarrassing. During the December 11, 1972 game between the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders, he confused a receiver with former Raider wideout Warren Wells, who had been arrested on charges of sexual misconduct. Then, on September 24, 1979, Gifford referred to Dallas Cowboys defensive back Dennis Thurman as Thurman Munson, who had been killed in a plane crash less than two months before. Gifford also had continual problems with Atlanta Falcons head coach Leeman Bennett's name, referring to him as "Leeman Beeman." Regardless, Gifford would have the longest tenure of any broadcaster on the show, lasting until 1998.
After beginning with critical acclaim, Meredith began to take his weekly assignments less seriously, while also beginning an acting career. By 1973, his motivation for the broadcasts seemed highly suspect, given incidents during a trio of contests. On October 16, Meredith was drinking during the Buffalo Bills-Kansas City Chiefs game, followed one week later by his pre-game analysis of the Denver Broncos-Oakland Raiders game: "We're in the Mile High City and I sure am," --a not-so-subtle reference to his use of marijuana at the time. Finally, during the Pittsburgh Steelers-Washington Redskins game on November 5, he referred to U.S. President Richard Nixon as "Tricky Dick."
Meredith would be absent from Monday Night Football for a broadcasting and acting career on rival NBC from 1974 through 1976. Fred Williamson, a former Kansas City Chiefs defensive back nicknamed "The Hammer" for his often-brutal hits, was selected by ABC to replace Meredith in 1974, but following a few pre-season broadcasts, proved so inarticulate that he was relieved of his duties prior to the start of the regular season, becoming the first MNF personality not to last an entire season. Williamson was replaced by fellow Gary, Indiana native Alex Karras, formerly of the Detroit Lions.
Karras made his debut on
September 16, 1974 and immediately made an impact when he jokingly
referred to Oakland Raiders' defensive lineman Otis Sistrunk as having
attended "The University of Mars." That would essentially be the high
point of Karras' three-year tenure, with a developing movie career often
distracting Karras from showing any improvement.
Meredith returned to the ABC booth in 1977, but seemed to lack the enthusiasm that had marked his first stint from 1970-1973. While the NFL moved to a 16-week schedule in 1978, Meredith was only contractually obligated to work 14 games, leaving Cosell and Gifford to work games as a duo or with newly-retired Fran Tarkenton beginning in 1979.
In 2000, seeking bigger ratings and buzz, ABC tapped comedian Dennis Miller to join the announcers' booth. The experiment lasted two seasons. ''When people watch football, they don't want to look up words to figure out what they mean,'' says Theismann. ''Our game is about guys running into one another.”
Dalton Ross Dalton Ross, EW.com (Entertainment Weekly)
A complete list of
broadcasters (many of whom were ex-NFL players), with their period of
tenure on the show (beginning years of each season shown, as the NFL
season ends in the calendar year after it begins):
* Chris Berman (halftime
host, 1996-1997 and during wild card playoffs and Super Bowls)
* Howard Cosell
(1970-1983)
* Eric Dickerson
(sideline reporter, 2000-2001)
* Dan Dierdorf
(1987-1998)
* Boomer Esiason
(1998-1999)
* Dan Fouts (2000-2001)
* Frank Gifford
(1971-1997)
* Lisa Guerrero
(sideline reporter, 2003)
* Keith Jackson (1970)
* Ron Jaworski (2008)
* Alex Karras
(1974-1976)
* Suzy Kolber (sideline
reporter, 2005)
* Tony Kornheiser (2006-present)
* John Madden
(2002-2005)
* Don Meredith
(1970-1973, 1977-1984)
* Al Michaels
(1986-present)
* Dennis Miller
(2000-2001)
* Joe Namath (1985)
* Sam Ryan (sideline
reporter, 2005)
* O. J. Simpson
(1983-1985)
* Melissa Stark
(sideline reporter, 2000-2002)
* Lynn Swann (sideline
reporter, 1994-1997)
* Michele Tafoya
(sideline reporter, 2004-2005)
* Fran Tarkenton
(1979-1982)
* Joe Theismann
(2006-2007)
* Mike Tirico (2006-present)
* Lesley Visser
(sideline reporter, 1998-1999)
* Fred Williamson
(1974-preseason only)
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