Why is Brent Musburger on NFL Hall of Fame game broadcast? Explaining legend's NBC cameo for Lions vs. Chargers
Brent Musburger's gravelly tone accompanied a great many of sport's finest moments in the 20th century. From Doug Flutie's Hail Mary vs. Miami to Catholics vs. Convicts, Musburger tended to say the right thing at the right time more than most broadcasters.
This offseason, he was rewarded for his efforts, landing the Pro Football Hall of Fame's greatest recognition for a media member. He'll also get a chance to turn back the clock during Thursday night's broadcast; Musburger will be a central part of NBC's coverage, both as an interviewee and an analyst — at least for a fleeting moment.
With that, here's what you need to know about Musburger's return to the booth.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Why is Brent Musburger on NFL Hall of Fame game broadcast?
Musburger was granted one of the most prestigious honors an NFL media member can receive during the offseason, being named the Pete Rozelle Award recipient. It was a long time coming for the 86-year-old, whose dulcet tones soundtracked big league broadcasts, college football matches, NBA jousts and more for more than five decades.
Musburger will receive a hero's welcome during the first half of Thursday's game, taking part in a pregame interview with Maria Taylor. The second half will see Musburger return to the booth, trading barbs with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth in his first play-by-play appearance since 2022.
What is the Pete Rozelle Award?
The Pete Rozelle Radio Television Award is an annual prize awarded to a media member who exhibits excellence in and around the booth — both on radio and television. Musburger's name has swirled around the award for some time — Dan Patrick made an impassioned plea for Musburger to receive the honor last year. The Rozelle Award operates in a similar space to MLB's Ford C. Frick Award in baseball and NBA's Curt Gowdy Media Award, both of which are doled out by each league's respective Hall of Fame.
MORE HALL OF FAME GAME NEWS:
How 'fireworks mishap' led to Najee Harris missing start of training camp
Revisiting Trey Lance's career timeline from No. 3 pick to Chargers backup role
Location, capacity and more details on Tom Benson Stadium
How Dan Campbell replaced former coordinators Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn
Journalists, broadcast executives and members of a given production crew are all eligible for enshrinement. Eagles play-by-play man Merrill Reese landed the honor in 2024.
Brent Musburger broadcast career timeline
Musburger spent more than 50 years charming viewers and listeners with his friendly drawl, biting catchphrases (March Madness, for example!) and his willingness to embrace the more unsavory parts of the sports world, including gambling. He was lauded for his contributions to coverage of the NBA Finals, World Series, U.S. Open, World Cup and more during his half-century at the top.
In 2017, Musburger stepped away from his usual post at CBS, citing a desire to move to Las Vegas and help his family start a sports handicapping business.
"A love of sports allows me to live a life of endless pleasure," Musburger said in a statement. "And make no mistake, I will miss the arenas and stadiums dearly. Most of all, I will miss the folks I have met along the trail."
Musburger's retirement was temporary, however. Within a year, he found a new stead; he was calling Raiders games in Sin City with the nascent broadcast company he founded, Vegas Sports Information Network.
Musburger lasted four years with the broadcaster. Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, he returned to the shadows. He still contributes regularly on VSiN. But his vocals have rarely swept across national broadcasts.
On Thursday, that will change. For those who have followed Musburger's journey through the limelight, that's only a good thing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Merab Dvalishvili a lock for 2025 Fighter of the Year? UFC analyst explains why he isn't
Outside of UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, Chael Sonnen still sees several fighters in the running to be Fighter of the Year. Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) is currently one of the frontrunners for 2025 Fighter of the Year after title defenses over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January and a finish of Sean O'Malley at UFC 316 in June. Dvalishvili won the "Best UFC Fighter" at the most recent ESPYs last month, but Sonnen isn't ready to give him the Fighter of the Year award just yet. "Fighter of the Year is going to be very tough," Sonnen told MMA Junkie. "It's very tough. Merab has done a very good job, but to get in front of Ilia (Topuria)? There's a buzz around Ilia that's almost unlike anything I ever felt. (Khamzat) Chimaev is going to be of interest. Should Alex Pereira come back and get it over (Magomed) Ankalaev. No, Merab doesn't have it locked up. A lot of that list comes down to popularity, which Merab has now. "That dude is a star. I was at International Fight Week. The mobs and the crowd, they mobbed everyone through there. Dana (White) himself got more, but for active fighters, the crowd and the interest, Merab could not move around. He is over. He is very popular, and people are going to vote for him. But no, activity alone, no, it will not get you Fighter of the Year." Dvalishvili, who is currently scheduled to defend his belt against Cory Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the UFC 320 co-main event on Oct. 4 in Las Vegas, has plans of squeezing one more title defense before the end of the year. "That's very impressive (if he can get a fourth title defense in 2025)," Sonnen said. "Those stats do matter. Any time you're setting history, it moves you to the front of the list. Merab is a wonderful person. That's a nice man behind all this. One thing that takes fighters off their perch quickly is when they start believing what's being said about them. They go to practice a little less. You don't meet better people as you become bigger and better in life. You meet a higher quality scumbag. ... It doesn't seem like Merab is falling for any of that. He's in Las Vegas, which is a very difficult place to not meet a lot of scumbags. He seems very focused. He seems to know who he is. He seems to be still be hungry. I think he deserves credit for that. I think one thing that would help Merab is if people got to know him more. "He really is a kind gentleman. You can't say that about a lot of fighters. Most of them are scumbags, too. He's in a different category. I only bring that up because of his popularity and where it could go. If people simply get to know him, if he finds a way to get his message out, he comes across what he is, which is very nice, but he's so nice that people think it's an act. But it's not. So if he does a little bit more time, I would love to see Merab coach 'The Ultimate Fighter.' ... I think that kind of exposure where people got him in the living room every day, I think Merab has the potential to be the top draw in the sport. That's a big claim for a 135 pounder. But O'Malley had it. It can definitely be done." To hear more from Sonnen, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC analyst: Merab Dvalishvili not a lock for 2025 Fighter of the Year
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ryan Walters' TV may have been tuned into 1985 Jackie Chan movie, Oklahoma lawmaker says
Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert says he believes a 1985 movie starring Jackie Chan might have been what was showing on a television set in state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters during a closed session held as part of last month's state Board of Education meeting. Hilbert said on Tuesday, Aug. 5 that he believes "The Protector" was on the TV when two board members said they saw nude women on the screen. Their reports have gained national attention and prompted an investigation by the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office. Hilbert said he does not believe the movie was shown on purpose by Walters or his staff or as part of a conspiracy to target him. "In my opinion, the most plausible explanation for what occurred that day is that the television, which had only been in the superintendent's office for fewer than two months, automatically launched Samsung's free streaming service and began playing a film that contained explicit content, without anyone in the room realizing it at the time," Hilbert said. The sheriff's office confirmed its investigation of the incident is ongoing. (This story is developing and will be updated.) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What was on Ryan Walters' TV? A Jackie Chan movie, lawmaker says Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Donald Trump Says He'd Use National Guard Or Military To Keep 2028 Olympics Safe
President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that 'we would do anything necessary to keep our Olympics safe, including using our National Guard or military.' Trump made the comments after he signed an executive order establishing a task force on the 2028 games, a group that includes cabinet secretaries and administration officials, including FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. More from Deadline Robert Thompson, CEO Of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, Jabs Donald Trump For Backing "Blatant Theft" By AI: "The Art Of The Deal Has Become The Art Of The Steal" FoxLA Anchor Elex Michaelson Is Leaving Station Thousands Of Writers Sign WGA Open Letter Slamming Trump's "Unprecedented, Authoritarian Assault" On Free Press Trump's comment about using the National Guard or military follows his dispatch of troops to Los Angeles in response to protests of ICE raids. His decision to federalize the guard was opposed by California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who said that the show of federal force inflamed the situation. At a White House event establishing the task force, the chair of the Olympic organizing committee, Casey Wasserman, had nothing but praise for the president, including his assistance during his first term in ensuring that Los Angeles was selected as host city. Wasserman compared the process of organizing events to producing 'seven Super Bowls a day for 30 days.' The city will host about 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,500 Paralympic athletes, participating in 800 competitions at 49 venues. He also said that for the first time, the Olympic torch relay will pass through all 50 states. Trump undoubtedly would like to put his stamp on the games, even though planning has been taking place for years. The task force's functions, per the executive order, are to coordinate federal planning and response related to security, transportation, and entry/exit processes; to support interagency and state and local information sharing; to identify legal, logistical, or regulatory barriers that could stymie federal support; to assist in visa processing and credentialing; and to ensure operational readiness across law enforcement, counterterrorism, transportation and emergency response. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed into law last month, included $1 billion for Olympics security and other costs. Wasserman said that the funding 'will be used by local and state agencies and the federal government to make sure that our games are safe and secure and ultimately the best place to experience and be an Olympic fan.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Paramount's 'Regretting You' Adaptation So Far Everything We Know About 'My Life With The Walter Boys' Season 2 So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
