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NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, 82, passes away

Pat Summerall

Pat Summerall dead at 82

Pat Summerall, a legend of the broadcasting booth, has passed away at age 82.

Summerall was hospitalized in Dallas, recovering from hip surgery at the time of his death.

A former NFL player himself (placekicker), Pat began analyzing games when his playing days were done. He first worked for CBS where he shared the booth with colleague Tom Brookshier, and later, and most notably with John Madden.

He and Madden would later move on to call games, for The NFL on FOX from 1993 – 2002.

Of the passing of his friend, Madden said…

Pat was my broadcasting partner for a long time, but more than that he was my friend for all of these years,” Madden said in a statement Tuesday. “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. Pat Summerall is the voice of football and always will be.

Summerall’s Super Bowl broadcasts number in the teens and he called over 20 golf Masters Tournaments, as well as numerous US Open tennis matches.

Its no secret that his broadcasting career garnered more recognition for him than his football career, but he also battled alcoholism, which affected his health over the years, and likely marred his career when it was obvious during some broadcasts that he was impaired.

I’m sure we will see some fascinating tributes to him at the onset of the upcoming football season and throughout.

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