NFL Talking Heads MIAs
They were faces we saw for years watching the NFL on television. Some jumped network to network, others stayed in their job for a decade or more. These people gave us game analysis, predictions and commentary. And then they were gone. These NFL broadcasters went from being talking heads on a TV screen to faces on the back of milk carton. They were once on the some of the most popular Sunday afternoon and Monday night shows ever. Now they’re just the NFL Talking Heads MIAs.
MISSING: Ahmad Rashād
LAST SEEN: On the NFL on NBC. (1997)
After a career ending injury with Minnesota, wide receiver Ahmad Rashād went into broadcasting on NBC. First on their NFL ’82 pre-game show which would later become NFL Live!. Rashād then headed to booth for the network when OJ Simpson took his studio spot. He returned to the studio show in 1994 which had changed its name again to the NFL on NBC.
MISSING: Paul Maguire
LAST SEEN: ESPN College Games (2009)
Starting his broadcasting career in the 70s, Paul Maguire was part of NBC’s NFL coverage both in the booth and the studio. After NBC lost their NFL rights at the end of the 1997 season, Maguire joined ESPN’s Sunday Night Football team the following season. He was moved by ESPN to covering college football when the network gained the rights to Monday Night Football. He was slowly phased out of college coverage and retired in 2009.
MISSING: Jerry Glanville
LAST SEEN: The NFL Today on CBS (2001)
The former Oilers and Falcons coach who would dress in black and leave tickets every weekend for Elvis, went into the studio in 1994. First with FOX’s NFL pre-show and then in 1999 with the NFL Today on CBS. When the show was retooled after the 2001 season, Glanville was left out of the new cast.
MISSING: Emmitt Smith
LAST SEEN: ESPN’S Sunday NFL Countdown (2009)
The experiment that was NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith’s broadcasting career only lasted 2 seasons. ESPN had him in the studio on Sunday mornings and also during Monday nights for the Countdown shows. After two years of on air confusion, ESPN retired Emmitt from his career as an analyst.
MISSING: Craig James
LAST SEEN: FOX Sports Southwest (2013)
Craig James broadcasting career took him back and forth between college and the pros. After leaving the Patriots in 1989, James joined ESPN’s College GameDay where Lee Corso gave the SMU grad the nickname “Mustang Breath”. In 1996, James made the transition to CBS to work on studio shows College Football Today and the NFL on CBS before heading into the booth to color commentate on games. From 2003 to 2008, Craig James was part of studio show for ABC’s college football coverage. From there, ESPN put him back in the booth for college games. James left the network in 2011 to run for the U.S. Senate from Texas. After coming in 4th in the Republican primary, James signed with the new college football network FOX Sports Southwest. That lasted for one appearance. James hadn’t signed his contract yet and FOX Sports dumped him after learning about anti-gay statements he made during his Senate run.
MISSING: Dennis Miller
LAST SEEN: ABC’s Monday Night Football (2001)
Dennis Miller went through two unpopular seasons on Monday Night Football. Teamed with Al Michaels and Dan Fouts, Miller brought his comedy to the Monday Night booth, making comments like -“That receiver is being shunned like an Amish kid with a nipple ring” and “The ref is whipping out that flag like it’s the only lighter at a crack house.” When ABC had the opportunity to team John Madden with Al Michaels, both Miller and Fouts were out.
MISSING: Lynn Swann
LAST SEEN: ABC College Football (2006)
A rarity in sports, Lynn Swann began his broadcasting in 1976 while he was still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He joined ABC and went full time when he officially retired in 1983. His career with ABC included covering college football and becoming a part of the Monday Night Football team in 1994 for 4 seasons with Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf. During his time with the network, Swann also covered the Olympics, major horse races and appeared on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. His last appearance for ABC was working the 2006 Sugar Bowl. He left ABC after that and made a failed run to become Governor of Pennsylvania.
MISSING: Irv Cross
LAST SEEN: CBS Sports (1994)
In 1971, Irv Cross joined CBS Sports and in 1975 became part of The NFL Today along with Brent Musburger, Jimmy the Greek and former Miss America, Phyllis George. Cross remained part of the NFL Today team until 1989 when CBS cleaned house and replaced with the entire show with Greg Gumbel, Terry Bradshaw and Lesley Visser. Irv Cross stayed at CBS until 1994 doing NFL game coverage, plus covering NBA basketball, track and field events and gymnastics for the network.
MISSING: Ronnie Lott
LAST SEEN: FOX NFL Sunday (1997)
The 49er Hall of Famer joined FOX’s NFL Sunday when they needed a replacement after Jimmy Johnson had left the show. Even though it feels like Lott was part of FOX’s Sunday team for much longer. He was only there for two seasons when he was replaced by Cris Collinsworth.
MISSING: Will McDonough
LAST SEEN: The NFL on NBC (1995)
The Boston Globe sports writer made his way on to television. First on CBS’s NFL Today, then he went to the NBC studio show, NFLLive. McDonough stayed in the studio for 2 years before being sent to do sideline reporting for the network’s new The NFL on NBC show. He finished up in 1995.
MISSING: Jayne Kennedy
LAST SEEN: The NFL Today on CBS. (1979)
The former Miss Ohio replaced Phyllis George in the 1978 season of the NFL Today. Jayne Kennedy lasted two seasons with CBS before she was let go reportedly for appearing on the TV show, Speak Up America, on rival network NBC. Phyllis George came back to the CBS studio show after that.
MISSING: Fran Tarkenton
LAST SEEN: Monday Night Football (1982)
As soon as Fran Tarkenton retired as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, ABC brought him into the booth to be part of the Monday Night Football broadcast team. He became the 4th man, joining Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell. Tarkenton stayed on Monday nights at ABC for four seasons until he was replaced by OJ Simpson.
MISSING: Jack Youngblood
LAST SEEN: NFL GameDay (1987)
Along with Chris Berman, Rams great Jack Youngblood began the show that would go on to be called ESPN Sunday Countdown. Youngblood was the first analyst hired on NFL GameDay and stayed two years until he was replaced by Tom Jackson. He tried to make the move to CBS’ NFL Today and auditioned to join the network’s studio show along with Dick Butkus and Lyle Alzado. Butkus was the one that got the gig.
MISSING: Barry Switzer
LAST SEEN: FOX NFL Sunday (2007)
The former Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys coach joined FOX NFL Sunday in 2007. Barry Switzer was paired with Jimmy Johnson who he had bad blood with after he replaced Johnson in Dallas. During the pre-game show, he and Johnson would hold debates in a segment called “Grumpy Old Coaches”. It was moderated by Terry Bradshaw. The segment and Switzer lasted one season.
MISSING: Randy Cross
LAST SEEN: The NFL on CBS (2012)
Randy Cross has traveled between networks and the studio and the booth during his broadcasting career. He started as a game analyst with CBS in 1989 after playing 12 seasons with San Francisco. After CBS lost their NFL rights at the end of the 1993 season, Cross made the jump to NBC for 4 seasons working in the booth. He returned to the NFL on CBS in 1999 to be a part of the pre-game studio show with Jim Nantz, Jerry Glanville and Craig James. After two years in the studio, CBS put Cross on the road, working games until 2012.
MISSING: Brent Jones
LAST SEEN: The NFL on CBS (2005)
When the NFL returned to CBS in 1998, former 49er Super Bowl Champion Brent Jones joined the brand new studio show. He teamed with host Jim Nantz, Marcus Allen and Coach George Seifert. This combo was short lived and Jones went into the booth until 2005 when he informed CBS that the travel schedule from game to game was too much and he retired.
MISSING: Sam Wyche
LAST SEEN: The NFL on CBS (2000)
After being let go as the Buccaneers head coach in 1995, Sam Wyche joined NBC sports the next season. He was calling games along with Marv Albert. That job led him to the becoming a studio analyst for NBC during one of their last years hosting AFC games. In 1998, he headed to CBS where he went back in the booth until 2000.
MISSING: Joe Montana
LAST SEEN: The NFL on NBC
NBC brought in Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Montana during their transition from the NFL Live! to calling their studio show, the NFL on NBC. Montana was a replacement for what was called the “Gibbs Seat”. Coach Joe Gibbs was part of the studio show, but couldn’t be there every week due to his NASCAR commitments. Montana would fill in during those weeks. His style was immediately criticized and NBC didn’t bring Montana back the next season.
MISSING: Jillian Barberie
LAST SEEN: FOX NFL Sunday Super Bowl 42 coverage (2008)
The NFL’s weather girl Jillian Barberie joined FOX NFL Sunday in 2000. She hung out with the boys, flirted with Howie Long and gave the game time temperatures. She stayed with the studio show until 2005, but was brought back as a special weather guest in 2008 when FOX hosted Super Bowl 42.
