Well-known ESPN personality Chris Berman announced that he will officially retire in 2029 when his current contract expires.
Berman told Alex Sherman on the “CNBC Sport” podcast yesterday that he will step away from his legendary broadcasting run after his contract with the network ends after the 2029 NFL season.
“I’ll be almost 75, I think the nation’s more than had enough of me,” Berman said.
“I’m semi-retired now. I’m just so proud of where we’ve been from Day 1 to getting a Super Bowl.”
Berman inked a new contract with ESPN last May that would take him through the network’s 50th anniversary in 2029.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting,” Berman said in a statement at the time.
“We’re closing in on our very first Super Bowl (in 2027), and now I will be able to be part of that, too.”
Berman has been an integral part of ESPN since joining the network a month after its launch in September of 1979. Besides being one of the original “SportsCenter” anchors, Berman has been a key part of the network’s NFL and baseball coverage.
He hosted “NFL PrimeTime” with Tom Jackson from 1987 to 2005 on ESPN.
He resumed hosting duties of the show in 2019 when it returned on the ESPN+ streaming service.
Berman also anchored “Monday Night Countdown” and “Sunday NFL Countdown” during their runs on the network.
Berman, also playfully known at “The Swami” and “Boomer”, is best known for his zany catch phrases, which he would break out during the MLB Home Run Derby and for other broadcasts.
“He could…go…all…the…way!” and “Back, back, back, back…Gone!” have become some of his most recognizable sayings over his career.