After 38 consecutive years in the booth, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Sonny Jurgensen announced his retirement from the Washington Redskins radio broadcast prior to their first preseason game, Thursday evening.
“I’ve decided to hang up my headphones and my clipboard. It’s been a great 55 years in Washington. I want to thank our Redskins fans for being so generous to me and our teams. We owe it all to you,” Jurgensen said in his announcement on the Redskins flagship radio affiliate, WTEM 980.
“After 62 years in professional football, I still have my health and wonderful family with a special thanks to my beautiful wife Margo for letting me work the weekends for all those years. I’ll always be a fan of professional football and appreciative of all it has done for me, my family and our city. I’ll leave you with these words, Hail to the Redskins!”
The soon to be 85-year old former quarterback played 11 seasons with the Redskins from 1964 – 1974, before transitioning to a career in broadcasting. For six years, Jurgensen worked as an NFL analyst with CBS, later joining Redskins Hall of Famer Sam Huff and play-by-play voice Frank Herzog to call Skins games on the radio.
Sonny, Sam and Frank were the trio on hand for the Redskins three Super Bowl seasons, continuing to work together until 2004, when Herzog was replaced by Larry Michael. Huff retired in 2013 after 38 seasons as an analyst in the Redskins radio booth. Most recently, the Redskins broadcast featured Sonny Jurgensen, Larry Michael, Chris Cooley and Doc Walker on their flagship station WTEM 980 and simulcast by more than 30 other radio affiliates in the region.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.