Jimmy Johnson finally walked away from Fox NFL Sunday this year after a historic career, but don’t expect his buddy and longtime colleague Terry Bradshaw to follow suit any time soon.
At 77, Bradshaw often goes viral for peculiar tangents and unfortunate malapropisms, which show his age and can sometimes draw consternation from his colleagues. But Fox pregame anchor Curt Menefee recently told the Daily Mail that he doesn’t think the legendary former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is “ever, ever going to leave” the highly rated show.
Bradshaw won four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s before joining CBS, where he instantly became one of the most popular NFL broadcasters on television. When Fox Sports launched in the early 1990s, Bradshaw’s decision to join the upstart network came to symbolize the all-out theft Fox committed against CBS. Ever since, Fox NFL Sunday has been the gold standard.
So Menefee, who has anchored the Fox show since 2006, can’t imagine it without Bradshaw.
“It was built around him [Bradshaw]. He was the first guy they hired,” Menefee recently told the Daily Mail, per the New York Post. “He was the first guy on air for this network. I don’t think he’s ever, ever going to leave. And nor should he. He is the heart and soul of everything we do at Fox Sports.
“It’s never gonna happen! They’re going to be carrying him out in a hearse — he is not leaving the show. Nor should he!”
Menefee also shared that Bradshaw’s blessing was one of the big tiebreakers that led to him taking over for James Brown.
Fans may occasionally tire of Bradshaw’s eccentric stylings. However, Menefee’s vote of support goes a long way toward showing how the rest of the Fox cast feels about the legendary quarterback’s role as the star of the popular pregame show.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.