Gene Deckerhoff credits Bobby Bowden for decision to take Buccaneers radio job

With the Atlanta Falcons beating the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon, it appears longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers radio voice Gene Deckerhoff has called his final game.

The Bucs needed a Falcons loss to get into the postseason over the Carolina Panthers, and thereby extend the career of Deckerhoff, who announced he is retiring after 37 seasons calling Tampa Bay games on the radio. Fortunately for Deckerhoff, he was able to call a Bucs win as his final game, but it wasn’t enough to earn them the NFC South title.

Speaking before Saturday’s game, Deckerhoff shared a heartwarming origin story about his decision to begin calling Bucs games 37 years ago. Deckerhoff, of course, had already been the voice of the Florida State Seminoles for several years prior to taking the Bucs job. And one of the key blessings the play-by-play announcer wanted before agreeing to pickup an NFL gig was from legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

Video: The outgoing Gene Deckerhoff explains why he has Bobby Bowden to thank for 37 years as the radio voice of Bucs football. pic.twitter.com/Q8vtBcxrNF

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“Why coach Bowden? Because he did his TV show with me, and we generally did that TV show at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, when I’d either have to be headed toward Tampa in the vehicle or flying to Seattle in an airplane, so we could not do his TV show at 6:30 in the morning,” Deckerhoff explained. “Coach said, ‘Are you gonna do our games?’ And I said, ‘Yes sir, I’m going to do them. But I have to get on a plane or drive.’ He said, ‘Well, why do you have to ask me permission if you’re going to do our game?’ I said, ‘Well because you may have to do your TV show at 2 or 3 in the morning when we get back home from a trip to Charlottesville or Pittsburgh or wherever.’ And without hesitation, the greatest coach in America, Bobby Bowden, said, ‘You can just wake me up when the commercials are over, we can do that TV show anytime you want to!’

“Without coach Bobby Bowden, I would not be standing here after 37 years of saying ‘Touchdown Tampa Bay!'” Deckerhoff said, referencing his signature call.

For much of his career, Deckerhoff did juggle both his Florida State and Buccaneers duties, no doubt creating some busy travel schedules throughout the fall. But he wouldn’t have done it without a sign off from the legendary Bowden.