Kevin Harlan got to live every sports broadcaster’s dream this week, calling game-winning scores in big national NFL and NBA games on back to back nights.
As national NFL radio play-by-play man for Westwood One, Harlan called Monday Night Football in Seattle, where backup quarterback Drew Lock saved the Seahawks’ season with a late touchdown pass to beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Touchdown, touchdown, Seattle touchdown,” Harlan belted over the roar of the 12th man. “The Seahawks have taken the lead, 28 seconds to go!”
Kevin Harlan’s radio call of the Seahawks’ game-winning touchdown last night is ELECTRIC ⚡pic.twitter.com/VSKNvC3Cne
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 19, 2023
About 24 hours later in San Francisco, Harlan was on the call for TNT as Stephen Curry capped off a Golden State Warriors comeback win with a massive three-pointer with 10 seconds left in overtime.
“Curry three, WHAT A SHOT,” Harlan exclaimed as Curry flashed his trademark put-them-to-sleep celebration.
https://twitter.com/WarriorsMuse/status/1737349371661070807?s=20
Harlan is as versatile an announcer as there is in sports media. Most fans probably don’t realize Harlan calls MNF and the Super Bowl for Westwood One in addition to NFL Sundays for CBS. But he brings an energy and specificity to NFL radio calls that is rare. And he gets the top NBA game each week for TNT, giving hoops fans a great call alongside the legendary Inside the NBA.
Of course, Harlan also calls the NCAA tournament as part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s partnership with Paramount Global. He recently received an Awfulie from us here at Awful Announcing for his call of Furman’s late-game heroics over Virginia last spring. It was our second-best announcing moment of 2023.
But even the great Kevin Harlan probably hasn’t had many weeks calling two game-winners in a row in his prolific career.
[ClutchPoints and Warriors Muse on X]
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.