For all you Phil Simms haters out there, we’ve got some bad news: CBS’ top in-game NFL analyst is not giving up his post anytime soon. In fact, according to the New York Daily News, Simms will be calling football games… forever.
The latest
“I was recently talking with (Bill) Parcells and he was saying some nice things about my broadcasting,” Simms, who starts his 23rd year in broadcasting Sunday working Bengals-Jets, said. “Then he asked me if I’m going to go out of the booth boots first. I said, ‘oh, absolutely.’”
Then again, Simms, who industry sources say has “quite a few years to go” on his CBS deal, may not have been referring to an NFL TV booth.
“I have no other intentions but continuing broadcasting. I always have fun with the guys I work with,” Simms said. “I said one day when we are even older we’ll be doing local high school games. We’ll still be good. We’ll just keep on going.”
It sounds like Simms will sit alongside Jim Nantz in the CBS broadcast booth until they drag him out of there. And when that happens, he’ll be coming to a high school near you.
Whether or not you like Simms, you can’t deny he loves his job. Many a broadcaster has been chased, fairly or unfairly, by the allegation that he doesn’t project the appropriate enthusiasm for his job (sorry Joe Buck), but at least Simms has some passion.
According to the New York Post, Simms struggled with his health last season and plans to scale back on his activity outside the booth. Still, he’ll stick around because he’s “addicted” to the job. Per the Post:
“It’s tough to say when I realized I really loved it,” Simms said. “And I really think the passion for my job truly grows ever year, so that’s good. I never sit around in July and think, ‘Oh my God, this season.’ By mid-June, I am ready for it to start.”
Another interesting note from the Post: Simms doesn’t think Peyton Manning will end up in broadcasting because, “I just can’t imagine Peyton sitting around waiting an hour for players and coaches to come in because they are getting a massage or doing this or that. I see Peyton as an owner.”
So in summary, you won’t see Peyton Manning on TV anytime soon, but you’ll see Phil Simms until the end of time.
[New York Daily News, New York Post]
Comments are closed.