Longtime sports broadcaster Brent Musburger will call his final game for ESPN at the end of the month, according to a statement from the network. The 77-year-old’s last event will be a Georgia-Kentucky men’s basketball game on Jan. 31.
According to Stephanie Druley, ESPN’s senior vice president of events and production, Musburger thought about leaving his job days before the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl, a game in which he awkwardly talked about Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon’s past assault and wished the player luck in the NFL:
When did you learn of Brent’s intentions to leave play-by-play once and for all?
About 10 days prior to the Sugar Bowl, we were told that Brent was considering stepping away from play-by-play. I was shocked. I did not feel like it was time for him to step aside. We had a follow-up meeting where we made a very strong pitch to get him to change his mind.
In the end, he made a personal decision for himself and for his family. I respect that. But, personally and professionally, I am disappointed and saddened, considering he’s still a fantastic play-by-play announcer.
Musburger, who has worked at ABC/ESPN since 1990, said that his next stop would be “in Las Vegas.”