Don Criqui facts for kids

Don Criqui, born on October 1, 1940, is a well-known American sportscaster. He is famous for his long career, especially in football. He holds the record for being the longest-serving NFL broadcaster on U.S. television. He called NFL games for an amazing 47 seasons, from 1967 to 2013, working for both NBC and CBS. His last NFL broadcast was on December 8, 2013, when he stepped in to cover a game between the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns.

Criqui also had a long and successful career calling college football games. He announced 11 Orange Bowl games while at NBC. Some of these games even decided the college football national championship. From 2006 until 2017, he was the radio voice for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, which is his old college. He also worked for CBS Sports from 1998 to 2013, covering NFL, college basketball, and college football.

Early Life and Education

Don Criqui grew up in Kenmore, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. He went to St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore. After high school, he attended the University of Notre Dame. He also served in the United States Air Force Reserve.

A Long and Successful Career

Don Criqui is known for how long he has been a sportscaster. He started his career with CBS in 1967. Later, in 1979, he moved to NBC Sports. He rejoined CBS in 1998 when the network started broadcasting NFL games again. He continued to be a play-by-play announcer for the NFL on CBS until 2012. He even returned for one game in 2013 when another announcer couldn't make it due to a snowstorm.

Criqui has announced many different sports for various networks like CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and ESPN. These include college football, college basketball, NBA games, NHL games, professional golf and tennis tournaments, and even horse racing. He also covered events at several Summer Olympics.

Memorable Moments in Sports Broadcasting

During his time at NBC, Don Criqui called 14 Orange Bowl games. One of his most famous calls was the 1984 Orange Bowl game. This game was between the undefeated Nebraska team and Miami. Nebraska had won 22 games in a row, but they lost to Miami 31–30. Nebraska tried a two-point conversion to win the game but failed.

Another memorable college basketball call was when St. Joseph's upset top-seeded DePaul in the 1981 NCAA Tournament. Criqui was also the radio play-by-play voice for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football from 2006 to 2018.

Other Projects and Recognition

Besides sports announcing, Don Criqui has hosted radio talk shows about sports. He was also a part-time TV announcer for the New York Mets in 1991. For many years, he announced New England Patriots pre-season football games on TV in Boston.

He also co-hosted the weekend version of the newsmagazine Inside Edition. He was a sportscaster on radio shows like Rambling with Gambling and Imus in the Morning.

Criqui has made many memorable NFL calls. One famous moment was Tom Dempsey's 63-yard field goal in 1970, which won the game for the New Orleans Saints. He also called the "Miracle at the Meadowlands" in 1978 and the "Epic in Miami" in 1982. He announced Super Bowls XX and XXI for NBC Radio.

In 2003, he received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Don Criqui lives in Essex Fells, New Jersey. He has four sons, one daughter, and fifteen grandchildren. His wife, Molly Criqui, passed away on June 2, 2024, after more than 60 years of marriage.