January 23rd, 2008 
Matt Loede 
Posted in 
With a lull before the Bowl, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of some of the best NFL announcers of today. Most of these guys can be heard on broadcasts of today, while some are getting towards the end of their careers. Send us your comments on your favorites, and we’ll put together another list with readers responses.
1. Al Michaels – As classy as they come when it comes to sportscasters, a great sense of humor, keeps the viewers informed, and does an A+ job in being insightful as well.
2. Joe Buck – Similar to Michaels in a lot of ways, has a great on-air presence and doesn’t try to overshadow what is going on during the action. Also has a great sense of humor which makes him easy to listen to during games.
3. Dick Enberg – One of the true all-time greats, his demeanor and style are one-of-a-kind. Also is very informed and well prepared during broadcasts.
4. John Madden – His tenure with Pat Summeral on CBS will go down as legendary, and while it was as good as it gets then, his tandem with Michaels may actually be better. Still knows the game as good as any.
5. Mike Tirico – Great awareness of the games that he does, as well as knows things that a listener or viewer wants to know. While not overbearing, brings a great enthusim to the broadcasts. You always know what your going to get.
6. Jim Nantz – While he’s only done the big games for a short amount of time, he does a very solid job with them, and also does well working with Phil Simms as a duo on the big Sunday games.
7. Troy Aikman – Not only a great QB, but also great in the booth as well. Better than Theisman, Jaworski, or any of the former players that they think brings insight to today’s NFL broadcasts.
8. Marv Albert – Best NBA guy ever, he also does a great job on the radio during NFL Games. Some legendary calls over the years…”YESS!!!!!”
9. Greg Gumbel – Has gotten better over the time doing games. Prepared, doesn’t overshadow the action, and has a good knowledge of the players of today and yesterday. Heads and shoulders over his awful brother doing games.
10. Bob Trumpy – Always very solid with his work, he and Dick Enberg have been great for many years both on TV and now on radio.
Tags: 
Gus Johnson is 1 of my favorites… LOTS of ENTHUSIASM! 1 of a Kind!
Brian Baldinger has improved and is great with knowing the game.
Madden & Summerall were CLASSIC duo on CBS & FOX…
Ian Eagle is also a good one.
Kevin HARLAN is 1 of the best right now.
Randy Cross is good also…
Favorites: Gus Johnson & Kevin Harlan
I like the Bob Trumpy CHOICE ~ That Selection of Trumpy should be higher though… He’s the Man!
Top 5…
As good as the NFL guys are ~ I think the College Broadcasters legitimately rate/rank above of ‘em in terms of who’s doing the best in the biz right now. Brent Musberger & Kirk Herbstreit are personal favorites of mine. College Football/Hoops get the best and the NBA has some good ones on TNT.
Bryant Gumble is the biggest piece of crap when it comes to announcing nfl games. How the hell can you like him??? I don’t know one person that enjoys listening to him, he is just as bad as Dennis Miller was.
[quote comment=""]As good as the NFL guys are ~ I think the College Broadcasters legitimately rate/rank above of ‘em in terms of who’s doing the best in the biz right now. Brent Musberger & Kirk Herbstreit are personal favorites of mine. College Football/Hoops get the best and the NBA has some good ones on TNT.[/quote]
JOE BUCK??? You have got to be kidding me. Every other list I’ve seen of these has him near the top…of the worst.
I think Gumbel is terrible and I’m not a fan of Terico either. Michaels is great and so is Endberg but my favorite duo was Tom Brookshire and Summerall from the old NFL days.
[quote comment=""]You are an R-Tard, my friend: Joe “I’m So Not Excited” Buck? Jim “I Wish This We’re the Masters” Nantz? Bryant “I’m a Total Jerk and My Voice Causes the Paint to Peel” Gumbel? These guys could make the bottom 10 NFL announcers. Personally, Gus Johnson is the best, I also like Steve Tasker, Cris Collinsworth, and Ron Jaworski. How can you dog Jaws, he is the happiest person in the building whenever he does a game. I think passion is largely under-rated when assessing sports announcers.[/quote]
JOE BUCK at #2? YOUVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME
Why not go with best broadcast teams? … like the previous sunday night crew, mike patrick, joe theismann, and paul maguire. joe buck is a$$bag (esp. per his “this is disgusting” comment over randy moss’s fake moon in gb) and bryant gumbel??? … you might as well have said chris collinsworth or paris hilton. what a joke!
Madden > Jaworski?
Madden *knows* football? The man is a corpse.
Rampant foolishness. Is this list a joke, or is the joke your grasp on football?
Bryant Gumble is a worthless piece-of-poop! It is ABSOLUTELY PAINFUL to listen to his broadcasts.
Seriously? Joe Buck and Bryant Gumble made this list? You are crazy. I would consider adding Cris Collinsworth at 9 or 10 as well as Jaws.
madden and gumble? are you serious? i m not a joe buck fan either, but at least he can call a game without confessing his man-love for brett favre or rambling about the immaculate reception that kept him from the super bowl. gumble made me want to discontinue NFL network with his famous “and the additional point is true” quote on extra point attempts. Buck needs to stick to his beloved St. Louis Cardinals
Can I please get Brent Musburger a slot on this list?
Joe Buck is awful. he is more interested in his “sense of humor” than the game. And he is incredibly smug. Just putrid.
Horrible list: Aikman and Buck were practically crying when they watched the Cowboys go down against the Giants, talk about favoritism. Tirico is an idiot and Gumbel doesn’t even know which team is which on the field. I personally don’t mind Simms and I like Darryl Johnston, neither of which was on the list.
JOE BUCK?!?! NUMBER 2?!?! ALL-TIME?!?! Speaking of “number 2″, I think I would rather listen to Paul McGuire take a dump during an NFL broadcast then listen to Joe “Child of Nepotism” Buck commentate on a game. It’s bad enough that FOX made him their marquis commentator for the MLB playoffs and World Series, but since he has starting pulling double duty in the NFL, I have yet another reason to watch whatever game CBS is broadcasting.
Think you meant Greg Gumbel and not Bryant. “It would appear” that Bryant is the all-time worst. I mean he called Frank Gore, Al Gore. He’s an embarrassment.
ARE YOU F’IN KIDDING ME?
JOE BUCK IS THE WORST ANNOUNCER TO EVER TOUCH A MIC!!!!!
Joe Buck had to be a mistake. Jim Nantz is far and away better than Buck. Also, is the ranking for analysts or for play-by-play commentators? How and why are analysts mixed in? This list needs to be redone.
Wow.
ADD:
Collinsworth
Dierdorf
REMOVE:
Gumbel
Buck
What a complete disgrace this list is to the game of football; indeed, to America as a whole. On behalf of everybody who has ever actually watched an NFL broadcast, I am personally and deeply offended.
you’ve got to be kidding! Tirico is a tool, it’s as if he’s offended by the fact that he must interrupt his pontification to actually call the game! and how could you possibly leave out Pat Summerall?!
Gus Johnson and Jaws…its a crime they were left off of the list…
Trumpy is awful. He thinks he knows what’s happening. He hypes stars too much. Too many references to murderous acts when describing football contact. That means unimaginative.
Dick Stockton should be up there in the Top 10, just remembered about Mr. Stockton.
Troy Aikman is an idiot. Madden, Jaws and Collinsworth are the only ex-football players that arn’t complete morons
All these comments and no one talks about Kevin Harlan nor Ian Eagle ~ and how about Solomon Wilcotts…??? I’ll take some of those NFL CBS Crews anyday of the week ~ that’s why CBS usually in most cases – is better than FOX. No Kenny Albert??? Funny…
I really hope that you mistook Bryant for Greg. Greg isn’t the best, but Bryant is a bonafide piece of crap in the both. Dierdorf and Jaws +++. Terrible list.
TRUMPY is 1 of the BEST! You cannot argue that! Diedrdorf & Collinsworth are pathetic and below-average @ best…
Both of the Gumbels are not that good… Greg’s the better of the 2… Bryant Gumbel is AWFUL!!!!! I cannot watch an NFL Network game with him announcing~ listening to him & Collinsworth do that NY GIANTS-Pats game was unbearable @ times… Why do you think they are not on CBS, NBC or FOX??? Collinsworth got removed from games on FOX because he’s so bad!
[quote comment=""]TRUMPY is 1 of the BEST! You cannot argue that! Diedrdorf & Collinsworth are pathetic and below-average @ best…
Both of the Gumbels are not that good… Greg’s the better of the 2… Bryant Gumbel is AWFUL!!!!! I cannot watch an NFL Network game with him announcing~ listening to him & Collinsworth do that NY GIANTS-Pats game was unbearable @ times… Why do you think they are not on CBS, NBC or FOX??? Collinsworth got removed from games on FOX because he’s so bad![/quote]
Where’s brent musburger?
Bob Costas if he ever did play-by-play for the NFL would be GREAT ~ He’s 1 of my FAVORITES of All-Time…
Mike PATRICK is another 1 that should be on this LIST! He was great on Sunday Nites and for Jaworski & Theismann ~ They are both decent and somewhat good announcers… I think Theismann was better for color and Jaws for pre-game and study of plays for NFL Match-up.
Mike Patrick – I love listening to the games he does and Costas is so good @ what he does and he’d be great in replacing Michael @ NBC Sunday Nites if he leaves…
As For Paul Maguire – he was alright…
Pat Summerall should have made the list without a doubt in my mind.
I’d take Randy Cross over Steve Tasker (they both are decent)
You guys could have the trio/set of Diedrdorf, Collinsworth & Jaws to pick & choose from anyday ~ I’ll take the SOLID Consistency and Professionalism of MADDEN & Buck Over ‘EM Everytime!
Surprised their was a mention of “Moose” Daryl Johnston ~ but no Brian Baldinger… Baldinger is better ~ him & Stockton are a good 1-2 combo!
Buck is a good broadcaster ~ not that good to be rated that high @ #2… but certainly & definitely ranked in the Top 10!
MADDEN is still in the Top 10 everyone…
Sam Femia ~ what do you mean & what do you have to say by selecting my quote???
How can someone not like Bob TRUMPY!!! He is an All-Time Favorite & Best of mine!
Mike Tirico has Vastly IMPROVED & Is Very Good ~ he should STAY In the Top 10! BEARS/Cards game CALL was Phenomonally well done by him on HESTER’s GW PR for TD!
Brent MUSBERGER NEEDS To be ADDED To This LIST – This is for SURE!
~ Hard to rate Color commentators… So MANY Good Play-By-Play guys to Choose from.
PASSION is a KEY For BROADCASTING ~ That is so TRUE!
My Top 10:
Gus Johnson
Kevin Harlan
Jim Nantz (Nantz & Simms are a SOLID duo)
Bob Trumpy
Dick Enberg
Marv Albert
Mike Tirico
Brian Baldinger
Dick Stockton
Joe Buck
They are who they are:
MADDEN & Michaels are good & consistent… (Just not a big fan of Al)
Others would be included if they did the NFL (Can make a Top 10 List outta this!):
Brent Musberger would be Top 3 only if he did the NFL.
Bob Costas
Mike Patrick (No Longer Does)
So glad others skewered the list for including Bryant Gumbel (Greg isn’t half bad) and Joe Buck. Buck’s fine for baseball, but he’s not football. And the Sports Guy is dead on in his imaginary conversation with Aikman after the Giants-Packers game:
Me: “Troy, what happens to football players when they start kicking and long-snapping for the Giants? Those have become two of the most jinxed positions in football, haven’t they? I feel like you could take the best kicker and long snapper in the league, stick them on the Giants in a playoff game, and the ceiling for both guys would be a D-plus. It’s crazy, isn’t it?
Troy: “Well, Bill, I think you’re exactly right. The Giants have had trouble with their special teams for years, and we saw it again today. When you have trouble snapping the ball and kicking the ball in the National Football League, that’s going to affect a football team in a close game. So you’re exactly right on that, there’s no question, you’re exactly right.”
I agree with folks that Stockton should be added. Musburger’s nice & enthusiastic, but he’s annoying.
Mainly, I can’t believe anyone would make this list and not put Madden #1. How could a play-by-play guy go above the color guy?
This list is ridiculous. Joe Buck and Bryant Gumbel make games agony to listen to. Buck needs to go away and take the damn Fox robot with him!
Bryant Gumble is terrible. The one guy no one mentions who is fantastic is Verne Lundquist. He’s smooth as silk and you don’t even notice he’s there, which is what an announcer should be (invisible). He let’s the game tell the story. Ludquist is also great at golf too.
First off, the list says Greg Gumbel, not Bryant Gumbel…not much of a difference but you people need to learn how to read.
Personally, I am old-school and I liked Summerall and Brookshire for the NFC games and Curt Gowdy and Al DeRegadiz (close enough spelling) for the AFC games.
Kevin Harlan not on the list? Insanity!
Madden is washed up.
Marv & Boomer on the radio is the way to enjoy MNF. ESPN has ruined it.
Joe Buck is arrogant and boring. He’s also a little bit racist per his comments concerning Randy Moss and Kenny Rogers (baseball player).
I’m guessing the list originally had Bryant Gumbel, but the author changed it to Greg Gumbel. CNNSI.com quoted it as including Bryant Gumbel too.
DAVE LAPAM! CINCINNATI BENGALS PLAY-BY-PLAY
Where the hell is Gus Johnson?!?!!?
And Joe Buck at number 2? he is a retard
[quote comment=""]Agree with everyone else about Buck and Gumbel. Aikman, for that matter, doesn’t deserve to be on the list either. Does the same stupid thing that Madden used to do and finally learned to grow out of: overstating the obvious. The only NFL color commentators who bring any insight during games are Simms and Collinsworth. On the announcer side, having Buck in there over someone like Summerall is just insane.[/quote]
You cant be serious…..GUMBEL???!!! You can take Bryant and Fred Couples personal valet, Jim Nantz and give them thier own show on LOGO.
You gotta be kidding.
Joe ‘bleepin’ Buck? Bleep No!
I’m really not a madden fan. It seems like his biggest “insights” are when he says things like, “If you drop the ball, you can’t get a first down,” or “They need to score some more points if they want to win.” My roommate and I watch football games with Madden announcing just to hear him consistently share mind-numbingly obvious facts about the game being played.
PS, in agreement with everyone else, Joe Buck is put a little high on this list. Top 10? Yes. #2? Absolutely not.
Joe Buck is AWFUL and Troy Aikman has about as much knowledge as a high school football player. For someone who played so long, Aikman is an embarassment…much like this list lol
Gumbel and Tirico should not be on there, they are a couple of the worst, even Tirico’s radio show stunk! And thanks for not putting Theisman. Announcers are suppose to be objective but constantly bashes on the Cowboys when doing one of their games.
So TRUE & RIGHT About MADDEN ~ His so-called “INSIGHTS” Are FUNNY/HILARIOUS!!! He can hear him say the same things in MADDEN for Video Games on the PS, along with what he does on TV. Still I like him in my “borderline” Top 10 ~ on the outside looking in because I’ve heard him too many times, enough times to take him and say, Pat Summerall for granted, who also was a very good one @ his job.
Cannot BELIEVE I Left out & forgot Verne Lundquist!!!!!!!!!!!!
LUNDQUIST on CBS for SEC Football is the BEST!
Along with MARCH MADDNESS! Verne Lundquist & Gus Johnson are the best Play-By-Play guys in the Biz 2day! I’ll REVISE “my list” and take out Stockton for Lundquist. LUNDQUIST is so “Silky SMOOTH” and just good @ what he does & is to listen to ~ along with the PASSION. LUNDQUIST and Gary Danielson are the best 1-2 combo for College Football on CBS for SEC! Lundquist & Raftery are Tremendous together for College HOOPS!