Bob Trumpy named Rozelle Award winner

Bob Trumpy, a 30-year television and radio broadcast booth veteran, is the 2014 recipient of the prestigious Pete Rozelle Radio & Television Award. The award, presented annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizes “longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.” He will be recognized on August 2, during the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the Class of 2014 – Derrick Brooks, Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan, and Aeneas Williams.

Trumpy began his long national broadcasting career in 1978, almost immediately after a 10-year, Pro Bowl career with the Cincinnati Bengals, as an NFL color analyst for NBC Sports.

He served in that role until 1997. For three seasons, 1992-94, he was paired with Dick Enberg as the network’s top announcing crew during which time he called Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII.

“In addition to being a former player and having a great set of pipes, what made Bob great was that he was never afraid to give his opinion,” said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports & NBCSN, who worked with Trumpy in the 1980s and 1990s. “He did his homework and had a great passion for the sport. Bob’s one of the few guys who could talk about the game as well as he played it. This honor is well deserved.”

Past recipients of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award 2013 - Al Michaels 2012 - Len Dawson 2011 - Jim Nantz 2010 - Chris Berman 2009 - Irv Cross 2008 - Dan Dierdorf 2007 - Don Meredith 2006 - Lesley Visser 2005 - Myron Cope 2004 - Van Miller 2003 - Don Criqui 2002 - John Madden 2001 - Roone Arledge 2000 - Ray Scott 1999 - Dick Enberg 1998 - Val Pinchbeck 1997 - Charlie Jones 1996 - Jack Buck 1995 - Frank Gifford 1994 - Pat Summerall 1993 - Curt Gowdy 1992 - Chris Schenkel 1991 - Ed Sabol 1990 - Lindsey Nelson 1989 - Bill McPhail

He worked with Don Criqui on NBC Radio calling Monday Night Football in 1985 and 1986 and called Super Bowls XX and XXI. In 1999, Trumpy joined Westwood One Radio Sports as the Sunday Night Football analyst and served in that role through his retirement after the 2007 season.

“We are thrilled, and congratulate Bob for being selected as this year’s Rozelle Award winner,” stated Howard Deneroff, EVP/Executive Producer for Westwood One Sports. “Now others will recognize what we have known for years – he is a Hall of Famer, both as a broadcaster, and a person. After enjoying watching him on TV for years, it was an honor to have him finish his career as our Sunday Night Football radio analyst for nearly a decade.”

In addition, he has called numerous college Bowl games, four Pro Bowls, six Hall of Fame Games, and been a part of 10 Super Bowl pre-game shows.

Trumpy also broadcast three Olympic Games for NBC (1988, 1992, and 1996) covering such events as volleyball, boxing and, weightlifting. From 1992-99 he was part of NBC’s golf broadcasts. For many years, he was also a fixture on Cincinnati radio as the host of local programs on WCKY, WLW, and WBOB from 1975-1990. He was awarded "Ohio Sportscaster of the Year” in 1982 and 1986.

Aside from Enberg and Criqui, his other NFL broadcast partners have included: Bob Costas, Jay Randolph, Charlie Jones, Marv Albert, Dan Hicks, Joel Myers, Bryant Gumbel, Ahmad Rashad, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire.

Trumpy began his pro football career as a member of the expansion Bengals in 1968 and became one of the game’s elite tight ends. He played his entire career with Cincinnati. The four-time Pro Bowl player was equally adept at blocking and catching the ball and retired as the club’s all-time career receiving leader with 298 receptions for 4,600 yards and 35 touchdowns.