Gil Santos, longtime radio broadcaster for the New England Patriots, passed away on Thursday, April 19th at the age of 80. His tenure in the position stretched 36 years, rightfully earning him the respect of fans and players alike, a spot in the Patriots Hall of Fame, and a spot in our Pats of the Past series.
Former New England Patriots broadcaster Gil Santos passes away at the age of 80
“It’s good! It’s good! It’s good!”
Many fans may remember Gil Santos shouting those words across the radio waves on February 3rd, 2002, as Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal attempt sailed through the uprights to win the New England Patriots their first Super Bowl Championship. He would call two more Super Bowl wins and countless plays for the team before retiring in 2013. For many, Santos will forever be remembered as the “voice of the Patriots.”
Reactions from the Team
Robert Kraft, CEO and owner of the Patriots, issued a statement following Santos’ death, who extended his sympathies to his family, calling Santos a “legendary broadcaster.”
Bill Belichick echoed Kraft’s statements, saying the broadcaster “will forever remain a special figure in the lives of generations of players, coaches and fans who knew him […] Gil was a great friend and he will be missed.”
Statement from Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick: pic.twitter.com/5D9XR1zdUN
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 20, 2018
Scott Zolak, former Patriots quarterback and one of the current broadcasters for the team, was “devastated” by Santos’ passing. Zolak described Santos as a “great broadcaster” and a “class act.”
Bob Socci, the successor to Santos, tweeted on Thursday that “There is no replacing Gil Santos. He was, is, and will remain the Voice of the Patriots – the voice of football in New England. […] Gil’s voice still resonates in my mind every Sunday…”
Most Memorable Calls
While Santos was not able to cover some of the more recent miracles the Patriots have accomplished – such as Malcolm Butler’s game-saving interception in Super Bowl XLIV, or the epic comeback during Super Bowl LI – he was witness to plenty of other miraculous plays in Patriots history. Vinatieri’s game winning field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI was just one of his most memorable.
Of course, that wasn’t his only memorable call for that game. Ty Law’s pick-six not only gave the team the lead, but turned the booth into an absolute mad house.
His call of Vinatieri’s kick to win the infamous “Tuck Rule Game” in overtime is a fan favorite as well. That game made history for other reasons, but Santos’ palpable joy shouting “Oh baby, we’re going to the AFC Championship!” displayed his absolute love for the team.
His play-by-play of Tom Brady’s 65-yard bomb to Randy Moss in 2007 – a historical, record-setting touchdown pass in itself – was historical in its own right.
“One play. Bang bang. They both set NFL records.”
A Journey’s End
Even a battle with pneumonia could not stop the Patriots’ voice. After a short hospitalization, Santos ultimately returned as the play-by-play broadcaster for one final season. Following the team’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game, Santos gave a farewell to listeners across the area.
“In walking away from the microphone and retiring as the voice of the Patriots, I’ll just say this: I want to thank the fans who have been so very kind to me over the years. I want to thank Bob Kraft and his family. Bill Belichick, his staff and his players, thank them for being so cooperative to me. To our broadcast team over the season. And to all the previous Patriots coaches and players and owners, thank you very much for allowing me to be the voice of the Patriots for 36 wonderful years. I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope the next guy who does it enjoys it as much as I have. I hope he realizes it is a privilege, not a job. That’s gonna take care of it.”
Gil, from everyone at LWPF and Patriots fans everywhere, thank you for 36 years of brilliant broadcasting. You won’t be forgotten.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
