RIP Pat Summerall

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Pat Summerall yesterday. He was best known for his 22-year broadcasting partnership with John Madden. His impact on my football life came before that. Prior to sharing  a broadcast booth with Madden, Summerall was paired with Tom Brookshier. As the lead CBS team, they introduced me to the Minnesota Vikings. They may have only done a few Vikings games but it felt like they did them all. Every Sunday it was Summerall and Brookshier for me. That eventually became Summerall and Madden. For the first thirty years of my football life, Summerall's was the voice that I knew best.

Pat Summerall was part of the NFL for fifty years. His first ten were as a player. He was an end on both sides of the ball but he was better known as a kicker. He was the kicker for the excellent New York Giants teams from 1958-61. He played in three NFL Championship games, including the 1958 "Greatest Game Ever Played" title game. It was his 49-yard field goal in a snowstorm against the Cleveland Browns that made the Giants presence in that game possible. As an offensive and defensive end as well as the kicker, he had the unique opportunity to be in the respective meeting rooms of the offense and the defense. In 1958, the offensive and defensive coaches for the Giants were Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry. Summerall realized the significance of the football and life lessons that he was learning from two of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen. It led to his authoring a book about what he learned from those two coaching greats.

Pat Summerall meant a lot of things to a lot of people. He introduced me to the Vikings and football, in general. Most importantly, he was a great friend to everyone that he knew. As I read more and more football history the more Summerall pops up. He seemed to walk in every football circle. Everyone knew him. Everyone was his friend. He had time for everyone, from fans to players of every generation to commissioners to leaders in all fields. His life was remarkable in all the people that knew him and the incredible number that called him their friend.

RIP Pat Summerall. I will always hear his voice calling Vikings games.