Pat Summerall is considered by most critics and fans to be one of the premier sports announcers for network coverage of the National Football League, in fact he was once considered “the voice of the NFL.” He is best known for his work with John Madden on CBS and Fox’s NFL telecasts. Their voices became a Sunday mainstay to football fans everywhere, providing high energy, play-by-play football commentary and game analysis. The pairing of Summerall and Madden lasted 22 seasons and became one of the most well-known partnerships in TV sportscasting history.

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Summerall has broadcast 16 Super Bowls on network television with CBS and Fox, more than any other announcer. He also contributed to 10 Super Bowl broadcasts on CBS Radio as an analyst or pre-game reporter. Additionally, Summerall was the CBS network’s signature voice for its golf coverage, including the Masters, the US Open Tennis Championships, the NBA and five Heavyweight Championship Fights.

Despite and throughout the time of his professional success, Pat Summerall fought an ongoing battle with alcoholism. In 1990 Summerall was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer that was aggravated by a combination of pain killers and alcohol. That scare stopped him from drinking for 7 months but he eventually went back to alcohol and continued to drink until family, co-workers from CBS and friends staged an intervention in 1992. After the intervention, Summerall sought professional treatment for his addiction. While he has been sober ever since, years of drinking took a toll on his body. He has battled through serious health issues, including liver failure and the subsequent liver transplant.

At the time of his surgery, Summerall’s wife Cheri said in a prepared statement, “Alcoholism impacts people in all walks of life, from the homeless to the famous. Pat wants everyone who has a problem with alcohol to know there is always hope and organizations are standing by to help you.”

Pat Summerall is now publicly endorsing the Beacon House. The staff and Board of Directors are proud of this relationship and we join Pat in the hop that anyone out there suffering from the disease of addiction will take action and get help.