Chris Berman is not disappearing just yet. But his ESPN clock is officially ticking.
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The longtime ESPN voice told Alex Sherman on the CNBC Sport podcast that he plans to step away when his current contract expires after the 2029 NFL season. By then, Berman will be nearly 75.
"I'll be almost 75. I think the nation's more than had enough of me," he joked. "I'm semi-retired now."
That is classic Berman. Self-aware. A little dramatic. Still smiling.
Berman has been part of ESPN since Day One in 1979. Think about that. From the early, chaotic days of cable sports to Super Bowl coverage on the biggest stage, he has been there.
Recently, he helped relaunch NFL Primetime on ESPN+, working alongside Booger McFarland. The show even aired on ESPN on Super Bowl night. Not bad for someone who calls himself semi-retired.
Berman has anchored "Sunday NFL Countdown," "Monday Night Countdown," "SportsCenter," and MLB coverage. His voice is stitched into decades of football Sundays and Home Run Derbies.
"He could...go...all...the...way!" Or "Back, back, back, back...Gone!"
You hear it in your head immediately. Sports media has changed. Louder. Faster. Younger. But Berman has been one of the constants.
He says 2029 is the finish line. With him, though, you never completely rule out one more "back, back, back."
