Prior to the Washington Redskins kicking off its 2019 season with their preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns Thursday, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen announced his retirement from the team’s radio broadcast.
“I’ve decided to hang up my headphones and my clipboard,” Jurgensen stated in a recording before the pre-game show. “It’s been a great 55 years in Washington. I want to thank our Redskin fans for being so generous to me and our teams, we owe it all to you. I’ve had so many wonderful memories of thousands of teammates I’ve played with and talked about during my years in radio and television in Washington D.C.
“The relationships with coaches and executives over the 50 years like Bill McPeak, Otto Graham, Edward Bennett Williams, Vince Lombardi, Jack Kent Cooke, Joe Gibbs, Bobby Beathard, Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder have been special. My special broadcast partners such as Sam Huff and Frank Herzog and later with Larry Michael, Chris Cooley and Doc Walker on radio and the great TV talents such as Glenn Brenner and George Michael.
“We lived through the glory years together — the NFC East championships and five Super Bowls, all great memories. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention my good friend Andy Ockershausen who was responsible for bringing together the original broadcast team of Sonny, Sam and Frank.
“After 62 years in professional football, I still have my health and wonderful family with a special thanks to my beautiful wife Margo for letting me work the weekends for all those years. I’ll always be a fan of professional football and appreciative of all that it has done for me, my family and our city.”
Jurgensen starred for the Redskins at quarterback from 1964 to 1974, throwing for 22,585 yards and 179 touchdowns. Both are second all-time in franchise history.
Following the 1974 season, Jurgensen began a life in NFL media, being both a national NFL color commentator for CBS. Then in 1981 he joined Frank Herzog and former Redskins linebacker and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Huff on the Redskins radio broadcast.
Together Jurgensen, Herzog, and Huff voiced three Super Bowl titles for the Redskins, and countless playoff games until 2005 when Herzog was replaced by Larry Michael, the team’s play-by-play announcer.
Former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley replaced Huff in 2013, leaving Jurgensen as the lone holdover from the legendary trio.
Jurgensen considered retirement before the 2018 season but decided to stay on in an limited role, calling all eight home games but only two road games.
