In honor of Fox's Kevin Burkhardt (https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/super-bowl-kevin-burkhardt-fox-chiefs-eagles-greg-olsen-tv-announcers-20230212.html) recently calling his very first (https://nypost.com/2023/02/04/kevin-burkhardt-on-fox-career-greg-olsen-before-super-bowl/) Super Bowl (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_LVII). Burkhardt just became the third man to do televised play-by-play for a Super Bowl (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Bowl_broadcasters) on the Fox network, after Pat Summerall and Joe Buck.


Ranking the broadcast announcers from every Super Bowl (https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/ranking_the_broadcast_announcers_from_every_super_bowl/s1__25548137#slide_1)

Ranking the best and worst Super Bowl announcers, from John Madden to Phil Simms (https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/01/ranking-super-bowl-announcers-best-worst-ever-i-50-nbc-fox-abc-cbs-phill-simms-jim-nantz-john-madden-pat-summerall-who-announced-every-super-bowl)

The best of the best; ranking all-time top Super Bowl play-by-play voices; From Al Michaels to Ray Scott (https://www.sportsbroadcastjournal.com/the-best-of-the-best-ranking-all-time-top-super-bowl-play-by-play-voices-from-al-michaels-to-ray-scott/)

Ranking 53 years of Super Bowl announcing teams (https://www.pennlive.com/sports/g66l-2019/01/cbf56d12332353/ranking-53-years-of-super-bowl-announcing-teams.html)

Poll: Who’s the best Super Bowl play-by-play announcer? (https://blog.timesunion.com/sportsmedia/poll-whos-the-best-super-bowl-play-by-play-announcer/8841/)

Complete List of Super Bowl Announcers Throughout History (https://www.betfirm.com/super-bowl-broadcasters/)

A CHRONOLOGY OF PRO FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION: Part 2 (https://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/26-04-1038.pdf)

Well this years was the worse. Never saw such eagle love. At least pretend your neutral.

Joe Buck

Who was the best network television play-by-play announcer in Super Bowl history? Ray Scott, Jack Whitaker, Curt Gowdy, Jack Buck, Pat Summerall, Dick Enberg, Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Greg Gumbel, Joe Buck, Jim Nantz, or Kevin Burkhardt? (https://www.google.com/search?q=Who+was+the+best+network+television+play-by-play+announcer+in+Super+Bowl+history%3F+Ray+Scott%2C+Jack+Whitaker%2C+Curt+Gowdy%2C+Jack+Buck%2C+Pat+Summerall%2C+Dick+Enberg%2C+Frank+Gifford%2C+Al+Michaels%2C+Greg+Gumbel%2C+Joe+Buck%2C+Jim+Nantz%2C+or+Kevin+Burkhardt%3F&sca_esv=e023beae1a6c5125&sxsrf=AE3TifPrJ2ZM70q7HwKxP3Hf68pdPpdstQ%3A1757572656284&ei=MG7CaLmPEberptQP1fuQqQI&ved=0ahUKEwi55-CujNCPAxW3lYkEHdU9JCUQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Who+was+the+best+network+television+play-by-play+announcer+in+Super+Bowl+history%3F+Ray+Scott%2C+Jack+Whitaker%2C+Curt+Gowdy%2C+Jack+Buck%2C+Pat+Summerall%2C+Dick+Enberg%2C+Frank+Gifford%2C+Al+Michaels%2C+Greg+Gumbel%2C+Joe+Buck%2C+Jim+Nantz%2C+or+Kevin+Burkhardt%3F&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAi8AFXaG8gd2FzIHRoZSBiZXN0IG5ldHdvcmsgdGVsZXZpc2lvbiBwbGF5LWJ5LXBsYXkgYW5ub3VuY2VyIGluIFN1cGVyIEJvd2wgaGlzdG9yeT8gUmF5IFNjb3R0LCBKYWNrIFdoaXRha2VyLCBDdXJ0IEdvd2R5LCBKYWNrIEJ1Y2ssIFBhdCBTdW1tZXJhbGwsIERpY2sgRW5iZXJnLCBGcmFuayBHaWZmb3JkLCBBbCBNaWNoYWVscywgR3JlZyBHdW1iZWwsIEpvZSBCdWNrLCBKaW0gTmFudHosIG9yIEtldmluIEJ1cmtoYXJkdD9IrMUKUMkKWPqyCnABeACQAQCYAYcCoAGgFaoBBTAuNS44uAEDyAEA-AEB-AECmAIBoAJhqAIUwgIHECMYJxjqAsICFBAAGIAEGJECGLQCGIoFGOoC2AEBwgIQEAAYAxi0AhjqAhiPAdgBAZgDYfEFSOIloHC43E-6BgYIARABGAGSBwExoAfGG7IHALgHAMIHAzUtMcgHUQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp)

There's no single "best" announcer, but Al Michaels, Pat Summerall, and Dick Enberg are frequently cited as the most legendary and influential play-by-play voices of the Super Bowl era, alongside Curt Gowdy and Ray Scott for their foundational contributions to the game's broadcasting history. Michaels is often praised for his consistent excellence and ability to capture big moments, Summerall for his distinctive style and numerous calls, and Enberg for his masterful use of language and engaging delivery.

Top Contenders & Their Strengths:
Al Michaels:
Considered a modern standard for excellence, particularly in prime-time and Super Bowl telecasts. He is known for being a quintessential play-by-play voice, leaving no questions unanswered and focusing on the game itself.

Pat Summerall:
A legendary and recognizable voice with a profound understanding of the game from his playing days. He called more Super Bowls than anyone else and developed a minimalist play-by-play style that was highly influential.

Dick Enberg:
Known for his sophisticated, yet approachable style, Enberg could expertly capture the joy or pain of a moment. He was a master craftsman of words, a former educator, and earned numerous accolades for his broadcasting work.

Curt Gowdy:
As the network's first dominant play-by-play announcer, Gowdy had a comfortable, hearty style that was a pleasure to listen to and helped establish Super Bowl broadcasting in its early days.

Ray Scott:
The voice of the Packers during their dynasty and the primary voice for the booming NFL in the late 1960s, Scott called the very first Super Bowl and remains a seminal figure in the sport's broadcasting.

Other Noteworthy Announcers:
Jack Buck:
Called a single Super Bowl on TV but also called a record number of Super Bowls on radio, establishing himself as a major figure in sports broadcasting.

Jim Nantz:
Has called multiple Super Bowls for CBS and is a highly respected and prominent voice in modern sports broadcasting.

Joe Buck:
Fox's go-to play-by-play announcer for years, developing a more animated delivery and strong descriptive skills over his career.

Greg Gumbel:
Also a longtime voice for Super Bowl broadcasts on CBS, bringing his own recognizable style to the games.

Kevin Burkhardt:
A more recent addition to the list of Super Bowl broadcasters for FOX, he has quickly become a significant figure in the current NFL broadcast landscape.

Frank Gifford:
A prominent voice for CBS during the early Super Bowls, known for his compelling commentary alongside other legendary figures.

Jack Whitaker:
Provided commentary for the very first Super Bowl on CBS alongside Ray Scott and Frank Gifford, leaving his mark on the game's history.

NBC’s Mike Tirico shined in boring Super Bowl (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7032159/2026/02/09/super-bowl-60-nbc-mike-tirico/)

With the Patriots' Drake Maye struggling all night and the Seahawks' Sam Darnold better, but not great, Tirico was the best quarterback (https://awfulannouncing.com/nbc/mike-tirico-praise-first-super-bowl.html) during Seattle's 29-13 rout of the Patriots in the Super Bowl (https://www.newsday.com/sports/media/super-bowl-60-nbc-coverage-f7iz1b29) on (https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2026/02/08/cris-collinsworth-mike-tirico-super-bowl-60-nbc/) NBC (https://fangsbites.substack.com/p/nbc-shines-in-a-bad-game). Tirico (https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nbc-mike-tirico-opens-post-193759362.html) was just the 13th person (https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2026/02/07/mike-tirico-nbc-super-bowl-lx-announcer-broadcast-patriots-seahawks/) to be the lead TV play-by-player on the game.