IRVING, Texas (Nov. 19, 2015) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that widely respected ESPN broadcaster  Mike Tirico will return for a third time, and first since 2004, to emcee the 58^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City on Dec. 8. A stream of the event will be carried live on ESPN3 beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

“Mike Tirico has always been one of the industry’s most versatile sports broadcasters, expertly calling some of the biggest games in just about every sport,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Mike has a tremendous love and understanding of football, having called many college games and currently serving as the play-by-play commentator for Monday Night Football. His entertaining insights will add significantly to the pomp and pageantry of the night, and we are so glad he has agreed to return as emcee of one of college football’s marquee events."

Tirico has secured his place among a prestigious list of individuals who have donated their skills to host the fabled event, including TV Host Ed Sullivan, TV Host of What’s My Line John Charles Daly, U.S. Senator George Murphy, Rutgers University President Mason W. Gross, CBS News Anchor Harry Smith (now with NBC News) and ABC Sports broadcaster Chris Schenkel, who emceed the event for 28 consecutive years from 1968 to 1995. Notable sports broadcasters who have emceed the event include CBS Sports’ Tim Brando (now with FOX Sports), ESPN/ABC’s Rece Davis and Chris Fowler and CBS Sports’ Verne Lundquist.

“Mike’s talents will create a memorable night for all of the night’s honorees,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “He has become a star himself, and all of the honorees from the Hall of Famers to the scholar-athletes will get a thrill from being on stage with him. We are truly grateful for his willingness to take on this role again.”

As the culmination of the 2015 regular season, the 58^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner provides the stage for the induction of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class; the awarding of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments; the announcement of the winner of the 26^th William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently showcased at its official home inside the New York Athletic Club; and the presentation of several major awards, including the organization’s highest honor, the NFF Gold Medal.

The recipients of the 2015 NFF Major Awards include 66th U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (NFF Gold Medal); former college football players and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, Capt. Jared Tew and Maj. Graham White (NFF Distinguished American Award); revolutionary kicking brothers Charlie and Pete Gogolak, respectively from Princeton and Cornell (the recipients of the NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award); the Voice of the LSU Tigers Jim Hawthorne (the recipient of the Chris Schenkel Award for excellence in broadcasting); and Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis (the recipient of the John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration). The NFF will also present NFF Legacy Awards to former SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and former Big 12 Senior Associate Commissioner for Football Donnie Duncan.

This year’s College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Trev Alberts (Nebraska), Brian Bosworth (Oklahoma), Bob Breunig (Arizona State), Sean Brewer (Millsaps [Miss.]), Ruben  Brown (Pittsburgh), Wes Chandler (Florida), Thom Gatewood (Notre Dame), Dick Jauron (Yale), Clinton Jones (Michigan State), Lincoln Kennedy (Washington), Rob Lytle (Michigan), Michael Payton (Marshall), Art Still (Kentucky), Zach Thomas (Texas Tech), Ricky Williams (Texas) and coaches Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Jim Tressel (Youngstown State and Ohio State).  

The winner of the Campbell Trophy will be announced live at the event on Dec. 8, and the finalists, comprised of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments, include E.K. Binns (Navy), Jacoby Boren (Ohio State), Jake Brendel (UCLA), Taveze Calhoun (Mississippi State), Derek Crittenden (Montana), Ty Darlington (Oklahoma), Jordan Dobrich (Nevada), Spencer Drango (Baylor), Blake Frohnapfel (Massachusetts), Jordan Italiano (Kent State), Hank Spencer (Mount Union [Ohio]) and Jason Vander Laan (Ferris State [Mich.]).

For information regarding the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, please contact NFF Director of External Relations Will Rudd at 972.556.1000 or wrudd@footballfoundation.com.

Mike Tirico’s Bio

Mike Tirico has handled a variety of assignments for ESPN, ESPN Radio and ABC Sports since 1991, establishing himself as one of the most recognizable faces and steady voices across ESPN’s multimedia platforms and in the industry at large. In 2006, he assumed one of the top positions in sports television as ESPN’s Monday Night Football play-by-play commentator. Tirico’s other major roles include NBA, college basketball and golf play-by-play/host and studio host for major events.

Tirico works alongside analyst Jon Gruden on MNF, the most-viewed series in cable television history. He is just the fourth person – joining broadcasting legends Keith Jackson, Frank Gifford and Al Michaels – to occupy the play-by-play post in the more than 40-year history of sports television’s signature series. Tirico has also handled radio play-by-play of some of the biggest college football games, including the 2010 Rose Bowl and the 2010-13 BCS Championships. He partnered with analyst Todd Blackledge for the radio broadcast of the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship in January, and will return to the role this year.

Tirico previously hosted The Mike Tirico Show on ESPN Radio, a nationally-syndicated sports news and discussion program, which launched in 2007. In May 2008, the two-hour weekday afternoon program was re-launched as the Tirico & Van Pelt Show with SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt named the co-host. Tirico stepped away from the show in 2009.

Tirico has covered play-by-play duties for ESPN NFL games, Thursday and Saturday college football games, college basketball, NBA games and golf coverage on both ESPN and ABC.

Tirico has covered his share of big-time events: co-hosting Super Bowl XL pregame and postgame shows; NBA Finals coverage for ABC Sports and ESPN Radio; the Orange Bowl; and The Open Championship. He received critical acclaim for eloquently capturing the tone and emotion both when the New Orleans Saints triumphantly returned to the Louisiana Superdome after Hurricane Katrina on MNF in 2006, and when Virginia Tech hosted its first college football game in August 2007 in the aftermath of the on-campus shootings that spring.

Tirico joined ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor in 1991, later serving as host of Monday Night Countdown during the NFL season from that show’s 1993 launch to 2001. From 1993-97, he anchored ESPN’s College Football Scoreboard show and on Nov. 1, 1996, he hosted the debut of ESPNEWS. He also worked college basketball and Thursday night college football telecasts for ESPN from 1997-2006.

Prior to joining ESPN, Tirico worked in Syracuse, N.Y., from 1987-91. He served a number of roles, including sports director at CBS affiliate WTVH-TV and play-by-play voice for Syracuse University basketball, football, lacrosse and volleyball for the Super Sports Network of Cook CableVision.

Tirico was named the 2010 Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA), an award voted on by his industry peers. He has also been nominated for a Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Personality – Play-by-Play category, and he received the 2011 Harrah’s Sports Broadcaster of the Year Award from the Maxwell Football Club.

All-Time List of NFF Annual Award Dinner Emcees
1958 - George Murphy, U.S. Senator, Actor and NFF President
1959 - George Murphy, U.S. Senator, Actor and NFF President
1960 - Mason W. Gross, President of Rutgers University
1961 - Mason W. Gross, President of Rutgers University
1962 - Mason W. Gross, President of Rutgers University
1963 - Mason W. Gross, President of Rutgers University
1964 - Ed Sullivan, TV Host of the Ed Sullivan Show
1965 - John Charles Daly, TV Host of What's My Line
1966 - John Charles Daly, TV Host of What's My Line
1967 - Ed Sullivan, TV Host of the Ed Sullivan Show
1968 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1969 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1970 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1971 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1972 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1973 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1974 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1975 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1976 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1977 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1978 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1979 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1980 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1981 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1982 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1983 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1984 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1985 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1986 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1987 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1988 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1989 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1990 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1991 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1992 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1993 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1994 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1995 - Chris Schenkel, ABC Sports Broadcaster
1996 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
1997 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
1998 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
1999 - Tim Brando, CBS Sports Broadcaster (now with FOX Sports)
2000 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2001 - Mike Tirico, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2002 - Tim Brando, CBS Sports Broadcaster (now with FOX Sports)
2003 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2004 - Mike Tirico, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2005 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2006 - Verne Lundquist, CBS Sports Broadcaster
2007 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2008 - Rece Davis, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2009 - Chris Fowler, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2010 - Harry Smith, CBS News Anchor (now with NBC News)
2011 - Rece Davis, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2012 - Rece Davis, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2013 - Rece Davis, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2014 - Rece Davis, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster
2015 - Mike Tirico, ESPN/ABC Sports Broadcaster


About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include FootballMatters.org, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, PrimeSport, SKP, the Sports Business Journal and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.