Jim Nantz is preparing to take part in the ninth Super Bowl of his illustrious broadcasting career. It's hard to believe CBS Sports' "main guy" has worked six as a play-by-play announcer and two as host over the past 39 years.
What feels like a short time ago before Deion Sanders took on a new career in coaching, he was under Nantz's guidance at CBS. The two developed a bond with each other as the NFL great was trying to perfect his craft in the world of media. Sanders already had the foundation with a one-of-a-kind personality, but needed Nantz to fill in the gaps.
"Deion's first television gig was with us at CBS," Nantz recalled during an interview with BuffsBeat. "I was the host of The NFL Today and I really, really wanted him to be part of our ensemble. I mean, I had many, many discussions with him. I think he needed to be assured that he was going to have someone to be there as a true teammate, working with him and looking after him. And I wanted him to know that I would never ever, under my stewardship, be put in a position that would make him look bad."
Many people forget that Sanders took a break in his football career to pursue broadcasting. He spent three seasons with CBS starting in 2001 before burning out the final two years of his NFL playing career with the Baltimore Ravens. It was reminiscent of Michael Jordan leaving the NBA to give baseball a shot. Except Prime was better at presenting in front of the camera than Jordan was swinging a bat. He seemed to be a natural, but Nantz admits it took dedication from Sanders to get to that point.
"I had a wonderful time working with Deion," Nantz said. "I mean, a magical time working with him. He was extraordinarily good at it." He went on to say, "I've been rooting for him every step of the way. He's had an amazing life and he worked really hard at being good at television and he was exceptional."
There are a lot of people who can say the same about Nantz. He's the youngest person to ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game. A three-time Emmy Award-winner and five time National Sportscaster the Year.
Nantz and his broadcast partner Tony Romo will be on the call for Super Bowl 58 between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET/TV: CBS). The first time the big game will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
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