This post was last edited at 4:15 p.m. ET.
For the last 35 years, Crimson Tide fans have found comfort and excitement in the voice of Eli Gold. The native of Brooklyn has been the voice of Alabama football since 1988, but he will be stepping down from the role, according to a report by Nick Kelly and Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa news.
Gold, now 70 years old, departs from the program not too long after legendary head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement. Gold still plans on staying on the radio, he just won’t be on the call for the Tide.
According to Kelly and Goodbread, Gold will be active over the airwaves, as he will be calling games for Nashville’s professional arena football team, the Kats, in the spring and summer
The 2022 season was spent with Chris Stewart on the radio call in place of Gold after he had to step aside due to medical reasons. It was later revealed that Gold had battled cancer. Last season, in 2023, Gold was back on the call for Alabama’s home games, but it was Stewart who broadcasted when the team played on the road.
When speaking with Michael Casagrande of AL.com, Gold made it clear that he is in good health and that this was not his decision.
“Well, the university has chosen not to bring me back,” Gold said. “This is not, with a capital N-O-T, not at all health-related. I am very healthy. Everything is wonderful. I am healthy as a horse.”
Additionally, Gold has stated that he is not retiring and had plans on calling Alabama’s A-Day spring game and the upcoming season.
“I was originally told that I was going to do A-Day and they have now reconsidered on that,” Gold said, “and they’re just going to make a clean break. But they will honor their contract through the end of June.”
Stewart’s voice should be familiar to Alabama fans, as he is the play-by-play broadcaster for basketball on the Crimson Tide Sports Network. The Tuscaloosa News report states that Stewart is “likely to take over the role” left behind by Gold.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow all things Alabama football as the 2024 offseason progresses.
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