Dec. 8, 1980 is an unforgettable date — the day that John Lennon was shot and killed in front of his New York City apartment.
And it was on that night that so many people found out the news from Howard Cosell, who was on the mic for Monday Night Football.
Cosell was in the middle of calling a contest between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins when the news broke and was confirmed by ABC News.
In between plays, Cosell broke in, starting with, “We have to say it: remember, this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City …”
Much has been written about that moment (including a post of ours from 2015 below), and an ESPN Outside the Lines story (also below) from years ago detailed how the news made its way on the air.
The real story of Howard Cosell, John Lennon and the shocking ‘MNF’ announcement
It’s as stunning now as it was 40 years ago.
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