July 7, 2009
Irv Cross is the 2009 recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, it was announced today. The award, given annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizes “long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.”
Cross was an NFL analyst and commentator for CBS Sports from 1971, when he became the first African American sports analyst on national television, to 1994, including anchoring the Emmy-Award-winning The NFL Today from its inception in 1975 through 1989. Besides football, Irv covered a variety of sports for CBS, including track and field, gymnastics and the NBA.
A native of Hammond, Indiana, Cross was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. Always a student of the game, Cross earned a starter’s berth midway through his rookie season. The following year he recorded a career-high five interceptions. In 1966, following two Pro Bowl seasons with the Eagles, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Then in 1969, he returned to the Eagles and became a player/coach. He retired as a player in 1970 and became an assistant coach for the Eagles.
“I always enjoyed thinking about football, thinking about strategies, coming up with ways to break offenses and design defensive concepts,” Cross recalled about his career in the NFL. “That’s always been a real exciting thing for me to do. So with that job, I was able to do that as well as do contracts with some of the guys who were lower-round draft choices. READ MORE
Congratulations Irv on being recognized and receiving the 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. My family has followed your career since the 1960′s. You have transcended all challenges in your many endeavors in the sports industry. And you are also recognized and appreciated, nationwide, for your personal and professional contributions to the community.
Many thanks to you for a job well done!
NFLPA ’80′s, ’99, ’00′s
Independent Advocate