Frank Gifford is remembered for his many and varied contributions to the sports and entertainment world.
Frank Gifford, who played his entire career with the NY Giants, was known as one of the NFL’s most versatile players. He played offense and defense as a halfback, flanker, and safety, but is best known for his running prowess.
While playing, he became a sports celebrity, appearing in movies, TV shows, and commercials. In retirement, he became famous for his commentary on ABC’s Monday Night Football. Married to another celebrity, Kathie Lee Gifford, the Giffords were in the public eye for decades.
Gifford’s best year came in 1956, rushing for 819 yards, gathering 603 receiving yards, and scoring nine touchdowns in 12 games, helping the Giants win the 1956 NFL Championship with a 47-7 win over the Chicago Bears, with Gifford named MVP. On the flip side, there was the 1958 NFL Championship Game. Gifford’s two fumbles led to Baltimore touchdowns, and the Colts won the game 23-17 in what was the NFL’s first overtime game.
Gifford was also on the receiving end of a brutal tackle, memorialized in what became known as The Hit. It happened on November 20, 1960, against the Philadelphia Eagles at Yankee Stadium. With less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Gifford caught a short pass from quarterback George Shaw and was instantly met by Chuck Bednarik. Bednarik hit Gifford so hard that Gifford not only fumbled the ball but also lay unconscious on the field. Gifford spent 10 days in the hospital, but returned to playing football in 1962.
Gifford retired permanently after the 1964 season, but he didn’t retire from public attention. With movie-star good looks, he appeared in films, including Up Periscope (1959), starring James Garner; Paper Lion (1968), featuring his future Monday Night Football colleague Alex Karras; The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973), featuring Wide World of Sports anchor Jim McKay; Two-Minute Warning (1976) with Howard Cosell and Dick Enberg; Viva Knievel! (1977) starring the one and only Evel Knievel, and Jerry Maguire (1996), where he appeared as himself.
Films weren’t his only venue. Gifford was featured in several television shows, including Hazel, The Six Million Dollar Man, Webster, and Coach. TV commercials were companion opportunities, and Gifford was on the airwaves trumpeting Lucky Strike Cigarettes, Planters Peanuts, Westinghouse Electric Ranges, and Palm Beach Clothing.
Frank Gifford (R) with Howard Cosell (L) and Don Meredith (photo courtesy CBS Sports)
Off the field, Gifford is probably best remembered for his work as a CBS Sports broadcaster. He was in the booth for Super Bowl I in 1967, and he also called college basketball games and golf tournaments, including The Masters. In 1971, Gifford joined ABC’S Monday Night Football, first as a play-by-play announcer and later as a color commentator, teaming up with easygoing Don Meredith and the acerbic Howard Cosell.
In 1985, Gifford provided the play-by-play coverage for the first Super Bowl broadcast on ABC, Super Bowl XIX (San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins). After Al Michaels took over play-by-play duties in 1986, Gifford shifted to a color commentator role and also worked with Dan Dierdorf, Joe Namath, O.J. Simpson, and Lynn Swann.
Over 27 years in the broadcast booth, Gifford announced a record 411 Monday Night Football games for ABC. Gifford once told the Associated Press that, while he never wanted to refer to Monday Night Football as an American Institution, “There’s no other way to put it, really; there’s nothing else like it.”
Frank and Kathie Lee (photo courtesy Extra TV)
Gifford also had many other assignments as a reporter and commentator for ABC Sports, including covering the Summer and Winter Olympics, skiing, golf, and Wide World of Sports events. He was the announcer for many of Evel Knievel’s daring jumps, including the 1975 attempt in which Knievel failed to clear 13 buses at Wembley Stadium. He was also on the call for Franz Klammer’s gold medal run in the 1976 Winter Olympics.
In the 1980s, Gifford occasionally guest-hosted Good Morning America, including one time with Kathie Lee Johnson, who later became his spouse. The Giffords appeared together on TV many times, including Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, and the fourth hour of the Today Show.
Frank Gifford died in 2015. Although he’s gone, Gifford is remembered for his many and varied contributions to the sports and entertainment world.
