John Parker Wilson steps away from Alabama football radio duties, passes position to Tyler Watts
Alabama football radio broadcasts will sound a little different in 2023. Color analyst and former Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson is stepping away from that role, he announced Thursday on Twitter.
Wilson will be replaced by Tyler Watts, who played quarterback at Alabama from 1999-2002.
Watts will be joined in the booth by Eli Gold for games in Tuscaloosa. Gold will call Alabama home games and Chris Stewart will do play-by-play for away games. Gold is back in the booth after stepping away last season following a cancer diagnosis. Stewart filled in for Gold last year as the Crimson Tide’s primary play-by-play announcer alongside John Parker Wilson, while also hosting “Hey Coach and the Nick Saban Show” every Thursday.
Here is Wilson’s statement from today about stepping down:
“It has been a great honor to serve as the color analyst for the Alabama football team over the last five years. I never imagined during my playing days that I would eventually be calling games, but it has been an amazing experience having a front row seat to so many wins from coach Saban and his players.
Like many of our fans today, I grew up watching Alabama football games with the radio broadcast replacing the television audio every Saturday. Now with a family of my own, that includes two little boys and my wife, I am excited to spend my Saturdays with them making memories together at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
I am thrilled to pass the microphone to a fellow Alabama quarterback who also wore number 14. Tyler Watts is going to do an amazing job with the best staff in the business and I can’t wait to tune in and listen.
Thank you to Greg Byrne and the entire athletic department staff for their help and guidance through this process. I am so proud to be a part of the University of Alabama and will continue to serve as A-Club president.
Looking forward to an exciting 2023 season.
Roll Tide!”
Eli Gold has been the voice of Alabama football since 1988 but missed last year due to his cancer treatment. He was back in his rightful spot last week for “Hey Coach,” although Saban won’t join the program until next week ahead of the season opener against Middle Tennessee.
The journey was a long one for Gold, who told Paul Finebaum a case of the hiccups raised red flags after initial tests didn’t detect his cancer. But he pushed forward and, eventually, kicked the disease.
“There were two things that kept me fighting,” Gold said. “I was fighting for my family. My daughter is getting married in 2024, next calendar year. I wanted to be here to walk her down the aisle. And of course, my wife who has been absolutely spectacular in helping me and being a caregiver in all of this.”