Thursday, 16 April 2026

Howard Cosell

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Commentators 2026
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Sport(s): Football, Boxing & Baseball
Statistics & Accolades: National Sports Media Hall of Fame
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
Arthur Ashe Courage Award
3x Sports Emmy Award Winner
Sports Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award
Television Academy Hall of Fame
The man who told it like it is.

There was nobody before, during, or since like Howard Cosell.

Nobody.

Cosell was brash, unapologetic, and unafraid to be disliked.

A lawyer by trade, Cosell rose through the broadcasting ranks, primarily due to his support and association with Muhammad Ali, but what made him an icon was Monday Night Football. The mastermind behind MNF, Roone Arledge, knew that football on a weeknight had to be an attraction, and not just a football game. It needed a figure whose bravado was matched by his intellect.

It needed Howard Cosell.

It is not a stretch to say that Howard Cosell was the most recognized sports broadcaster of the 1970s. He was also the most polarizing. People loved Cosell. People hated Cosell. There was no in-between. But what the lovers and haters of Cosell all had in common was that they watched him.

Beyond MNF, Cosell was a natural entertainer who was constantly seen on other shows. He was so good that he made “Battle of the Network Stars” sound like a legitimate sporting contest.

We are proud to nominate Howard Cosell for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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