Al McCoy – WHO
Salary: $200,000 per year
Al McCoy, also known as “The Voice of the Suns”, is literally the oldest NBA broadcaster of all time. For over 40 years, almost since the beginning of the NBA, Al McCoy has been calling various NBA games with memorable catchphrases such as “Shazam!” and “Zing go the strings”. If you want a living example of persistence, consistency, and perseverance, you need to look no further than Al McCoy’s life.
During an interview, McCoy revealed that he almost ended up not calling the Suns’ games, a feat which he has been doing for the last 47 years. The story goes that McCoy was offered the job by General Manager Jerry Colangelo, but wasn’t sure that he wanted the job. Eventually, McCoy thought about it and decided to take the opportunity by the hands, and looking at his track record, it’s safe to say he’s damn happy about it. The veteran broadcaster recently published an autobiography called “The Real McCoy”. To his credit, in his entire 40+ years of broadcasting, he has only missed one game due to illness.
Rodney Harrison - NBC
Salary: $11.5 million per year
Rodney Harrison is one of the commentators on our list that has a less-than-stellar reputation rather than a good one. In 2004, the NFL safety man who played for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots was voted as the "dirtiest player" in the NFL by his peers, and then again in 2016. Harrison also went on to receive numerous suspensions and fees that ended up accumulating to around $200,000 for various small and explicit fouls.
Despite his sordid reputation, Harrison also achieved many records during his NFL career, from being the all-time leader in career Super Bowl tackles to having the most sacks of any NFL defensive back to this day. Since his retirement, he became an analyst for NBC Sports' Football Night in America. The end of his NFL career was caused by a severe leg injury that occurred when he tore a muscle on the field in 2008.
Joe Theismann - NFL Network
Salary: $1 million per year
Joe Theismann is a businessman and former star quarterback of the Washington Redskins. He is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN and the NFL Network. Many people follow him on Twitter for his offhand "play-by-play" commentary on NFL games. Theismann retired from football after 14 years due to a career-ending compound leg fracture during a Monday Night Football game. His injury was so bad that it was voted as the NFL's "Most Shocking Moment in History" in a poll by ESPN viewers.
Nowadays, the retired NFL player currently works for the NFL Network, is an owner of a restaurant and bar in Alexandria, Virginia, and even gives motivational speeches for corporations on topics such as leadership. Theismann was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, was nominated as the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1983 and in 1982 became a one-time Super Bowl champion. He has 3 children and was married 3 times, with the first 2 marriages and in-between relationships ending in bitter million-dollar lawsuits. On a happier note, the retired NFL player has appeared in several films and shows in recent years, including the 2019 romance film Snow Coming.
Dottie Pepper - CBS
Salary: $6 million per year
American pro golfer Dottie Pepper was an award-winning LGPA Tour golfer with an amazing career of 16 years that was sadly cut short, due to an injury. Unfortunately, Pepper only got the chance to play one tournament in 2002 and eventually retired 2 years later in 2004. She was quickly picked up by NBC and The Golf Channel, who took her as a broadcaster for LGPA games. She also retired from commentating in 2012, claiming to want more time for herself and less of a traveling schedule.
She currently works with ESPN and commentates on a limited basis, mostly for the bigger tournaments. The former LGPA player currently lives in New York with her third husband, who also covers golf news. According to LGPA, Dottie Pepper has earned over $6.5 million throughout her golfing career. She has a small verified Instagram account where she regularly posts photos of her career and family..
Phil Simms - ESPN, CBS, NBC
Salary: $3 million per year
The acclaimed, record-setting NFL quarterback turned sportscaster, Phil Simms, spent his 15-year career playing for the New York Giants and accomplishing many records, some of which have not been beaten to this day. After College, the footballer was quickly drafted into the New York Giants. After leading the Giants to a decisive 39-20 win against the Denver Broncos, Simms went on to be named as the MVP of the 1986 Super Bowl. He also holds the record for the highest completion rate in a Super Bowl game, with 22 out of 25 passes, which puts him at a whopping 88%. A record that has never been beaten.
After retiring, Simms became an NFL analyst on the CBS show NFL Today, as-well-as an analyst in "Inside the NFL". Simms has also appeared in the popular sitcom, "How I Met Your Mother", and the crime-drama - "Criminal Minds". The retired NFL player was inducted in 2011 into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and 3 kids, one of which is currently an AAF Quarterback for the Atlanta Legends.