Eli Gold, Chris Stewart will both call Alabama football games this season. Here's how
Eli Gold and Chris Stewart will both be serving in play-by-play duties for Alabama football radio broadcasts this season, the Crimson Tide Sports Network announced Wednesday.
Gold will call home games and Stewart will call road games.
Gold missed all of the 2022 season dealing with health issues doctors later found to be stage 3 cancer. Gold has been the voice of the Crimson Tide since 1988.
"I gave it a lot of consideration," Gold told The Tuscaloosa News. "It's an effort to regain my full strength."
That way, Gold said, he won't have to worry about travel logistics as he returns to the booth.
In Gold's absence, Stewart called all Alabama football games in 2022. Stewart has been in the business since 1988, announcing Alabama men's basketball and baseball games for two decades. Stewart also filled in as host of "Hey Coach" and "The Nick Saban show" during the 2022 season, but Gold returned to the show in August.
"First of all, I'm thankful Eli is healthy enough to return to a job that means so much to him," Stewart said in a statement to The Tuscaloosa News. "Second, I'm grateful to continue to be a part of this fantastic CTSN broadcast team. In my lifetime, only John Forney, Paul Kennedy and Eli have been the radio voices of Alabama football. It's an incredible honor to join this list of men, for which I have so much respect. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to share the message of the Crimson Tide with such an incredible fan base."
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Meanwhile, Tyler Watts will replace John Parker Wilson as color analyst, who is "stepping away" after five years working for the CTSN broadcast. Watts played quarterback for the Crimson Tide from 1999-2002 with 35 career games that included 3,540 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. During his senior season in 2002, he completed 61.9% of his passes for 1,414 yards and seven touchdowns.
"This is something I have aspired to do for a long time since joining the Crimson Tide Sports Network," Watts said on CTSN's Crimson Drive. "I'm awfully excited for having the opportunity to do this."
Christian Miller will be the sideline reporter for a second season, too.
Gold, Watts and the CTSN crew have held two practice runs during the two fall camp scrimmages. They will make their debut on Sept. 2 for Alabama's game against Middle Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Eli Gold, Chris Stewart each will call Alabama football games in 2023
