Frank Gifford, Sportscaster and NFL Hall of Famer, Dies at 84

Frank Gifford, the former New York Giants star who successfully transitioned to a long career as a sportscaster on TV and radio, died Sunday of natural causes at his home in Connecticut. He was 84.

NBC News confirmed Gifford’s death in a statement. Gifford was the husband of “Today” anchor Kathie Lee Gifford.

“It is with the deepest sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and friend, Frank Gifford. Frank died suddenly this beautiful Sunday morning of natural causes at his Connecticut home. We rejoice in the extraordinary life he was privileged to live, and we feel grateful and blessed to have been loved by such an amazing human being. We ask that our privacy be respected at this difficult time and we thank you for your prayers.”

Gifford’s name was practically synonymous with ESPN’s popular “Monday Night Football” telecast, for which he served up commentary from the early ’70s on. His first-hand experience on the field as a halfback and his measured, congenial analyses, made him a popular figure on the long-running, high-rated program. In later years Gifford became a constant source of latenight talkshow host ribbing as the result of a tabloid-friendly report of an extramarital dalliance.

Gifford was the husband of former morning talkshow personality Kathie Lee Gifford.

Gifford joined Howard Cossell and Don Meredith on “Monday Night Football” in 1971 and remained with the show through several transitions, winning an Emmy for his commentaries. He was enormously popular with audiences for his easy-going analyses and obvious love of the game.

The network also utilized him on “Wide World of Sports,” where he became closely associated with the Special Olympics. He became a champion of the games as well as of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

While playing in the NFL, Gifford spent the offseason during the 1950s appearing in small roles in feature films such as “That’s My Boy,” “The All American” (1953), “Darby’s Rangers” and “Up Periscope” (1959), taking acting classes along the way with, among others, Jeff Corey. He also worked as a commercial model and product endorser on television, in addition to writing a sports column and hosting a sports show on a local Bakersfield, Calif., station and for CBS Radio. In 1961, he became a sports reporter for WCBS in New York.

He maintained his sports reporting position at WCBS during an NFL comeback and later worked a color commentator for CBS Sports, doing NFL games as well as golf and college basketball. In 1971, Gifford moved to ABC and began his run on “Monday Night Football” that lasted until 1997.

Gifford appeared as himself in the film “Jerry Maguire” and on the ABC sitcoms “Coach” and “Spin City.”

Francis Newton Gifford was born in Santa Monica, Calif., and his family moved around a great deal during the Great Depression until they finally settled in Bakersfield. It was at Bakersfield High School that Gifford first began to develop his abilities as a football player, which led to a sports scholarship to USC. Coach Jess Hill helped bring out Gifford’s offensive and defensive skills, and he was named by Collier’s magazine running back of its All-America team in his senior year. Gifford departed USC 12 units shy of a degree when the New York Giants picked him as their No. 1 draft choice in 1952. He later made up the credits in night school, receiving his degree in 1956.

His first two seasons with the Giants were arduous, and the pay was terrible, Gifford recalled. He was almost ready to pack it in when, in 1954, the Giants’ new head coach, Jim Lee Howell, and offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi came aboard. It was Lombardi who installed him as a permanent left halfback. In 1955 the Giants took the NFL championship, and Gifford was voted the league’s MVP. The Giants won several championships through the end of the decade, when Gifford suffered a serious concussion and announced his retirement.

In 1962, he returned to the field as a flanker and made a celebrated comeback. By the time he permanently retired in 1964, Gifford had amassed several Giants records, including touchdowns scored, points and yards gained receiving. He made All-Pro a total of eight times.

Gifford’s autobiography, “The Whole Ten Yards,” was published in 1993, and he wrote several other sports-related books, including “Gifford on Courage” in 1976 and “The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever” in 2008.

He was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.

In the 2000s he guested a few times on “Jimmy Kimmel” and “Today,” showed up on “Regis and Kelly” in 2009, appeared in documentaries including “Beatles Stories” and “Lombardi” and recurred as an interviewee on “ESPN SportsCentury.”

Gifford was married three times. In 1982, he met Kathie Lee Johnson during a brief fill-in stint on “Good Morning America.” They were married in 1986. When Kathie Lee Gifford became a household name via the “Regis and Kathie Lee” show, she frequently discussed her family life on television. In the mid-’90s, when a tabloid report of an extramarital dalliance was revealed, the couple became a frequent butt of jokes, though they remained together through it all.

Kathie Lee tweeted about her husband’s death on Sunday, thanking fans for the well wishes.

“Frank Gifford was an exceptional man who will be missed by everyone who had the joy of seeing his talent on the field, the pleasure of watching his broadcasts, or the honor of knowing him,” Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement. “His many achievements were defined by a quiet dignity and a personal grace that is seldom seen in any arena; he truly embodied the very best of us. Frank’s contributions to ABC Sports and our company are immeasurable. We are honored to call him a Disney Legend and I am very fortunate to have called him a dear friend and colleague. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”

In addition to third wife Kathie Lee, survivors include their son and daughter and two sons and a daughter from Gifford’s first marriage.

Frank Gifford dies aged 84: NFL legend, Monday Night Football host and Kathie Lee's husband of 29 years passes away at home

Frank Gifford, NFL legend, famed TV broadcaster and husband of Kathie Lee, has died aged 84.

Gifford's family said the Pro Football Hall of Famer died suddenly at his Connecticut home of natural causes on Sunday morning. His wife of nearly 30 years is still a host for NBC's Today.

A versatile star on both offense and defense in an era when NFL players were starting to specialize, Gifford went on to a successful second career as a broadcaster on Monday Night Football.

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Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford, 84, died suddenly of natural causes at his Connecticut home

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His wife, Kathie Lee Gifford, is a host for NBC's Today. Mr Gifford had a second career as a TV broadcaster

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Gifford was the centerpiece of a Giants offense that went to five NFL title games in the 1950s and '60s

Gifford was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1956 when he led the New York Giants to a league championship.

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Frank, Kathie Lee, Cassidy and Cody Gifford attend the 'Scandalous Broadway Opening Night' in 2012

Beginning in 1971 he worked for ABC's Monday Night Football, at first as a play-by-play announcer and then as an analyst.

Later in life he stayed in the spotlight through his marriage to Kathie Lee, who famously called him a 'human love machine' and 'lamb-chop' to her millions of viewers. 

The couple met in 1982 on the set of Good Morning America and they maintained a four-year friendship before getting married in 1986 and having two children, Cody and Cassidy.

Gifford also had three children - Jeff, Kyle and Victoria - with his first wife Maxine Avis Ewart.

They divorced in 1976 six years after he allegedly had an affair with Joanne Carson, the second wife of legendary late-night talk show host Johnny Carson.

Gifford and Ewart's daughter Victoria married Robert Kennedy's son Michael in 1981. 

They separated when it was revealed that he had an affair with their teenage babysitter.

He died months later in 1997 during a game of ski-football with relatives. 

Prior to marrying Kathie Lee, Gifford married his second wife Astrid Lindley in 1978 before their divorce in 1986, the year he married the Today host.

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Wife Kathie Lee famously called him a 'human love machine' and 'lamb-chop' to her millions of viewers

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Born August 16, 1930, in Santa Monica, California, Frank Newton Gifford was the son of an itinerant oil worker

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Gifford and Kathie Lee met in 1982 on the set of Good Morning America and they first maintained a friendship

American football legend Frank Gifford has died at 84

Gifford hosted Wide World of Sports, covered several Olympics - his call of Frank Klammer's gold medal run in 1976 is considered a broadcasting masterpiece - and announced 588 consecutive NFL games for ABC, not even taking time off after the death of his mother shortly before a broadcast in 1986.

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Gifford (with Kathie Lee in 1991) was NFL MVP n 1956

While he worked with others, including Dan Dierdorf, Al Michaels, Joe Namath and OJ Simpson, Gifford was most known for the eight years he served as a calm buffer between the folksy Don Meredith and acerbic Howard Cosell.

The family said in a statement released by NBC News: 'It is with the deepest sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and friend, Frank Gifford. 

'Frank died suddenly this beautiful Sunday morning of natural causes at his Connecticut home. 

'We rejoice in the extraordinary life he was privileged to live, and we feel grateful and blessed to have been loved by such an amazing human being. 

'We ask that our privacy be respected at this difficult time and we thank you for your prayers.'

Gifford was the centerpiece of a Giants offense that went to five NFL title games in the 1950s and '60s. 

In its early years Monday Night Football was a cultural touchstone, with cities throwing parades for the visiting announcers and celebrities such as John Lennon and Ronald Reagan making appearances.

'I hate to use the words 'American institution,' but there's no other way to put it, really,' Gifford told The Associated Press in 1993. 'There's nothing else like it.' 

Frank Gifford and wife Kathie Lee arrive in LA in 2008

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He worked for ABC's Monday Night Football, at first as a play-by-play announcer and then as an analyst

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Gifford fumbled in the 1958 NFL championship game which was then dubbed 'The Greatest Game Ever Played'

A handsome straight-shooter who came off as earnest and sincere, Gifford was popular with viewers, even if some accused him of being a shill for the NFL. 

He experienced the highs and lows as an NFL player. 

Gifford fumbled twice early in the 1958 NFL championship game, both of which led to Baltimore Colts touchdowns, and later came up short on a critical third down. 

The Colts eventually won 23-17 in the league's first overtime game. 

The thrilling finish helped popularize the NFL and was dubbed 'The Greatest Game Ever Played,' although not by Gifford.

'Not my greatest game,' Gifford told the AP in 2008. 

'I fumbled going out (of the end zone) and I fumbled going in.'

Gifford and his teammates felt he was robbed by an incorrectly spotted ball with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, though video technology employed for a 50th anniversary documentary indicated the call was correct. 

In any event, the Giants were forced to punt in the '58 game, leading to a famous drive led by Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas to send it into overtime.

Gifford had his best year in 1956, rushing for 819 yards, picking up 603 yards receiving and scoring nine touchdowns in 12 games. 

The Giants routed the Chicago Bears 47-7 at Yankee Stadium, where Gifford shared a locker with Mickey Mantle.

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Gifford rushed for 819 yards, picked up 603 yards receiving and scored nine touchdowns in 1956

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Growing up in Depression-era California, Gifford estimated he moved 47 times before entering high school

Frank Gifford, legendary football player and broadcaster, dead at 84

Frank Gifford, a Hall of Fame football player for the New York Giants and a legendary broadcaster, died Sunday at his Connecticut home of natural causes, his family announced. He was just seven days shy of his 85th birthday.

Gifford is survived, among others, by his wife, television personality Kathy Lee Gifford.

His family said in a statement: "We rejoice in the extraordinary life he was privileged to live, and we feel grateful and blessed to have been loved by such an amazing human being."

Gifford was a No. 1 draft pick by the Giants in 1952 and enjoyed a versatile career with New York, playing both offense and defense. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1956 and named to seven Pro Bowls for three different positions – defensive back, halfback and flanker.

"Frank Gifford was an icon of the game, both as a Hall of Fame player for the Giants and Hall of Fame broadcaster for CBS and ABC," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Frank's talent and charisma on the field and on the air were important elements in the growth and popularity of the modern NFL."

Though Gifford was the centerpiece of a Giants offense that went to five NFL title games in the 1950s and '60s, he experienced highs and lows as an NFL player. Gifford fumbled twice early in the 1958 NFL championship game, both of which led to Baltimore Colts touchdowns, and later came up short on a critical third down. The Colts eventually won 23-17 in the league's first overtime game. The thrilling finish helped popularize the NFL and was dubbed "The Greatest Game Ever Played," although not by Gifford.

"Not my greatest game," Gifford told the AP in 2008. "I fumbled going out (of the end zone) and I fumbled going in."

Gifford and his teammates felt he was robbed by an incorrectly spotted ball with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, though video technology employed for a 50th anniversary documentary indicated the call was correct. In any event, the Giants were forced to punt in the '58 game, leading to a famous drive led by Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas to send it into overtime.

Gifford had his best year in 1956, rushing for 819 yards, picking up 603 yards receiving and scoring nine touchdowns in 12 games. The Giants routed the Chicago Bears 47-7 at Yankee Stadium, where Gifford shared a locker with Mickey Mantle.

A crushing hit by 233-pound Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik in November 1960 flattened Gifford and likely shortened his football career. Bednarik was pictured standing over the unconscious Gifford, pumping his fist in a celebration thought by many to be over the top. Gifford was in the hospital for 10 days and sidelined until 1962.

In 12 seasons, all with New York, Gifford scored 34 rushing touchdowns and 43 receiving touchdowns. 

His numbers led to his election to the Hall of Fame in 1977 and Gifford's jersey number, 16, was retired by the Giants in 2000.

After he retired following the 1964 season, the flexible Gifford turned to broadcasting. After initially working with CBS, he joined ABC's "Monday Night Football" in 1971, at first as a play-by-play announcer and then as an analyst.

Later in life he stayed in the spotlight through his marriage to Kathie Lee Gifford, who famously called him a "human love machine" and "lamb-chop" to her millions of viewers.

"He was a great friend to everyone in the league, a special adviser to NFL commissioners, and served NFL fans with enormous distinction for so many decades," Goodell added. "We will always remember Frank's contributions and miss his friendship. Our hearts go out to Kathie Lee and the entire Gifford family."

Gifford hosted "Wide World of Sports," covered several Olympics — his call of Frank Klammer's gold medal run in 1976 is considered a broadcasting masterpiece — and announced 588 consecutive NFL games for ABC, not even taking time off after the death of his mother shortly before a broadcast in 1986.

While he worked with others, including Dan Dierdorf, Al Michaels, Joe Namath and O.J. Simpson, Gifford was most known for the eight years he served as a calm buffer between the folksy Don Meredith and acerbic Howard Cosell.

In its early years the show was a cultural touchstone, with cities throwing parades for the visiting announcers and celebrities such as John Lennon and Ronald Reagan making appearances.

"I hate to use the words 'American institution,' but there's no other way to put it, really," Gifford told The Associated Press in 1993. "There's nothing else like it."

A handsome straight-shooter who came off as earnest and sincere, Gifford was popular with viewers, even if some accused him of being a shill for the NFL. When he wasn't on the field, Gifford tried to put his movie-star good looks to use in Hollywood, appearing in about a dozen films, most notably the 1959 submarine movie "Up Periscope."

Born Aug. 16, 1930, in Santa Monica, Calif., Frank Newton Gifford was the son of an itinerant oil worker. Growing up in Depression-era California, Gifford estimated he moved 47 times before entering high school, occasionally sleeping in parks or the family car and eating dog food. He was a star at Bakersfield High School and was an All-American during his senior season at the University of Southern California.