“Behind the Mic: Gary Danielson Reveals the Shocking Truth About His Retirement Choice”

As the 2025 college football season looms on the horizon, we find ourselves bidding farewell to a voice that has resonated throughout the sport for two whole decades. Longtime CBS Sports announcer Gary Danielson, a staple in the broadcasts we’ve come to cherish, recently announced that this upcoming season will be his last in the booth. To put it simply, it’ll be tough imagining college football Saturdays without his insightful commentary and unique perspective. In an era where the airwaves have become crowded with voices, Danielson’s clarity—rooted in his own experiences as a former Purdue and NFL quarterback—stands out. He has been a constant, a familiar companion guiding us through the highs and lows of our favorite teams. As he prepares to pass the torch to Charles Davis, fans are left pondering: how do we truly replace the irreplaceable? It’s not just a career coming to an end; it’s a chapter of college football history. Curious about what led to his decision and what he plans to do next? Click here to LEARN MORE.

Last week, longtime CBS Sports announcer Gary Danielson revealed that the 2025 college football season will be his last in the booth.

Danielson will call it a career after 20 seasons at CBS. Prior to that, the former Purdue and NFL quarterback spent 16 season as a game analyst for ESPN and ABC. Charles Davis, who is currently and NFL broadcaster for CBS, will replace Danielson alongside Brad Nessler calling college games in 2026. 

Danielson, 73, remains healthy and is still sharp on the air, but thinks the time is right to move on.

During an appearance on “The Varsity” podcast with Puck’s John Ourand, Danielson said he’s been mulling his future for some time now.

Danielson also explained to Ourand that he wanted to step aside too early rather than too late.

“I think so,” Danielson said about this being the best decision for him, via Awful Announcing. “I’ve been nominated for Emmys six times — and never won, but that’s still an honor for a college announcer to get that. So, it’s been seamless to the Big Ten; the Big Ten treated us royally. It was fantastic. When I was playing, I missed a lot of what my kids were doing. When I was working at ESPN and ABC, I missed every one of my son’s football games in high school, most of my daughter’s volleyball games back at that time. And now my grandkids were starting into high school; they’re all here locally.

“And I go, ‘This might be the perfect time.’ I really felt that I would rather leave a couple years early than one year late, where people are starting to say ‘He doesn’t have it. He should’ve retired.’ And I have the ability to do that, to walk away. Everything seems fine. Thrilled with Charles Davis sitting in that seat. Honestly, there might’ve been some people that I would’ve been queasy about, but not Charles. It just seemed right. It really did — two years with the Big Ten. I didn’t want a going away year. I’m not in the Verne category or the Al Michaels category, where you’re going to leave, and everybody’s talking about how great you are.”

For his on-air sendoff, Danielson will call CBS Sports’ Big Ten Game of the Week for the second year in a row.

Prior to last season, he was the No. 1 game analyst for the network’s SEC Game of the Week before ESPN took over the broadcasting rights to college football’s top conference.

“Gary Danielson is simply one of the greatest college football analysts ever. And an even better teammate,” said CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson. “Gary cares more about uplifting others and ensuring the team receives all the accolades. During his 20 years here, he helped propel CBS Sports to the gold standard in college football coverage. We can’t thank him enough; he will always be part of the CBS Sports family and wish him the best in retirement.”

Related: Football Fans React To Gary Danielson’s Retirement Decision