Chris Stewart first discussed this about fifty years ago.
When he was younger and growing up in Fairfield, he used to dream of becoming the Alabama Crimson Tide’s voice. He did, in fact, tell that to a few people.
When we fast-forward to 2024, he is. Stewart will be the voice of Alabama football going forward, and Eli Gold, who has done so since 1988, will not be returning in the fall, according to a Wednesday announcement from the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
“The Alabama job means so much to so many people, what it means to me professionally, is why this means so much,” Stewart said in an interview with The Tuscaloosa News.
“It’s unique not only because it’s Alabama, but also because the guys who held this position before me are individuals I have always held in the highest regard on a professional level. Paul Kennedy, John Forney, and Eli without a doubt.
I hope that I can approach this work with the same respect, enthusiasm, and thoughtfulness that he has always shown for it because I am aware of how much this job has meant to him.
Stewart has already called football games for the previous two seasons; he replaced Gold in 2022 when Gold was battling cancer. When Gold returned in 2023, the two split the remaining games; Gold called home games and the Iron Bowl, while Stewart took away games and the postseason.
Stewart remarked, “I listened to these guys when I was younger.” “Everyone, the three of them. What makes this even more meaningful is that I consider all three of them to be friends and that I have known them all. It’s Alabama.
It would still mean a lot to me professionally even if I were from Anchorage, Alaska. It is an amazing honour to have known John, Paul, and Eli, to have respect for them, to be aware of their broadcasting careers, and to have the chance to be the next.”
