You know you are one of the greatest in your profession when you last in it for 37 years. For Tampa Bay Buccaneers play-by-play announcer Gene Deckerhoff, he has done just that while giving entire generations of fans lines and memories that will last another 37 years.
The Bucs announced his decision to retire on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and shared some of his best calls in the process. Fans will remember him for calls such as “Alstott up the gut!” and “There it is! The dagger is in! We’re going to win the Super Bowl!” Those are just some of the memories he created for fans, but then again, they know if they included them all, we would be here all day.
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But beyond all those calls and memories, it is Tampa Bay’s time to give him some honor back after making so many people’s lives better. The Mayor of Tampa Bay announced on Tuesday that the city officially declared January 27th as Gene Deckerhoff Day.
Not many people have meant more to the city or the state of Florida than Gene Deckerhoff has. Having a day named after him is the least everyone can do for a lifetime of smiles he has generated, and the Bucs will miss him on the call in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: City of Tampa Bay honors Gene Deckerhoff following retirement