Veteran broadcaster Terry Bradshaw is confronting fresh demands to step down from his role at Fox Sports following a significant on-air gaffe during the network's NFL coverage.
The Live Broadcast Blunder
The incident occurred during Fox NFL Sunday's analysis of the Seattle Seahawks' game against the Tennessee Titans. As the panel discussed Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba's spectacular 63-yard touchdown, the 77-year-old Bradshaw referred to the player as 'Njigboo'.
Fellow analyst Michael Strahan immediately corrected Bradshaw, reminding him of the correct pronunciation. Bradshaw initially defended himself by stating 'That's what I said,' before conceding 'Something like that.' Strahan then pointed out that Bradshaw had added 'a little "boo" on the end,' to which the legendary quarterback responded: 'All right, a little "Njig-boo."'
Social Media Backlash and Career Context
Although the broadcast quickly moved to discussing the Chiefs-Colts matchup, Bradshaw's mistake went viral on social media, sparking intense criticism and renewed calls for his retirement.
One fan declared it was 'Time for him to "retire,"' while another commented 'Someone is deciding to keep him around and continue paying him.' A third critic claimed Bradshaw 'needed to retire about 5 years ago,' with a fourth describing the name mispronunciation as a 'really dangerous botch' and noting that 'Strahan reacted like Terry was manhandling a live cobra.'
This represents the latest in a series of recent on-air difficulties for the broadcaster. He previously struggled with Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift's name, calling him 'Deonday... DeAndre Smith' before being corrected by colleagues.
Bradshaw also recently shared a bizarre anecdote about mistakenly thinking he was texting Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, only to discover he was communicating with 'some guy selling pigs.'
Broadcasting Legacy and Future Plans
Bradshaw has been a mainstay on Fox's NFL programming for over 30 years, joining the network in 1994 after a decade with CBS following his retirement from professional football in 1984.
The four-time Super Bowl champion has already addressed questions about his broadcasting future. Earlier this year, Bradshaw stated: 'I got two years left at Fox. It's a young man's game. I get that...if we can get to the next Super Bowl, I'll be 80. I think that's time.'
Smith-Njigba, whose name was at the centre of the controversy, has established himself as one of the NFL's most potent offensive weapons this season, amassing more receiving yards (1,313) than any other player.
