Nantz joined CBS Sports in 1985, initially working as a studio host for CBS's college football and basketball coverage, and as an on-course reporter for PGA Tour golf, as well as calling NFL games on Westwood One (from 1988 to 1990, when he was moved to television, Nantz called Sunday Night Football games for what was then called CBS Radio Sports). In 1989, he moved from the college football studio show to play-by-play for two seasons, calling a full season of games including the Army-Navy game and the Cotton Bowl, with analysts Pat Haden (in 1989) and Tim Brant (in 1990).
Nantz has anchored CBS' coverage of the Masters Tournament since 1989. Following Brent Musburger's ouster from CBS in 1990, Nantz moved into the lead play-by-play role on the NCAAFinal Four men's basketball finals, working with Billy Packer (1991–2008), Clark Kellogg (2009–2013), Steve Kerr (2011–2014), and Greg Anthony (2013–2014). Nantz's most recent partners on March Madness coverage were Bill Raftery and Grant Hill.[10] In October 2022, Nantz announced his intention to step away from basketball coverage to spend time with family and will be replaced by Ian Eagle.[11]
Nantz opens each of his broadcasts by saying, "Hello, friends". The greeting came about as a way for Nantz to identify himself to his father, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.[12]
Nantz's broadcast style includes a penchant for informing listeners of historical facts or statistics regarding athletes or situations as a competition progresses.
The NFL on CBS (1987–1992)
On October 4, 1987, Nantz made his first on-air appearance during an NFL game when he served as a reporter during the Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets game during the NFL strike in a game which featured replacement players, he appeared outside the stadium and in the crowd interviewing fans, in a time before sideline reporters were commonplace at regular season games. It would be his only appearance on NFL coverage during the 1987 season. In 1988, Nantz would work his first NFL play-by-play assignments, covering the October 16 Tampa Bay at Indianapolis game (with his college football partner Haden) and the December 4 Dallas at Cleveland game (with analyst Ken Stabler). In 1989, Nantz would call three more NFL games (with Haden), and in 1990 he would call two games with analyst Tim Brant. Nantz would work a full schedule of NFL games on play-by-play for the first time in 1991, calling games with analyst Hank Stram and would then work again with Stram during the 1992 season, also paring with Dan Fouts for two games in September of 1992 (when Pat Summerall was calling US Open Tennis).
On October 4, 1992, he pared with analyst Randy Cross when Cross' regular broadcast partner, Dick Stockton, was covering MLB baseball. For the 1993 Season, Nantz would join Cross full-time, and they would be assigned to the January 16, 1993, NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Packers and the Cowboys.
College Football (1994–1997)
CBS would lose the NFL contract after the 1993 season, and Nantz would return to college football and call three games during the next two seasons, the 1994 Sun Bowl (with analyst Doug Flutie), and during the 1995 season, both the Sun Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl, with analyst Terry Donahue. He would work with Donahue again for a full season of play-by-play in 1996, while in 1997 he would return to hosting the College Football studio show.
On February 4, 2007, Nantz called the play-by-play of Super Bowl XLI. He joins Curt Gowdy, Kevin Harlan, and Dick Enberg as the only play-by-play announcers to ever call both a Super Bowl and an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game. (Greg Gumbel called CBS's previous Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XXXVIII.) Nantz is also one of two men to host a Super Bowl, announce an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game, and host coverage of The Masters from Butler Cabin with Brent Musburger being the other. Musburger also accomplished all three feats with CBS. During Super Bowl XLVII, Joe Flacco unknowingly hit Nantz with the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the presentation, but Nantz simply brushed it off.
In 2014, Nantz and broadcast partner Phil Simms called Thursday Night Football games in a deal with CBS and the NFL Network. Tracy Wolfson was the sideline reporter for the Thursday games along with the Sunday games on CBS.
Nantz has appeared on episodes of The Price Is Right to present a Showcase prize that involves CBS Sports properties, one to attend the 2009 Final Four in Detroit and another in 2010 for Super Bowl XLIV (with Phil Simms),[16] as part of changes to the long-time game show to use product placement models and CBS crossovers, including sports packages. Nantz appeared as himself in the 1996 film Tin Cup[17] and has appeared in episodes of several television series including Arliss, Yes, Dear, Criminal Minds, and How I Met Your Mother (season 5, episode 14 + 15 and season 9, episode 24). He portrayed the announcer for the fictional baseball team in the short-lived series Clubhouse, and his voice can be heard in the 1998 film Scrapple. He also appeared in Fantasy Football, a film produced by CBS' sister network Nickelodeon.[18]
Since 2009, Nantz has guest commentated on the final round of The Open Championship for the BBC,[19] and in 2019, when FOX was broadcasting the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Nantz made a guest appearance with fellow broadcaster Joe Buck and called a couple of shots, becoming the only person to commentate at all four of golf's majors.
Hello, friends! (Nantz's usual opening line on broadcasts)
1980s
The Bear...has come out of hibernation. (final round of 1986 Masters, referring to Jack Nicklaus)
1990s
There was a wizard in the stands and some magic on the floor (After UCLA won the 1995 National title in basketball. He was referring to John Wooden, the legendary coach of UCLA.). As Jim Harrick and UCLA now can hang a banner in Westwood. (referring to UCLA's tradition of hanging only national championship banners at Pauley Pavilion).
There it is, a win for the ages! (1997 Masters, referring to Tiger Woods, the first person of color to win)
I don’t want to hear about bumpy greens, I don’t want to hear about six-hour rounds. This is the showpiece for the PGA Tour. Get out here and play. (prior to the final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, talking about the Tiger Woods no-show)
Just when everybody says you can't, you can, and U-CONN has won the national championship! (1999 NCAA Basketball Championship Game, Connecticut vs. Duke)
2000s
And you can leave it to Cleaves! He has reinstated the Magic at Michigan State! (2000 NCAA National Championship Game)
Yes you May. (2000 PGA Championship)
There it is -- as grand as it gets! (2001 Masters)
That's it. Duke has the Championship! And Coach K is the proud father of three in more ways than one. (2001 NCAA National Championship)
Give it to (Juan) Dixon. He deserves it! It's his shining moment and for all the (Maryland) Terrapins as well, a first-ever national championship. (2002 NCAA National Championship)
Hinrich puts up the shot, it's too long, and Syracuse is your National Champion! (2003 NCAA National Championship)
The mecca of college basketball is in Storrs, Connecticut! (2004 NCAA Tournament, as Emeka Okafor and the UCONN men joined the UCONN women as NCAA Champs)
Is it his time?...Yes!..At long last! (2004 Masters, as Phil Mickelson made the tournament-winning shot for his first major)
Watch his life change right here. (2004 Masters, while watching Mickelson's reaction to his winning putt on videotape)
The March to the Arch belongs to Michigan State in double overtime! (2005 NCAA Men's Basketball Division I Austin Regional Final)
There's a new Dean in college basketball! (2005 NCAA Tournament, referring to Roy Williams leading North Carolina to the 2005 NCAA Championship)
I'm blessed to have great friends, and there's a lot of men in my life who've been more than just friends, particularly in the last 10 years with my dad battling Alzheimer's.(Golf Digest, April 2005)
Gators... as good as it gets! (2006 NCAA Tournament), Florida's first basketball title in program history
Florida takes its place in history, back-to-back and unforgettable! (2007 NCAA Tournament), the Gators played the Ohio State Buckeyes, who they defeated in the BCS National Championship game in football 3 months prior.
A tradition unlike any other, The Masters on CBS. (Used annually during promos for and coverage of the tournament, although not always by Nantz)
...and now Luke Donald trying to solve this piece of geometry." (Donald reading a putt at The 2007 PGA)
And, talk about David and Goliath! I submit to you Davidson College, to the Sweet 16!" -- Nantz, as the clock hit 00.0 in Davidson's thrilling upset in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament over Georgetown.
A performance from the start that could not have been any finer, North Carolina is the 2009 National Champion! (2009 NCAA Tournament)
Y.E. YES... Y. E. Yang has won the PGA Championship!" -- Nantz as Y.E. Yang hits his birdie putt to defeat Tiger Woods and win the 2009 PGA Championship.
That's a win for the family. (As Phil Mickelson seals the 2010 Masters with a birdie on the 18th hole)
Everyone talked about the dog fight coming in, right? Huskies and Bulldogs. But one thing was very clear tonight, here in Houston. Connecticut wins best in show! (UConn clinching the 2011 NCAA Tournament)
Here comes Billy Cundiff to tie this game and in all likelihood send it to overtime. The last two years, 16 of 16 in the 4th quarter on field goals. 32 yards to tie it. And the kick... Lookout! Lookout! It's no good! It's no good! (Baltimore Ravens losing the 2011 AFC Championship Game to New England Patriots after a missed field goal with 11 seconds left of the 4th quarter)
Well, this is it, isn't it? This is the putt...every boy who ever grew up playing the game who made it as a pro, over and over again dreamt of one putt to win the Masters. (In anticipation of Bubba Watson's putt on the first hole of a sudden death playoff at the 2012 Masters Tournament)
And he (Sam Koch) booms this one. That takes the fair catch, free kick out of play. And its (Ted Ginn, Jr.)...Ginn to the 40. Still on his feet at the 50...and the Ravens have won it 34-31. The Super Bowl belongs to Baltimore! (The final four seconds of Super Bowl XLVII as Ted Ginn, Jr. is tackled by Josh Bynes after a safety kick by Sam Koch to clinch the Baltimore Ravens's victory. It was the Ravens' second Super Bowl win.)
Rodgers, in trouble... (Phil Simms: It's gonna get there.) He turned 32 yesterday, does he have a vintage moment in him? In the end zone... IT IS CAUGHT, FOR THE WIN! Richard Rodgers with a walk-off touchdown! A game-ender for the Packers! (Calling the Miracle in Motown when Aaron Rodgers completed a Hail Mary pass to Richard Rodgers with no time left on the clock)
Villanova trying to go the length of the court, with Arcidiacono. Three seconds at midcourt! (Grant Hill: Watch Jenkins) Gives it to Jenkins! [Jenkins shoots, time expires] For the championship... YES! (Bill Raftery [overlapping Nantz, voice breaking] OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!) Villanova! Phenomenal! [fireworks] The national champions, with Jenkins hitting the winner at the buzzer! (Nantz calling Kris Jenkins' famous buzzer-beater point to win the 2016 NCAA Tournament for the Villanova Wildcats)
Mathews, off the mark, and this year the confetti is gonna fall for North Carolina, they're not gonna be denied this time! (Nantz calling UNC's triumph in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, a year after the aformentioned loss to the Villanova Wildcats in the 2016 National Championship game.)
Superlatives you can't come up with enough. Absolute, incredible performance. [time expires] Shock and awe in college basketball! UMBC makes history in Charlotte! (Nantz at the end of the game as University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers became the first (and as of 2020, still the only) #16 seed to defeat a #1 and advance to the second round, as they defeated the Virginia Cavaliers74-54 in the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history. Top seeded teams were previously 135-0 against #16.)
And Virginia, with the all-time turnaround title! (Nantz calling the end of the 2019 National Championship game, with the redemption-seeking Virginia Cavaliers cutting the nets. It was Virginia's first national championship in program history, and it capped off what is considered one of the greatest redemption stories in sports history, taking place a year after the aformentioned loss to the 16th-seeded UMBC Retrievers.)
Waited for years, many doubted we'd ever see it, but here it is.. [Tiger Woods sinks the Masters-winning putt in the 18th hole, crowd roars] the return to glory! (Nantz calling golf legend Tiger Woods' 15th majors win at the 2019 Masters Tournament, his first majors win since the 2008 U.S. Open, and first green jacket since 2005, and fifth Masters win overall.)
2020s
Comes down to one last play and it's gonna be... getting longer by the second. You're all the way back at the 30-yard-line. Now you can step into it. Here comes the Hail Mary with the game on the line… And the ball is caught! Caught! It's a miracle! It's Noah Brown! Oh my goodness! This town is going crazy! It's a madhouse in Landover, Maryland! (Calling the Hail Maryland when Jayden Daniels completed a Hail Mary pass to Noah Brown that was tipped by Tyrique Stevenson with no time left on the clock)[27]
Nantz: The clock is running, with fifteen seconds left and third and 26, they have one timeout left [...] You better hurry! (Tony Romo: Oh no... oh no!) This is disaster in the making here. You're going to have to do something. Well it comes down to this play... incomplete and the game is over! Completely botched at the end by the Bears. (Romo: I can't believe they didn't take a timeout.) You just assumed they would have taken... They're looking around like 'What just happened?' (Romo: They had a timeout left!) Nantz: The clock has struck zero and it is over. They took way too long to get in position to run this play. This had no intention of being their final play. (Romo: Oh my goodness...) They would have had an attempt at a field goal to send it to overtime from about 59 yards. (Calling the end of the 2024 Chicago Bears–Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game where poor clock management by the Bears results in their sixth straight loss and the firing of Matt Eberflus the following day, becoming the first Bears' head coach to be fired mid-season)[28]
Personal life
Nantz's first book, Always By My Side – A Father's Grace and a Sports Journey Unlike Any Other, was released in May 2008. Nantz tells personal stories from football, basketball, and golf, and how he has met people along the way who remind him of the virtues his father instilled in him. The foreword in the book was written by one of his father figures, friend and frequent golf partner, former PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush. Nantz's father, Jim Nantz Jr., died in 2008 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease; he was treated at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. In January 2011, Nantz and Houston Methodist Hospital launched the Nantz National Alzheimer Center. The mission of the center is to improve care and treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research and the investigation of its causes, including the role of concussions and other past neurological trauma.
Nantz was married to Ann-Lorraine "Lorrie" Carlsen Nantz for 26 years before divorcing in 2009. The couple lived in Westport, Connecticut, and had one child, daughter Caroline.[29] In November 2009, Nantz was ordered to pay his ex-wife $916,000 a year in child support and alimony. Nantz acknowledged dating a 29-year-old woman before the divorce was final, although the judge concluded the marriage deteriorated years earlier and "this remote event in no way contributed to the breakdown of the marriage." Nantz was said to earn $7 million in 2009.[30]
On June 9, 2012, Nantz married Courtney Richards in a ceremony at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California,[31] specifically at the tee of the course's famed seventh hole.[32] Nantz and his wife have a daughter born in 2014 and a son born in 2016.[33] Nantz and his family used to live in a home overlooking the Pebble Beach Links that he bought in October 2011.[34] The home's most notable feature is a 50%-scale replica of the seventh hole at Pebble Beach, located in the backyard. The backyard hole is a popular spot for visiting golfers, sports luminaries, and other celebrities. Visitors who make a hole-in-one have their names inscribed on a rock that stands next to the tee box.[35] Nantz and his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2021.[36][37]
Winemaking
Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley produced for Nantz's The Calling label.
In 2009, Nantz partnered with wine producer Peter Deutsch to launch a private wine label The Calling with its first vintage released in 2012. The wine's name is in reference to Nantz's calling of the Masters Tournament.[38]
^Craig, Jack. "CBS' Nantz a Smoothie from Start", Boston Globe, November 11, 1988. Accessed September 10, 2015. "'It took me one-tenth of a second to answer. My wife and I grew up in Marlboro, New Jersey. We were coming home,' he said. Three years later, Nantz and his wife are living in Westport, Conn."
