Super Bowl streak comes to an end for Jerry Green, longtime Detroit sports journalist
(CBS DETROIT) - Jerry Green has had the opportunity of covering America's most-watched sporting event, the Super Bowl since its first run in 1967.
After 56 years, that streak will come to an end ahead of this year's game. An inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the sports journalist recently announced that he will not be able to make this year's Super Bowl due to health reasons. Although Green, 94, is very much of sound mind, physically, it isn't his best option.
"It's a reason for logistics rather than coverage. I can cover a game, I just can't go to an airport," said Green. "I don't want to go to an airport. I can't get on an airplane with oxygen and a wheelchair. I'm not going to do it, it's time."
Green was one of fewer than 400 journalist that attended the first Super Bowl in 1967. This year will be the first time he won't be in the press box, but says covering the game electronically is not ethical.
"I could, but I wouldn't because it I feel my own sense of ethics tells me you have to be there, you have to sit in the press box, you have to watch the game live, not on tv," said Green.
Although he can't physically be at the game, Green plans to watch it on tv for the first time and may even shed a tear.
Green shared some of his best memories of Super Bowl Sunday's biggest games while reporting for the Associated Press or the Detroit News, like when Joe Namath guaranteed his AFL underdog New York Jets would beat the favorite, Baltimore Colts. Green was pool side when "Broadway Joe" made his now legendary prediction.
"Si Burick from Dayton came up to me and said Namath has agreed to talk with a few of us, would you like to go? I said, 'are you kidding me,'" Green explained. "I went and it was two of the best Super Bowl columns I got out of it."
Green says the best game he covered was just a few years ago in Houston, when Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were 25 points behind the Falcons and won in overtime.
The one thing that could bring Green to the field again for game day coverage is if the Detroit Lions make it, but he says its up to Dan Campbell, Rod Young and Jared Goff.