The "Voice of the Crimson Tide," Eli Gold, missed the entire 2022 football season due to health issues and announced Friday that he is battling a "treatable" form of cancer.
"I want to thank everyone for their well wishes and prayers," said Gold in his statement. "After extensive testing, I have now been diagnosed of a treatable form of cancer. I'm already making progress and hope to get back behind the mic again soon. Roll Tide!"
Gold has been the Alabama football play-by-play since 1988 and, up until this season, had only missed one game back in 2020 when COVID-19 kept him from traveling for the Alabama game at Arkansas. In Gold's 30-plus years as the "Voice of the Crimson Tide," he has been on the call for seven national titles in 10 championship game appearances and 11 SEC championships.
In Gold's absence, Chris Stewart filled in on the Crimson Tide Sports Network radio broadcasts this past season, as well as hosting on Nick Saban's weekly radio show "Hey Coach." Gold appeared on the broadcast before the Iron Bowl and said he had hoped to return to the booth for the Iron Bowl game but now has his mind set for April 22 for the 2023 A-Day Game.
During Nick Saban's Nick's Kids Foundation event at Bryant-Denny Stadium in August, Saban said, "Eli has done a fantastic job of being the voice of our iconic brand at the University of Alabama for a long, long time. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and we certainly hope that he has a speedy recovery. He's a good friend. He's been a great ambassador for the University of Alabama, and we appreciate all he's done, more than you know."
While it is unclear when Gold, 68, will return to the booth, he is under contract through the 2023 Alabama football season, and just like Nick Saban, one would assume that he can call his own shot when he wants to walk away from the University of Alabama.
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