Bill Hillgrove, who has called Pittsburgh Steelers games on radio for 30 years, has announced he is stepping down. Hillgrove started calling games on the Steelers Radio Network in 1994 when he took over for Jack Fleming, who was the voice of the team from 1965 to 1993.
Hillgrove was a guest on The Big K Morning Show on KDKA in Pittsburgh and said, “I think I harken back to the words of [former Steelers head coach] Chuck Noll, ‘If you’re thinking about it, then maybe it’s time,'” said Hillgrove. “I’ve been mulling this over for a while. There are so many reasons, but I think the chief reason for me is the fact that it gets me to spend more time with the family and I still have half a weekend left when I do a Pitt game…there’s a lot of factors here, but the bottom line was it was probably time to start a new chapter.”
Hillgrove called a total of 460 Steelers games, 35 playoff games and four Super Bowls, with the Steelers winning two of those. “To be able to do four [Super Bowls] in 30 years, a lot of NFL broadcasters never had that opportunity,” he said.
“Bill Hillgrove’s contributions to both the Steelers Radio Network and the Steelers organization have spanned nearly three decades that included him serving as our play-by-play announcer for four Super Bowl appearances and countless other memorable games during his tenure,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said. “He has played a major role in broadcasting to our amazing fans on our radio network, but he also found time to be part of so many special events since he began working alongside the great Myron Cope on the airwaves in 1994. Bill will truly be missed by Steelers Nation, but we are excited for him and his family to enjoy his retirement.”
