Rod Bramblett, the Voice of the Auburn Tigers, was killed along with his wife Paula in a two-vehicle accident Saturday night in Auburn. He was 53 years old. Paula Bramblett was 52.
Bramblett’s wife died on scene, but he died at UAB after being airlifted. Police say a 16 year-old driving an SUV rear-ended the Brambletts. At last check, the 16 year-old was in serious condition.
Bramblett, a 1988 graduate of Auburn, began his Auburn broadcasting career in 1993 as the baseball play-by-play announcer. He took over the football and basketball play-by-play duties when Jim Fyffe passed away in May 2003. It didn’t take long for Bramblett’s style to grow on Auburn fans. One of his first famous football calls was the 2003 Iron Bowl. Cadillac Williams scored an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of the game and Bramblett exclaimed “Go Crazy Cadillac, Go Crazy!”
2013 was a magical season for the Auburn Tigers and put Bramblett on the national map for his calls in the Georgia (The Prayer at Jordan-Hare) and Alabama (The Kick 6) games.
He’s left a long lasting impression on students, friends, family, and fans across the country.
“These calls now, for good or for bad, will be played over and over and over for generations to come, and it’s a little bit overwhelming, but again, listen. I’m doing what I love to do, I will do it as long as they will have me,” said Bramblett in a 2015 interview with ABC 33/40 Sports.
His voice is a familiar one to many. If you hadn’t seen him, you’d heard Rod Bramblett calling games for his Auburn Tigers.
“He was exactly what the Auburn fans wanted. A man with heavy emotion for the Auburn Tigers as he should have had,” says Eli Gold, Crimson Tide Sports Network announcer.
Gold says he was also the friend everyone should have.
“This is real life. This is much bigger than any rivalry. This is friendship, this is life, it’s family. And it’s so terribly sad,” says Gold.
Students like JJ Jackson believe Bramblett was also the role model Auburn students in the broadcasting field needed.
“He’s gonna be remembered as an absolute broadcasting legend with everything that he did, whether it’s basketball, baseball, or football, particularly football. Saturdays are going to be very different this fall when we’re going to Jordan-Hare Stadium and not hearing Rod Bramblett’s voice,” says Jackson.
Jackson called his very first game with Rod Bramblett in college. Now, he also announces with the Auburn Sports Network.
He says he wouldn’t be where he is today without Bramblett.
“Just so grateful that he was a part of my life for really the last 2 or 3 years when our relationship became close. Whether it was on my sports radio show, he was always so willing to be a guest, and do interviews for me on the radio show, he was so generous with his time and somebody that’s going to be greatly missed,” says Jackson.
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