“Not so fast, my friend!” The phrase that echoed in many households and made college football fans grin has now taken an emotional route. Leaving behind a legacy of 38 years, ESPN’s College GameDay host Lee Corso has decided to bid farewell to the show that has become a Saturday morning ritual for generations. For almost four decades, the fans have tuned in to watch Corso do what he does best: headgear picks before every game. Captivating viewers across multiple generations, Corso made it look effortless, week after week, bringing both wisdom and mischief to every show.
From being a player to head coach to a legendary broadcaster, Corso has done it all. But at 89, he’s chosen to close the curtain on a remarkable career, leaving fans both grateful and heavy-hearted. With countless memories and experiences, Corso’s last show on August 30, in the same city where his long TV ride began, Ohio. While everyone around him prepares for a melancholic goodbye, Nick Saban feels quite the opposite.
Saban joined GameDay in 2024 after retiring from his head coaching career. Both Corso and Nick Saban share a bond filled with mutual respect and admiration for each other. A few weeks ago, when Saban was asked whether he’ll do the headgear picks now, he said, “I hope not. It has been great for a lot of fans for a lot of years. I think the tradition of him putting the mascot helmet on at the end of every show is something that everybody looks forward to.” Headgear picks were something that Corso did for years, and it eventually became a tradition. Wearing the mascot helmet, predicting the winner of the game, is a hallmark of GameDay’s charm.
Recently, during an interview on The OFFICIAL Page of AP aS wE C it, the former Alabama HC was asked how he feels about Corso retiring? He said, “I think Lee Corso is an icon when it comes to television in terms of creating a tradition of putting that headgear on for whatever teams and the anticipation that everybody has on Saturday morning to see who he’s going to pick.” The mascot helmet and predictions were synonymous with Corso. And if Saban agrees to join in on the tradition, watching the legendary duo share the headgear moment on the 30th of August promises to be an unforgettable thrill for fans
Nick Saban continued, “He’s a great guy. He’s a really good coach and just a fantastic person to be around, and one of the ultimate professionals that anybody would ever have a chance to work with. He’s made such a great contribution for many, many years. We’re going to miss him. But you know, when you retire, people really should be happy. We’re very happy.” Soon after the announcement of the retirement, tributes came pouring in for Corso, which shows the legacy he’s leaving behind.
Host Rece Davis, in a heartfelt Twitter post, said, “Lee Corso is not only the cornerstone of College GameDay, he was a trailblazer for the way the sport was covered.” Just like his fans, Corso will surely miss holding the mic and talking about the games in the future. But his deteriorating health conditions could be a reason behind his retirement. It was surely beyond just TV. It reached every college football fan and, hence, they will always remember his legacy forever.
Did Lee Corso’s health conditions play an influential role in his retirement?
When we talk about Lee Corso and GameDay, how can we not talk about Kirk Herbstreit? The on-air duo spent almost three decades with each other. From being colleagues to having an unbreakable bond, they have come a long way. When Corso announced his retirement, Kirk picked up his phone to speak to him. He later took it to X to playfully tease Corso about his old-school ways with technology.
“So I called him just now to make sure he knew how much the college football community has been pouring out their love for him. As we talked about other things and were about to hang up, he said, ‘Hey Kirk, can you put up on your Facebook or Twitter or whatever it is how much I appreciate all the well wishes—it really means a lot to me?’” said Kirk. With the fans, Corso had a unique relationship. Their love for each other was mutual.
There were multiple times when Corso missed several episodes on GameDay due to health concerns. In October 2024, he missed two back-to-back episodes, after which Kirk gave an update on his health. “He’s not going to be here this week. He’s doing better and has been a little bit under the weather for the last couple of weeks.” Corso also suffered partial paralysis, due to a stroke in 2009, and had very few appearances that year. After his stroke, Corso started developing difficulty with speech, and it was Kirk who supported him throughout. “I just—it wasn’t like we had a discussion. I would just be sitting next to him, and he’d get caught on a word, and I would just try to subtly, like, interrupt him in a funny way or just try to do whatever I could to just kind of just quietly just kind of give him a little nudge or just a little—just a little crutch for him to kind of gather himself and just finish his thought,” Kirk said. Despite having several setbacks, Corso has always found his way into the show. But after years in spotlight, he’s finally decided to say goodbye, leaving his fans with countless memories, and a legacy we’ll deeply miss as he retires.
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