Gus Johnson Biography
Gus Johnson is an American play-by-play announcer working for FOX Sports as a Lead college football and basketball play-by-play announcer. He joined the FOX Sports news team in 2000, after previously working for CBS Sports.
Gus Johnson Career
Johnson graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy in 1985, actively participating in baseball, basketball, and football during his time there. He later graduated from Howard University in 1990. In 2022, he enrolled in Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, with a documentary detailing his yearlong journey broadcast on Fox Sports. His professional background includes serving as a play-by-play announcer for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves (1996–97). Here. he covered Big East basketball on the Big East Network and provided commentary for college hockey and college basketball on ESPN. He also called Canadian Football League games for ESPN2 and NFL games for CBS from 1998 to 2010. Furthermore, he hosted ESPN’s Black College Sports Today in 1991 and had brief on-air stints with KXXV-TV in Waco, Texas, WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama, and WXII-TV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
From 1991 to 1992, he served as the weekend anchor for WTTG in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he made a brief cameo appearance as an announcer in the 1998 film “He Got Game.” Johnson, a versatile play-by-play announcer, has had an extensive career covering various sports. His notable contributions include calling March Madness games for CBS Sports from 1996 to 2011, where he delivered memorable commentary on games like UCLA’s 17-point comeback against Gonzaga in 2006. Additionally, he gave commentary on the double-overtime clash between Xavier and Kansas State in 2010, and George Mason’s upset of Villanova in 2011. He also announced Big Ten Network’s Sunday-night basketball games. During his tenure with the Madison Square Garden Network (MSG) from 1994 to 2010, he served as the radio and backup television play-by-play announcer for the NBA’s New York Knicks and the television play-by-play announcer for the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
He hosted MSG studio shows focusing on the Yankees, Rangers, and Knicks. Moreover, he also worked on Fox Sports Wisconsin, calling 20 Milwaukee Bucks games during the 2015–16 season, and handled play-by-play duties for the inaugural season of BIG3 basketball. Beyond basketball, he announced preseason television games for NFL teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions, as well as the Arena Football League’s New York Dragons. Furthermore, he also contributed to MSG’s coverage of the Golden Gloves and served as a commentator for Showtime Championship Boxing, EliteXC, and Strikeforce until 2011. His voice extended to the world of video games, featuring in NCAA Basketball 10, Madden NFL 11, and Madden NFL 12. He was also the play-by-play announcer for fictional football games in Buffalo Wild Wings commercials.
In 2011, he left MSG Network to spend more time with his son, subsequently joining Fox Sports to call college football and NFL telecasts. He also ventured into soccer, serving as the lead Fox Soccer play-by-play announcer for Barclays Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League matches. He worked as the radio play-by-play announcer for Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes in 2012. Johnson returned to MSG Network for sporadic fill-in roles starting with the 2023-24 NBA season when both Mike Breen and Kenny Albert were unable to call games due to national commitments. He has continued to stay active in his field, participating in various roles such as announcing select NFL games for Fox Sports in the 2021 season. In addition to that, he also contributes as a play-by-play announcer for the first round of the 2022 and 2023 NBA Playoffs for TNT and NBA TV.
On an interesting note, comedian Gus Johnson challenged him to an athletic competition for the Twitter handle @GusJohnson in September 2021, as the sportscaster had not tweeted since 2012. His impressive athletic achievements during his senior year earned him the prestigious Sid Rhaim Award for Athlete of the Year. Additionally, he received the honor of being elected to the inaugural class of the Detroit Jesuit High School Hall of Fame. His notable contributions and success also led to his induction into Michigan’s Catholic High School Hall of Fame, a testament to his outstanding accomplishments in the realm of high school sports.
Gus Johnson Salary
Johnson earns an annual salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Gus Johnson Net Worth
Johnson has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which he has earned through his career as a commentator.
Gus Johnson Age
Johnson was born on August 10, 1967, Detroit, Michigan, United States. He is 57 years old as of 2024, and he celebrates his birthday on the 10th of August every year.
Gus Johnson Height and Weight
Johnson stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches tall however, information about his weight has not been disclosed.
Gus Johnson Family
Johnson is the son of Btroy Johnson and August Cornelius. However, information about his siblings has not been disclosed.
Gus Johnson Wife and Children
Johnson has not disclosed his relationship status as he is very private with his personal life. However, this information will be updated when available. He resides in New York City together with his family.
FOX Sports
While working for FOX Sports Johnson co-works alongside: