Eli Gold not returning as the Voice of Alabama Football

According to Charlie Potter of On3’s BOL, Eli Gold will not return as the Voice of Alabama Football for the 2024 season. Gold was back in the booth in 2023 after a battle with cancer, being with the Crimson Tide during all home games and the Iron Bowl in Auburn.

Gold was also a staple of “Hey Coach” on Thursdays, speaking with Alabama’s head coach ahead of Saturday’s matchup. However, after 36 years of working on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, Gold will pass the microphone on.

“Eli has been an invaluable member of our broadcast team,” Jim Carabin, Vice President and General Manager of the Crimson Tide Sports Network, said. “We are grateful for his years of service and wish him all the best in this next chapter. CTSN is fortunate to have someone as part of our existing broadcast team in Chris to step up and seamlessly transition into this role.”

A statement from Gold has been released via Jonathan Hardison of FOX6 WRBC. Gold says he is not retiring from broadcasting and Alabama decided to move him out of the booth.

“I will not be returning,” Gold said via Hardison. “The university chose to not bring me back. I have not retired!”

As mentioned, health has been an issue for Gold as he battled large cell type B lymphoma. Doctors discovered the disease around Christmas 2022 when Gold had already been away from the football program for a few months. He worked towards getting back healthy in order to call games once again.

“I was also fighting for my Bama family,” Gold said this past July via The Paul Finebaum Show. “My desire to get back into the booth and reconnect with the Alabama fans… I said ‘when I get back on the air, I am going to be broadcasting not only for our wonderful Alabama fans. But I going to be broadcasting for the millions of people who are going through exactly what I did.’”

Chris Stewart is expected to replace Gold. He took over during the 2022 season when Gold stepped away and was on the call during Alabama’s road games in 2023. During the SEC Championship against Georgia and the CFP semifinal vs. Michigan at the Rose Bowl, Stewart was the radio voice. He has also done Alabama men’s basketball games, where his status with the addition of football is unknown.

The switch from Gold to Stewart will be made official on A-Day, Alabama’s spring game.