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Lee Corso retirement: Chris Fowler commends ESPN icon after legendary career

On3 imageby:Sam Gillenwater•04/17/25•

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Chris Fowler
Nelson Chenault | Imagn Images

‘College GameDay’ announced on Thursday that next season’s episode for Week 1 will be the last for Lee Corso. With that, many names have already spoken on the news, including his host on the show for almost a quarter century in Chris Fowler.

Fowler was the latest to share a post regarding Corso’s retirement announcement with a message this morning on social media. He knows it’s an emotional day as the sport will be sad to see him go but also has a lot to think back on during Corso’s career on ESPN.

“quick reflections and tribute to a dear friend and living legend, with word now official that #leecorso is retiring from @CollegeGameDay after one huge send off!” Fowler tweeted. “much more to come. Love you, LC!

“It’s a bittersweet day, but I can’t stop smiling. I’m thinking about Lee Corso and all the great memories shared with him on the set of College GameDay, the meetings, the meals, the hangs,” Fowler said in his video. “I think Lee knows it’s time. He’s going to be 90 in August. It’s been an incredible, unprecedented run. What Lee has done for the sport of college football, grown its popularity just by his unique personality and his work on GameDay since ’87. And, just sharing the set with him for a quarter century, it’s been a privilege, it’s been a joy…You know, trust me. What you saw on TV was the tip of the iceberg, what this guy was like off of the set.”

Fowler was also one of several to share statements on the news about Corso. He, like many from their network and across college football, know what kind of impact he has had on them and their sport.

“It has been among the greatest joys and privileges of my life to work with, laugh with, and learn from Lee Corso for more than 35 incredible years. His courage and resilience have inspired millions,” Fowler said.

August 30th, the date of kickoff in Week 1, will be the final episode of ‘College GameDay’ for Corso. That’s after over three and a half decades on the show as a heartbeat of it, most notably because of his energy during the show with segments like his headgear picks to end the broadcasts.

With that, Corso has seen several coworkers begin to wish him a farewell before his official goodbye in the fall. He has already received messages and posts from those like Kirk Herbstreit and Rece Davis alongside him on the show and from Stephen A. Smith at ESPN.

Fans and colleagues will have the rest of the offseason going into kick to celebrate the career of Corso. For today, though, they’re all giving their initial reactions and goodbyes to someone who, as Fowler put it, is “a singular, unique” personality in the history of television.

“I think there’ll never be anyone else like him. He’s a, he’s a singular, unique TV sports talent, a born entertainer, and he’ll be missed,” Fowler said. “But, man, does he leave behind a lot of great stories, and I look forward to hanging out with him in the next chapter of his life…Love you, Lee. Love you, man.”