Curt Menefee has a message for those wondering when Terry Bradshaw will call it a day.
‘It’s never gonna happen!’ the host of Fox NFL Sunday told the Daily Mail.
‘They’re going to be carrying him out in a hearse – he is not leaving the show. Nor should he!’
Menefee, 60, has been on Fox’s flagship pregame show for two decades. Michael Strahan is not far behind him in tenure. And yet? ‘We’re the two kids!’ Menefee said.
Howie Long and Bradshaw have both been on air since the show’s inception in 1994. ‘It was built around him [Bradshaw] – he was the first guy they hired,’ Menefee added.
Three decades later, Bradshaw, the legendary quarterback – a four-time Super Bowl champion – remains the main face of Fox NFL Sunday.
The 77-year-old has suggested he will walk away in the next few years, but some fans believe there is no need to wait.
The legendary quarterback Terry Bradshaw (pictured) has been on the pregame show since its inception back in 1994
Fox NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee (pictured) does not believe Terry Bradshaw will ever retire
The calls for Bradshaw to retire grow louder with every blunder. Among his recent on-air gaffes was a strange ramble about airports and a botched pronunciation of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s name. Bradshaw christened the Seahawks receiver ‘Njigboo’ in a clip that quickly went viral.
But Menefee wants to remind those critics of something: ‘He was the first guy on air for this network. I don’t think he’s ever, ever going to leave. And nor should he. He is the heart and soul of everything we do at Fox Sports.
‘I grew up watching Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long… for me to be beside these guys who are not only icons, but guys that I worshiped as a fan growing up has been absolutely amazing.
‘And when I go back to year one, those guys took me and wrapped their arms around me and embraced me and made me a part of the team right away.’
Menefee continued, adding that he ‘would not be on Fox NFL Sunday – I don’t believe – had it not been for Terry Bradshaw. They had the auditions, they ran through a lot of people, and Bradshaw said, “I want Menefee,” and that went a long way in the decision makers’ minds.’
All these years later, their relationship has spilled out of the studio. ‘He’ll just call me out of the blue, just to see how I’m doing,’ Menefee explained. ‘And he always ends the conversation with, “I love you”.’
Many NFL fans have called on the 77-year-old to retire after a number of on-air gaffes
The Fox NFL Sunday crew – including Bradshaw and Menefee – pictured back in October 2022
‘It’s one of those things [where] you go: “Wow, that was Terry Bradshaw that just said that…” I still have those moments in my life.’
That does not stop Bradshaw’s co-stars ribbing the legendary quarterback – Strahan called Bradshaw out over his pronunciation of Njigba – but Menefee believes that is the secret to the show.
‘We can talk football… all those guys are Hall of Famers,’ he said. ‘They can break it down with anybody, but people never come to you and say: “You guys did a great job breaking down the Cover 2 [defensive scheme] last week.” It’s: “Oh my God, when Terry said this, you guys busted his chops!”‘
They can get away with it because Bradshaw is a friend. ‘That’s what makes it special,’ Menefee said. ‘We text each other, our wives are friends, we know each other’s kids… so when we show up on Sunday, we’re not pretending that we like each other. We’re not fake laughing at each other’s jokes.
‘I always tell people it’s the same thing that we do on Friday and Saturdays – without the adult beverages and swearing! Otherwise, we’re the same people. And I think that that genuine friendship is what comes across on the air, and that’s what people like, because we’re not hammering you over the head with the X’s and O’s.’
‘I would not be on Fox NFL Sunday had it not been for Terry Bradshaw,’ Menefee said
They organize a boys’ trip every offseason. It’s usually in April, around the NFL draft. ‘It’s always somewhere warm,’ Menefee said. ‘We can have a cocktail or two and nobody has to worry.’
For the next couple of months, however, the focus among the Fox NFL Sunday crew is the climax of a season that is so brilliantly poised.
Heading into Week 14, the next Super Bowl champion is anyone’s guess.
‘Out of the 32 teams, I guarantee you, if you said 20 of these teams win the Super Bowl, people wouldn’t be shocked,’ Menefee said.
‘My preseason prediction was Green Bay beating Baltimore. I’m not sure about Baltimore now – at all.’
Instead? ‘I’m taking Green Bay to beat New England.’