Eli Gould talks 'not retiring' after Alabama opts not to retain broadcasting legend

Eli Gould hasn't finished broadcasting yet.

After news broke of his departure from University of Alabama football broadcasting, the legendary veteran of the airwaves spoke to AL.com about the change.

Gould, 70, has been the voice of the Crimson Tide for 35 years. He returned to partial duty calling home games and the Iron Bowl last season after missing all of 2022 with cancer.

“Well, the university chose not to bring me back,” Gould said. “This is not capital, and it's not about health at all. I'm healthy. Everything is great. I'm as healthy as a horse.”

Gould, who also hosted the weekly “Hey Coach!” Nick Saban. He said on a radio show that he would announce his next move this week “in what I hope will be a number of jobs.”

“I'm not retiring,” Gould said. “The university has chosen, as they say, to go in a different direction. This is certainly their right.”

The Brooklyn native, who got his start at Alabama in 1988, plans to remain in the Birmingham area where he performs for the next phase of his career.

His contract expires in June.

Chris Stewart, a member of the broadcast network since 1998 and the voice of the Alabama men's basketball team, will take over Gould's role going forward, the school announced Wednesday.

Gould said: “I was initially told I was going to do A-Day and they've reconsidered that now and they're going to make a clean break. But they're going to honor their contract until the end of June.”

This post will be updated.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande Or on Facebook.