Who was the father of Susie Wiles, Donald Trump’s new chief of staff? Pat Summerall, the celebrated sportscaster and ‘voice of football’, battled addiction with his daughter’s help, and found religion
The former NFL player, who died in 2013, worked as a broadcaster for almost 50 years for major networks including CBS, Fox and ESPN, and taught English during the off-season
When President-elect Donald Trump announced Susie Wiles as his White House Chief of Staff, the name immediately rang a bell with sports fans. Wiles, the first woman ever to hold the role, is the daughter of legendary sports broadcaster Pat Summerall.
Per ESPN, Summerall died in 2013, aged 82, with Wiles describing her father as an “extraordinary man and wonderful father”.
Trump’s new chief of staff and her father shared a close relationship, with Summerall detailing in his autobiography how she helped him beat his addiction to alcohol, according to Fox News.
Meet the man who, said ESPN, “described some of America’s biggest games” and was a household name across the US.
Pat Summerall was an Arkansas football legend
When Wiles was announced as Trump’s appointee, local media outlets in Arkansas headlined the news, “Trump names Pat Summerall’s daughter as White House chief of staff”. Per 4029 News, Summerall was a former American football player who starred in the Arkansas Razorbacks college team from 1949 to 1951. Pro Football Hall of Fame records show Summerall went on to play for the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants, enjoying an impressive 10-year NFL career. Summerall was a place-kicker and tight end, scoring 567 career points.
He was “the voice of football”
Although Summerall, real name George, had an impressive NFL career as a player, he has been described as the “voice of football” for his work as a sportscaster. ESPN journalist Steve Wulf described Summerall as “the uncle who took us all to the game. His courtly, economic, Southern-honeyed bass was the accompaniment to a symphony of sports: pro and college football, golf, tennis, boxing and basketball.”
According to ESPN, Summerall worked as a broadcaster for almost 50 years for major networks including CBS, Fox and ESPN. According to USA Today, Summerall covered 16 Super Bowls, 26 Masters and 21 US Opens for CBS. Per the publication, he was named National Sportscaster of the Year in 1977 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association; in 1994 he was inducted into its Hall of Fame.