Fouts Retirement Expected at Press Conference Today
Charger quarterback Dan Fouts has called a press conference for this morning, at which time he is expected to announce his retirement from football.
Fouts, 36, was unavailable for comment Wednesday. And his father, Bay Area sportscaster Bob Fouts, wouldn’t confirm or deny that his son will announce his retirement.
Sources inside the Charger organization were unanimous in their anticipation that Fouts will retire. But Bob Fouts said Charger officials “haven’t been told what Dan will say” at the press conference. The elder Fouts spent the day in San Diego serving as his son’s spokesman.
Alex Spanos, the Charger owner, hasn’t talked to Fouts since the end of the 1987 season. Coach Al Saunders said Wednesday that the last time he talked to Fouts was “a couple of weeks ago.”
Word of the press conference came through the Charger public relations office, but only after Bob Fouts contacted Rick Smith, the team’s public relations director, to discuss logistics. It will take place at Fouts’ Rancho Sante Fe home.
Dan Fouts has thrown for 43,040 yards and 254 touchdowns in 15 seasons with the Chargers. But as early as last summer, the team began sending signals it didn’t want him to return in 1988. In recent days there were published reports, never publicly confirmed by Fouts or the Chargers, that the team bought out the final year of Fouts’ contract, freeing itself from further contractual obligation.
Fouts was unhappy when details of his alleged contract settlement leaked to the media Tuesday. And he has never been happy with the Chargers’ repeated insistence they need a new quarterback for 1988.
But there are indications he will hold back public criticism of the organization at the press conference. His father said there will be “Charger bunting” lining the street on the way up the hill toward his house.
At the press conference, Fouts also is expected to talk about his future. His plans will almost certainly include sports broadcasting.
CBS confirmed Wednesday that Fouts has done an audition tape for the network in hopes of receiving an offer to become an NFL analyst. NBC said it was also “interested” in Fouts. But, said NBC spokesman Doug Kelly, “If he has done an audition tape here, I’m not aware of it.”
Both Kelly and CBS official Mark Carlson said Fouts had not finalized a contract with their networks.
But Kelly added, “This is the time of year when we look at potential candidates. He’s an AFC guy. And there aren’t enough pure AFC types around.”
NBC, through its agreement with the NFL, broadcasts the AFC. CBS is the network of the NFC.
Carlson said Fouts’ audition with his network took place after the end of the 1987 season. He said the network declined to comment, as a matter of policy, on what its talent appraisers thought of the audition.
Carlson did say CBS was “looking to add some people to the staff.” The network has already announced regular NFL analyst Dick Vermeil will work fewer games in 1988. NBC is also looking for NFL announcers to fill the void that will be left when broadcasters Charlie Jones, Dick Enberg and several others travel to Seoul, South Korea, later this year to broadcast the Summer Olympics.
Fouts has worked numerous local sports broadcasts since the beginning of the decade. He has told friends his ultimate desire is to become a play-by-play announcer--a rarity for a former player. Most ex-athletes stick to the analytical role as broadcasters. Notable exceptions have included Frank Gifford and Tom Brookshier.
If Fouts retires, the Chargers will own his rights in perpetuity unless they waive him. If they waive him, he is free to negotiate with any other team if he ever decides to make a comeback. If the Chargers keep him on the “reserve-retired” list, they would get compensation if any other team signed Fouts.
If Fouts retires, the Chargers will be left with quarterbacks Mark Vlasic and Mark Herrmann. Vlasic, a rookie from Iowa last year, has little professional experience--he has not completed an NFL pass of longer than 10 yards. Herrmann, 29, is a seven-year veteran who has never been able to establish himself as a frontline NFL starter.