Haden Will Join Caray on Turner NFL Telecasts

Brent Musburger wasn’t the only sports announcer making a new deal Wednesday.

Pat Haden is leaving CBS to join Turner Broadcasting as a pro football commentator. He will be paired with Skip Caray.

“It’s a great deal for me because it’s less traveling,” Haden said.

However, Haden said he would have stayed at CBS had the network been able to make a new deal with the College Football Assn.

ABC, beginning in 1991, will televise CFA football, with the exception of Notre Dame. NBC made a separate deal with Notre Dame.

ABC also will continue televising Pacific 10 and Big Ten football, leaving CBS will no college football after this season.

“It’s hard to say goodby to college football,” Haden said. “I did it for eight years, and I love it.”

Haden, a full-time lawyer with a Los Angeles firm, is also the father of four.

“This schedule is ideal for me,” he said. “It’s three preseason games, a couple of preseason specials and then nine regular-season games.”

Turner Broadcasting will televise Sunday night games the first half of the season, with ESPN doing the second half. Haden will work a Ram exhibition game at Washington on Aug. 31 and a Ram regular-season game at Chicago on Oct. 14.

During the second half of the season, Haden will announce the Sunday night games for CBS Radio.