PHOENIX (AP) — Al McCoy, who was the radio voice of the Phoenix Suns for more than a half-century, has died. He was 91.
The team made the announcement on Saturday and released a statement from his family. No cause of death was disclosed.
McCoy was the longest-tenured team broadcaster in NBA history, calling Suns games for 51 years. He called his first game on his Sept. 27, 1972 and his last on May 11, 2023. His tenure included Phoenix's NBA Finals appearances in 1976, 1993 and 2021.
“This is a sad day for the Suns and the Suns family," former Suns star Charles Barkley said in a statement. "Al McCoy represented everything that is great about Phoenix, the Phoenix Suns and people who love basketball. I was blessed and honored to work with Al and I’m gonna miss him.”
McCoy is a member of the franchise's Ring of Honor and a 2009 inductee into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. He also earned the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
McCoy was born in 1933 in Williams, Iowa, and got his first radio job in 1951 in Webster City, Iowa, when he was a freshman at Drake. He moved to Arizona in 1956 as the play-by-play announced for the Triple-A Phoenix Giants baseball team. During his tenure with the Suns, he became known for his catchphrases such as “Shazam,” “Zing Go the Strings” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”
“I had the privilege of Al McCoy narrating the first eight years of my career," Suns star Devin Booker said. "He was inducted into the Ring of Honor my second season, and it was then I really understood what a special talent he was. And over the course of my career, I’ve learned what an even more special person he was.
"We will miss Al, and I am so glad our legacies in Phoenix are forever connected.”
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FILE - Phoenix Suns radio announcer Al McCoy during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
Houston's stingy defense knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the NFL playoffs, sending the Texans to the divisional round to complete wild-card weekend.
The Texans sacked Rodgers four times, scored two defensive touchdowns and held Pittsburgh to 175 yards in a 30-6 victory on Monday night. It was Houston's 10th straight win and the franchise's first on the road in the playoffs.
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers lost their seventh consecutive playoff game, and Rodgers may have played the last game of his Hall of Fame career.
Houston (13-5), the AFC's No. 5 seed, will face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots (15-3) next Sunday at 3 p.m. EST. The No. 2 seed Bears (12-6) will host the No. 5 seed Rams (13-5) in the second game Sunday.
The divisional round will kick off with the No. 6 seed Bills (13-5) at the No. 1 seed Broncos (14-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The No. 6 seed 49ers (13-5) will face the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) in the night game.
In Sunday's wild-card games, Brock Purdy tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining to lift the 49ers to a 23-19 comeback win at Philadelphia. McCaffrey also caught a 29-yard TD pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
The Patriots sacked Justin Herbert six times and held Los Angeles to just 207 yards in a 16-3 win on Sunday night.
Josh Allen led Buffalo to a 27-24 comeback victory in Jacksonville in Sunday's first game. Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.
On Saturday, the playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.
The Bears trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.
Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the Bears.
In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and Los Angeles rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.
The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.
Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.
The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.
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Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (90) celebrates with cornerback Tremon Smith (11), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) and linebacker E.J. Speed (45) after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Dawson Knox (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams looks to throw during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
