You could make the argument that British announcers just call American football better than their American counterparts.
Will Gavin proved it Sunday morning in Berlin.
The talkSPORT play-by-play voice delivered one of the best calls of the NFL season on Jonathan Taylor’s 83-yard touchdown run against Atlanta, as he broke into absolute bedlam as Taylor surpassed Edgerrin James’s Colts franchise record for rushing touchdowns.
“Under center now, Daniel Jones has [Michael] Pittman going in motion; has Jonathan Taylor in the backfield. Gives it to Taylor, up the middle, gets the yardage needed for a first down — maybe a yard more. HE’S OUT TO THE OUTSIDE. THEY HAVEN’T BROUGHT HIM DOWN. OUT TO THE 30, 35, 40, 45, 5O, TAYLOR COULD GO ALL THE WAY HERE! HE’S GOT TWO BLOCKERS. HE’S GONNA GO ALL THE WAY!!! TEN, FIVE, TOUCHDOOOOOOOONN COLTS!!!
“JONATHAN TAYLOR. UNBELIEVABLE. AND WITH THAT HE BREAKS EDGERRIN JAMES’S INDIANAPOLIS COLTS RUSHING TOUCHDOWN RECORD. THIS MAN IS SPECIAL, INDEED. AND HE’S CARRYING THIS TEAM FOR WHAT WILL NOW BE AN 8-2 RECORD.”
Gavin’s been calling NFL games for talkSPORT since 2023. TalkSPORT secured a three-year deal this year to expand its NFL coverage, including all international games in London, Dublin, Berlin, and Madrid, plus exclusive playoff selections and the Super Bowl. The network provides its own on-site commentary rather than simulcasting American feeds, which matters when you get calls like this.
British announcers have delivered memorable calls on American sports before. Darren Fletcher’s “What drama!” call of the Mets’ game-ending double play during the MLB London Series in June 2024 showcased the same approach. Gavin’s Taylor call belongs in that conversation.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.