Mike Keith Named Next “Voice of the Vols”

One of the premier play-by-play radio announcers in sports, Hall of Fame radio voice and VFL Mike Keith, is returning to Rocky Top as the next “Voice of the Vols,” Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White announced on Dec. Thursday.


Keith just completed his 27th season with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, including the last 26 years as “The Voice of the Titans.”


“As we discussed potential candidates, one name topped our list without question: bringing Mike and his family back to Rocky Top,” White said. “He is a true icon in the broadcasting industry, and we are excited to leverage Mike’s unique skills to further elevate both the Vol Network and Tennessee Athletics in bold, innovative ways.”


Keith will be the lead play-by-play announcer for Tennessee football and men’s basketball games. He will also be involved in various new programming initiatives that will be unveiled later this year, promising fans an engaging and dynamic experience.


“While it is very difficult to say goodbye to the Tennessee Titans, it is not difficult to say ‘yes’ to a return to the University of Tennessee and the Vol Network,” Keith said. “Alicia Longworth laid out a very exciting plan for how I can help the talented VFL Films content team. Steve Early has continued to make me feel like a part of the Vol Network family since I left Knoxville in 1998 — it was like I’ve never Everyone in this process has been very professional, very impressive and very friendly This continued a theme from a number of experiences I’ve had over the past five years someone—athletics, university and campus management, staff, faculty, students, etc. — from the University of Tennessee. Everyone is just great, and I mean EVERYONE, I’m excited to be a part of it. It’s great to be a Tennessee Volunteer, especially in 2025!”


Described a legendary NFL play on January 8, 2000, put him on the map. Keith accurately and enthusiastically called the play he later dubbed “The Music City Miracle,” a last-second touchdown that gave the Tennessee Titans a playoff victory over the Buffalo Bills. ESPN named Mike’s description of “The Music City Miracle” as one of the top 10 radio calls in American sports history.


“The Vol Network is proud to be a broadcast pioneer and industry leader, and Mike’s appointment ensures that our quality and innovative approach will continue for the next generation of Vol fans,” said Steve Early, Vice President and General Manager of Learfield- Vol Network. “Mike is the Vol Network to the core, and both his knowledge and appreciation of our athletics history are invaluable. We celebrate a continuum of legendary speakers at this university, so Mike will fit right in.”


With that signature call and multiple scores since 1999, Keith earned a spot on the “Top 100 Local Voices of the First 100 Years of Sports Broadcasting” by Sports Broadcast Journal in 2021.


In addition to being named Tennessee’s Sportscaster of the Year 12 times and winning 20+ Associated Press awards, Keith holds a 1997 Edward R. Murrow Award for Nationwide Reporting Excellence. He is a member of five Halls of Fame, including the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame, the TSSAA Hall of Fame, the BGA Hall of Fame and the University of Tennessee Baseball Hall of Fame.


Keith became WUTK’s sports director on his third day on campus in Knoxville in 1986. Within months of that appointment, at just 19 years old, Keith was hired by the legendary John Ward with the Vol Network. He would work in various roles with the Vol Network from 1987-98, including as “The Voice of the Baseball Vols” from 1992-98.


Keith also hosted one of Tennessee’s first daily sports talk shows from 1989-98 for WIVK/WNOX Radio in Knoxville. His four-hour show was named Tennessee’s best in five of the first six years the awards were presented in the AP sports talk show category in the 1990s.


Keith was born in Knoxville and raised in Franklin. He and his wife, Michelle, have two children, Abby and Matthew. Both his wife and daughter graduated from the University of Tennessee, while Keith’s grandfather, CL McPherson, played for General Neyland and lettered in 1932.