‘We’re due for this’: ESPN’s Chris Berman on the odds of 49ers-Bills Super Bowl
49ers #49ers
ESPN commentator Chris Berman checks the field as the Indianapolis Colts host the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 18, 2006.
Chris “Boomer” Berman has been the face and voice of football highlights at ESPN for four decades.
Any football fan worth their salt can easily conjure up the 67-year-old’s voice in their head when thinking of a breakaway touchdown (he … could … go … all … the … way!), a lineman running with a football (rumblin’ , bumblin’, stumblin’), or one of the many other highlights they’ve heard Berman pepper with a plethora of player name puns.
Berman was also known for his segment “Swami Sez,” where he would make predictions on NFL games. And from the late 1980s through the late 1990s, the show had a strong Bay Area tie-in: Every year during a seven-year stretch, the sportscaster’s alter ego selected the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers as his favorites to make the Super Bowl.
The two teams would never end up meeting in the big game back then. But there’s a decent chance that the proverbial “Berman Bowl” happens this year, with each team the No. 2 seed in their respective conferences.
SFGATE spoke with the lifelong Giants fan, and man who was on the field to cover the celebrations after the Catch, to discuss his longtime prediction, its likelihood this postseason, and the longevity of his career.
The following interview, conducted on Jan. 13, has been edited and condensed for clarity and length
SFGATE: Do you remember when you first started your stretch of picking a Bills-49ers Super Bowl?
Berman: Oh, absolutely. I was very close with both teams. That particular stretch would have been 1988, because Buffalo was not good. The Niners were great in the ’80s and the ’90s; Buffalo was not until ’88. I had picked the Niners probably every year after ’81. I picked Buffalo to win the AFC in ’88, which was a kind of a wild pick because they were under .500 the year before, but I did it anyway and had them against San Francisco. And they made the championship game, and the Niners won the Super Bowl against the Bengals.
So if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
[Berman stops to take a phone call from an unnamed NFL coach. He calls back about 20 minutes later.]
So ’88, I took a stab with Buffalo. Did it again in ’89. Bills made the playoffs; lost in the divisional. Niners won the Super Bowl. Did it ’90, ’91, ’92, ’93: Bills made the Super Bowl; Niners did not. ’94, Bills finally run out of gas after four trips; Niners win Super Bowl. So, look — I laugh, it’s actually funny in retrospect – but I go, You can do all your homework in August and think about it, but I like August, I’m trying to get decent at golf — this is way back when, as a laugh — why would I change anything?
So for seven years — and I made it longer than that — but the first year was ’88. Not that I’m a genius, but I was kind of the first one to do it, and for seven straight years, I got 50% right! I mean, nobody does that. I’m not trying to say I’m smarter than anyone else, don’t get me wrong, that’s not what I mean. It’s just funny. However, they never played! What are the odds of having one of them get in every year, at least, but never two.
As an aside, when we did — it used to be called NFL Gameday, but NFL Countdown for your purposes — they used to send us the four balls before the championship game of the possible matchups. In ’92, I kept the ball, and that was the one I was sure was going to make it. The Bills had gone two years in a row, they had had the Frank Reich comeback game in the beginning of ’92, and they won the AFC Championship on the road at Miami. And that was young Dallas, unknown, untested Dallas at Candlestick. Troy Aikman and Alvin Harper on like a 70-yard slant post. That was the one I thought I’d get right. But I have that football, and I make you this promise: If the two of them make it, or maybe even Championship Sunday, I’m gonna bring it in, because we do it on ESPN Primetime that week. I’m gonna bring in the ’92 football, a Tagliabue ball, that says Buffalo vs. San Francisco Super Bowl.
SFGATE: Can you explain your emotional connection to the 49ers? Was it the 1981 season?
Berman: For me, ESPN only began in ’79, I was 24, we were just hopeful, right? In ’81 we had grown but not like you think. Everybody knows out there that the San Francisco Giants are, of all my teams in any sport, they’re No. 1 by far. I’ve always had an affinity for the Bay Area even though I grew up in Connecticut. … Now it’s ’81, and I think they were 1-2 out of the gates, but they started to win. I always liked from afar the John Brodie Niners in the early ’70s, and they’re in the playoffs and Dallas is always in their way.
Then here comes ’81, and I’m picking them every week after about Week 5 or 6. No one believed in them nationally, because Bill Walsh? Who’s this? Joe Montana? Yeah, like all of the other Notre Dame quarterbacks, he’s OK. Yeah, he won the Cotton Bowl, but, Dwight Clark? Who’s that? We’ve heard of Fred Dean because he was with the Chargers, but they’re starting three rookies in the secondary. Yeah, I guess Ronnie Lott might be decent, but six weeks in, do we know he’s Ronnie Lott? Not really. They played a game at Cincinnati, in early December. I went to cover it, because we didn’t have our morning show at the time — this is very early in our life — and in the press box, I met the owner, Mr. DeBartolo, who’s like six years older than me. He came right up and goes, “Hey, we see you, you’re picking us and thank you. I really enjoy your show,” and I go, “Oh my, thank you so much.” I was kind of blown away. Then they beat the Bengals in Cincy that day.
So now I go out to San Francisco on a Thursday and line up to do some interviews Friday. There weren’t that many cameras, but I can tell you exactly what happened. Charlie Young, a veteran tight end, and Randy Cross, very thoughtful All-Pro guard, were the two first ones to interview and they both say, “Well, we have plenty of time for you. You’re the Swami, you pick us every week!” I went woahwoahwoahwoahwoah. I had no idea they were even watching this. It’s 1981! They said, “We’ll get anybody you want,” and they lined up like eight or nine players. And I became very friendly with the players. They’re my age, not to mention the owner who’s kind of my age. And you’ve seen the clip a million times of me being on the field for the Catch at the five-yard line and then they win the Super Bowl. So there’s my Niner connection to the birth of the “15-year dynasty” where they won five times. To this day, I’m friendly with a lot of them, and Dwight Clark became, of all of them, my best friend of the players, and we lost him four years ago to ALS. Mr. DeBartolo and I remain very close. It’s kind of the extension of the Bay Area love from 3,000 miles away. I’m kind of that way, I guess.
Then Buffalo, I had a similar experience with them in ’88. I was still in my 30s, so Jim Kelly and these guys were five years younger than me or so, and we’re all still friendly to this day. Now, that has nothing to do with the teams and the players and the coaches who are coaching now, but you know, sports are about staying loyal. So professionally, Buffalo and San Francisco experiences are really, at least in the football world, two that I never expected, and two that I hold closest to my heart, because it was all organic; there was nothing planned.
Bottom line for your story here is: They made me look good [laughs]. You know, I could have picked them and they could have been 3-11! They made me look good and it was always a joke. Tom [Jackson]: “Really, you’re picking them again?” Mort: “Really?” I might bring out some of those clips if they’re in the championship game, too.
SFGATE: Do you think the proverbial Berman Bowl happens this year?
Berman: Well, let’s start with the Niners. Kind of unheard of if you look at it — what do you mean you have a rookie that’s started five games at quarterback? But the NFC, other than San Francisco and other than Philadelphia? I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong, anyone can win a game. There’s Tom Brady, and Dallas, we keep waiting for them not to have their usual come-out-of-the-garage-with-the-parking-brake-on in the playoffs, you know? Is this different for them? Maybe. But other than Philly, who will be at home, as you look at a team on paper, I don’t see anyone as good as the 49ers. They have most of the bases covered. Your quarterback is pretty good. Kyle is as good an offensive coach as there is, no one would argue with that; Pete Carroll wouldn’t argue with that. All the options with Deebo, and McCaffrey, and now Mitchell and Kittle. And the offensive line is good, left tackle All-Pro. Defense speaks for itself. Nick Bosa could be defensive player of the year. Those two linebackers are awesome. That secondary, the Ward family — they’re not related, but you know. Hufanga makes big plays. There’s not a weak link that I see, so I think their chances are great. Philly in Philly, you know, 15 degrees, we’ll see. But if [quarterback Jalen] Hurts isn’t what he was for three months, that changes everything already. So I would say the Niners are the favorite in the NFC. I’m giving you too long an answer, I’m sorry.
Now the AFC, those three teams — Buffalo, Kansas City and Cincinnati — with the three best [quarterbacks] in the playoffs, them and San Francisco are the best four teams. Buffalo’s path is harder, because they would have to, if they win this week — which they should — but then they got to go through, seemingly, Cincinnati and the Chiefs.
That being said, I’ve given you a long answer, because I actually haven’t really talked it out myself. “Swami Sez” I don’t do anymore, I only did them for 40 years, but whatever. So who’s your pick? You know, I really haven’t gone on the air and said it, but why wouldn’t it be San Francisco and Buffalo. I mean, let’s go. In a casino, you play the Due Theory, like if you’re at the roulette wheel and it lands on black like 10 straight times, wouldn’t you think red is due, right? So, we’re due for this! Let’s put it this way: I’ll be surprised if half of them don’t make it, like the old days.
[We chat a bit more about the postseason. After taking note of my cell phone’s area code, Berman says the first complimentary words about my Baltimore Ravens that I’ve heard in the weeks since Lamar Jackson has been out with an injury. We return then return to speaking about the Bills.]
So if you’re a football fan, and you’re old enough, you remember they lost the four Super Bowls. They’re the second-smallest city in the NFL behind Green Bay. They’ve had — before I even get to the last 10 days, which speaks for itself and makes everyone aware of the Bills, whether you’re a football fan or a human being — they had a shooting in the supermarket this summer that killed 10 people. They’ve had two monstrous blizzards. Lose a home game to Detroit, play there again four days later. Now this — I don’t need to tell you, a teammate in critical condition on the field. If you’re a neutral fan, if your team isn’t playing the Bills, and you’re not kinda pulling for them, I think there’s something wrong with you, I really do. The kickoff return to score a touchdown to start a game, are you kidding? Disney doesn’t script that, and I work for, well, ESPN, Disney. If anybody deserves karma, and a warm feeling from everyone, it’s Buffalo. That doesn’t beat Patrick Mahomes, or Joe Burrow, but if karma’s a little part of it, they deserve to have it. We’ll see if that takes place. I don’t have the number of the guy upstairs. People think I used to have it, but I don’t.
But I’m excited to see the 49ers this good. Hell, they almost got there last year. I’m telling ya, unless Philly gets everything going again — let’s not overlook 14-3, that’s real. Other than that, I’d be surprised if San Francisco didn’t make the Super Bowl. Buffalo has a little bit tougher path, but a little more karma, so how about that?
SFGATE: Your love for the underdog is no secret. Would you consider Brock Purdy an underdog?
Berman: How can you not? Last draft pick, I don’t need to give you the story. But think about the Niners. This is the second reboot at quarterback from Week 1. If you just look at it in football terms, seventh-round pick, first year, starting for a team that’s won 10 in a row and the second seed in the NFC, that’s unheard of! Ben Roethlisberger had a run like this, but he was early in the first round. He won more starts than Purdy did, but he was a first-round pick. So this is an unbelievable underdog.
I mean, now it’s nice that he has all this around him, but who knew that, at least to date, he hardly turns it over? Now let’s go with some coaching in Kyle, and I don’t know the offensive coordinator personally, but, hell, Brian Griese worked with us. I know Brian, the quarterback coach, really well. They’ve got some great brain power over there. And let’s give Brock Purdy credit: Not only is he paying attention, he looks pretty athletic doing it.
And it’s fun for me, because everyone said, “Hey he’s Purdy good,” I mean that was easy, right? But when they got 37 a couple weeks ago, I made sure to say the 49ers went “Purdy-7” to whatever it was against whoever they played. I mean, it’s fun to have fun with his name, so I thank him for that! But my god, what an underdog. Whether you’re Mr. Irrelevant, or a sixth- or seventh-round quarterback, and you’re starting for this team? Amazing.
SFGATE: I would be remiss if I didn’t ask about the 1988 Super Bowl ring. How does a conversation like that come about?
Berman: It was all from Mr. D, there was no conversation from me. I mean, there are a lot of folks that got it. I know that year they were 6-5, I think, and I said, “You’re going to win the Super Bowl,” and he told me, “You’re out of your mind,” and I was right but that doesn’t mean anything in ’88. I sent it back and all that, I didn’t realize that was an issue. It’s also ancient history, so that was that. Got a call from his office one day like, “We’d like to send you something. What’s your home address so we have it?” That was 30-something years from now. I don’t have it, so I don’t think that’s much of a deal. I hope not. It hasn’t affected what I see or say and it never did. That’s long gone from me.
SFGATE: In a 2004 Sports Illustrated profile you said, “I’ll be gone quicker than people think.” Did you think you’d still be at ESPN almost 19 years later then, and what’s helped you with that longevity?
Berman: TV is kind of between, in the old ways of business, being an executive with a cool normal company and being an athlete, not that I am one. In other words, your longevity, you figure, Well, hell I’m going to be “old” by TV terms in my 50s. Now, I wasn’t any founding father, but I was here the first month that we existed. It’s been a marriage that I never anticipated. I’m just so thrilled that I never left and that they’re foolish enough to keep me. So no, I never saw me doing it at 67.
The fact that a lot of the viewers still enjoy what I do, and I certainly enjoy the hell out of it … but I am surprised. Looking back now, each year you go, Well, no I’m not embarrassing myself out there, I don’t think. I’ll know before anyone else does.
As far as being on TV at late 50s, early 60s, you wonder if your shelf life is going to be gone. I know that’s what I thought at the time, and this has been a pleasant surprise to still do it, and I love what I do still. We can still talk about the Bills and the Niners, so why not?