After 42 seasons, football color analyst Ed Podolak will step aside from his game-day role in the Iowa radio booth, offering pregame analysis but no longer making the game-day trips. Podolak, 76, expressed his love for the Iowa Hawkeye Football team and the thrill of sharing his perspective with the fans from coast to coast.

By the Numbers
  • Ed Podolak spent 42 seasons as the football color analyst in the Iowa radio booth.
  • Podolak was Iowa’s quarterback from 1966-68 and had a remarkable football career, including an impressive NFL playoff-record 350 all-purpose yards in a single game.
Yes, But

Podolak faced public controversies, including an arrest for public intoxication and inappropriate photos during a bowl trip. He also sustained significant injuries in a pedestrian accident in 2011.

State of Play
  • Podolak's retirement will lead to the search for his replacement by Hawkeye Sports Properties in conjunction with Iowa’s athletic department.
  • Former players Dallas Clark, Chad Greenway, Anthony Herron, Matt Bowen, and Danan Hughes are among the names mentioned as potential replacements for Podolak.
What's Next

The search for Ed Podolak's replacement will continue, and the transition in the radio booth will mark a significant change for Iowa football broadcasts.

Bottom Line

After 42 legendary seasons, Ed Podolak's decision to step back marks the end of an era for Iowa football radio broadcasts and opens the door for a new chapter in the booth.