Phyllis George, a former Miss America winner who became a pioneer in sports journalism and football broadcasting when in 1975 she was named a co-host for "The NFL Today," has died at the age of 70.
George died Thursday from complications from a blood disorder, her ex-husband, former Kentucky Gov. John Brown Jr., told the Louisville Courier-Journal on Saturday.
"Phyllis was a great asset to Kentucky," Brown told the Courier-Journal. "We had a great partnership. I think we enjoyed every single day."
After winning the Miss America pageant in 1971, George returned to the nation's living rooms as the first female sportscaster to work at a major TV network when she was hired at CBS in 1974.
During her stint at "The NFL Today" from 1975 to 1984 and as co-host of "CBS Morning News" for eight months in 1985, George was also regularly taken to task by critics who charged that she didn't know sports and she didn't know news.
"[Being Miss America] has been a help and a hindrance," George once told the Los Angeles Times. "It's been a help in that it's opened doors. It's been a hindrance in that people immediately said 'BQ' -- you know, beauty queen. And you had to prove yourself more than the next person."
George cited Emmys garnered by "The NFL Today" as evidence that she mastered the sports interview.
"I kept showing up and they kept saying, 'Hey, maybe she's here to stay,'" George said. "Then we won a couple of Emmys for the 'NFL Today' show."
ESPN's Beth Mowins, who in 2017 became the first woman to call a regular-season NFL game since Gayle Sierens called one in 1987, said seeing George on "The NFL Today" provided Mowins' "aha" moment.
"There was a woman talking about football," Mowins told TheFootballGirl.com. "That's what I was drawn to. I like sports and like to talk, so the two blended together perfectly."
In addition to "The NFL Today," George worked regularly on horse racing events, including the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
George married Brown, a millionaire, in 1979. They divorced in 1998 and have two children.
Phyllis George, co-host of 'NFL Today,' dies at 70
George died Thursday from complications from a blood disorder, her ex-husband, former Kentucky Gov. John Brown Jr., told the Louisville Courier-Journal on Saturday.
"Phyllis was a great asset to Kentucky," Brown told the Courier-Journal. "We had a great partnership. I think we enjoyed every single day."
After winning the Miss America pageant in 1971, George returned to the nation's living rooms as the first female sportscaster to work at a major TV network when she was hired at CBS in 1974.
During her stint at "The NFL Today" from 1975 to 1984 and as co-host of "CBS Morning News" for eight months in 1985, George was also regularly taken to task by critics who charged that she didn't know sports and she didn't know news.
"[Being Miss America] has been a help and a hindrance," George once told the Los Angeles Times. "It's been a help in that it's opened doors. It's been a hindrance in that people immediately said 'BQ' -- you know, beauty queen. And you had to prove yourself more than the next person."
George cited Emmys garnered by "The NFL Today" as evidence that she mastered the sports interview.
"I kept showing up and they kept saying, 'Hey, maybe she's here to stay,'" George said. "Then we won a couple of Emmys for the 'NFL Today' show."
ESPN's Beth Mowins, who in 2017 became the first woman to call a regular-season NFL game since Gayle Sierens called one in 1987, said seeing George on "The NFL Today" provided Mowins' "aha" moment.
"There was a woman talking about football," Mowins told TheFootballGirl.com. "That's what I was drawn to. I like sports and like to talk, so the two blended together perfectly."
In addition to "The NFL Today," George worked regularly on horse racing events, including the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
George married Brown, a millionaire, in 1979. They divorced in 1998 and have two children.
Phyllis George, co-host of 'NFL Today,' dies at 70
