Tunch Ilkin announced his retirement Thursday as a broadcaster covering the Steelers, ending his 23-year career of announcing games covering the team.
"I have had 37 years in the NFL, with 14 as a player and the last 23 in broadcasting as the color analyst on the Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network, and I've decided to retire," Ilkin said in a statement. "I was diagnosed with ALS in September 2020, and I want to spend this time focusing on my treatment and fighting this disease. I would like to thank Steelers President Art Rooney II, the Steelers organization, and the fans for their continued support and prayers at this time."
Ilkin's retirement comes almost eight months after Ilkin announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and that he would fight through his diagnosis. He remained in the broadcast booth covering the Steelers during their 12-4 season in 2020 and their first home playoff appearance in three years.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in the wasting away of muscle and loss of movement. According to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, there are an estimated 30,000 people in the United States living with ALS at any given time, most people live 3-5 years after the first sign of the disease, and 10 percent live at least 10 years.
Ilkin, 63, was a two-time Pro Bowl lineman for the Steelers after being a sixth round draft pick by the team in 1980 out of Indiana State. He initially joined the Steelers' broadcasting booth with Myron Cope and Bill Hillgrove in 1998, where he'd eventually be joined by another former Steeler, and his best friend, Craig Wolfley.
Their friendship was detailed byTom Reed for DK Pittsburgh Sports in Sept. 2020 with his In-Depth feature on them. The Steelers broadcasting booth loses a great human being in Ilkin, who has devoted countless hours volunteering in and around Pittsburgh as a mentor for youth for many years both in sports and faith groups.
