Rod Bramblett, the radio voice of the Auburn Tigers, and his wife, Paula, died from injuries suffered in a car accident Saturday night in Alabama, the Lee County Coroner’s Office confirmed early Sunday morning.
Paramedics responded to a two-car crash in Auburn shortly after 6 p.m. local time Saturday. Rod Bramblett, 53, was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where he died of a severe closed head injury, the coroner’s office said. Paula Bramblet, 52, died of multiple internal injuries in the emergency room of East Alabama Medical Center.
The name of the 16-year-old driver has not been released, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
“Our hearts are full of grief,” Auburn president Steven Leath wrote in a tweet. “Janet and I offer our sympathy and support to the family of Rod and Paula Bramblett. The Auburn family loves you!”
Bramblett served as the lead announcer for Auburn football, men’s basketball and baseball.
According to the school’s athletic website, he had been the voice of the baseball team since 1993, and he took over play-by-play duties for football and basketball in 2003.
Earlier this month, the Tigers baseball team honored Bramblett and his longtime radio partner, Andy Burcham, for their 25 years with the team.
“It left me speechless, to be sure,” Bramblett said then of the surprise ceremony.
Bramblett is a three-time winner (2006, ’10, ’13) of the Alabama State Broadcaster of the Year award. He was honored as the National Broadcaster of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 2013, in part for his call on Chris Davis’ miracle, game-winning, 109-yard return of a missed field goal as time expired to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
An Alabama native, Bramblett and his wife are survived by two children, Shelby and Joshua.