Phyllis George

“I remember watching Phyllis George on the CBS pre-game show. I was young, but I recall my dad telling me about the significance of her role on the show. She had it all — grace, beauty, brains and the grit to endure the shots she was taking by those who believed she didn’t belong. I will never forget her and always consider her a pioneer.” – Michele Tafoya, Sportscaster

“Being first is never easy and I’m sure the obstacles she had to overcome were too numerous to count. But the doors she opened for women are countless as well. For that, we all owe her our thanks. Football and sports in general were better because of Phyllis George.” – Lisa Salters, Sportscaster

Phyllis Ann George was born in Denton, Texas, where she grew up playing piano and dreaming big. Her life changed dramatically in 1971 when she captured the titles of Miss Texas and Miss America, launching her into the national spotlight. With her warm personality and natural poise, she quickly became one of America’s most recognizable young women, touring the country during her reign and winning over audiences with her charm and confidence.

That same charisma caught the attention of television executives. In 1974, CBS made a groundbreaking decision: they hired George to join the cast of The NFL Today, their flagship Sunday pregame show. At a time when sports broadcasting was almost entirely male, Phyllis George shattered barriers by becoming one of the first women to hold a prominent on-air role in American sports television. Alongside Brent Musburger, Irv Cross and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, she brought a fresh, human dimension to the program. She conducted player interviews that focused on their lives off the field and helping make the show a cultural phenomenon. Her presence not only attracted new viewers but opened doors for generations of female journalists who followed. She co-hosted The NFL Today for six years.

George’s television career extended beyond football. She co-anchored CBS Morning News, interviewed newsmakers and celebrities, co-hosted the Miss America Pageant, and produced TV specials.

Away from the camera, George was equally enterprising. She founded Phyllis George Beauty, a cosmetics line sold on the Home Shopping Network, and launched Chicken by George, a marinated chicken breast product that was later acquired by Hormel Foods, making her one of the first celebrities to successfully create and sell a branded food line.

In 1979, George married John Y. Brown Jr., the Kentucky Fried Chicken magnate who became Governor of Kentucky later that year. As First Lady of Kentucky (1979–1983), she embraced the role with trademark energy and grace, championing the arts and promoting Kentucky’s culture nationwide. She led efforts to restore and beautify the Governor’s Mansion, turning it into a symbol of the state’s rich heritage. Together, they had two children, Lincoln and Pamela. Pamela Brown would later follow in her mother’s footsteps as a national broadcast journalist on CNN.

Phyllis George passed away on May 14, 2020, in Lexington, Kentucky, at the age of 70. Her legacy lives on in every female sportscaster, every entrepreneur who dares to innovate, and in the cultural life of Kentucky, which she championed so passionately.

Images licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Biography by Chris Aldridge