Former NFL Host, Miss America Phyllis George Has Died

Phyllis George, a former Miss America and forerunner for women in sports media, has passed away. She was 70 years old.

George began her media career just a few years after being crowned as the 50th Miss America. The Denton, Texas native got her television break in 1974, becoming the co-emcee of Candid Camera. From there, she landed a big role with CBS, joining The NFL Today, the network’s pregame show.

On the broadcast, she worked besides other legendary figures, including Irv Cross, Brent Musburger, and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder. She went on to work on other broadcasts, including Triple Crown horse races. She is credited as one of the first women to breakthrough as a major sports media personality.

Like many others, George would transition from sports to the news. She worked for entertainment show People, and later, CBS Morning News. Later in her career, when she entered the business world, she had a series of QVC shows.

Her involvement with sports blended into her personal life as well. Her husband John Y. Brown, the business magnate behind Kentucky Fried Chicken, owned three different NBA teams, most notably the Boston Celtics for a brief time in the 1970s.

Months after their wedding, Brown surprisingly ran for governor in Kentucky, winning the election in 1979 to make Phyllis George the state’s first lady. Brown held office until 1983.

According to Deadline, she passed away on Friday, after a long bout with a blood disorder. So far, no memorial plans have been made. Our thoughts go out to her family and friends during this time.

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