About Dale Hansen
Dale Hansen, the longtime sportscaster and commentator for WFAA in Dallas, announced his retirement in September 2021. In his announcement, Hansen said he had been avoiding the word "retirement" for 25 years and that he was leaving because he could no longer wait for the Dallas Cowboys to win another Super Bowl. He expressed gratitude to the people of North Texas, stating he would "never be able to repay" them for allowing him to "grow old" in the region. Hansen also acknowledged receiving hate emails, remarking that "shockingly, some people do not like me," but added that he would have retired earlier if not for his audience.
In his final commentary, Hansen reflected on his career, noting that his coverage of the SMU football scandal in 1986 changed his approach to sports journalism. He said the station gave him a platform to discuss "gay rights in America, the gun violence at our cities, the racism that my granddaughter has lived with every day of her life." Hansen stated that he believed "a good commentary should make everybody uncomfortable" and that news should not "sanitize what can be dirty and harsh." In earlier commentaries, Hansen criticized the response to the January 6 Capitol breach, saying the mob would have been met with force if it had been "Black, Brown, Mexican, or Muslim," and questioned why white perpetrators of violence are often described as "crazy" while others are treated as representing their communities.
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Dale Hansen's recent appearances.
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Transcript (16 segments)
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Anchor0:02
Snapshot right now, a bittersweet announcement.
There is an old proverb that says, "All good things must come to an end," and it is true. I want you all to know that I will be leaving in September. "Retirement" is a word I have been avoiding, waiting 25 years for the Cowboys to win another Super Bowl, and I just cannot wait anymore. Broadcasting that game in 1996, I quit that year and then was fired after I quit, and they have not won since. I am just saying. 41 years on Dallas TV, 50 years since my first radio job, and I am one of the lucky ones, because that is 50 years I have never had a job. All of you I will miss a great deal. Haircuts and shaving I will not. That proverb, incidentally, means you should enjoy your life every day, because that happiness might not exist tomorrow, and I think anyone who knows me will tell you I have, so we will enjoy the summer together, and then I will be leaving September 2, and as you might expect, I will have a great deal more to say that night.
Well, there you go. You heard it. After all these years, Dale Hansen is unplugging for good, and I can say without a doubt, we are not going to be the same.
No.
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Dale Hansen1:32
I am not the same. I wish I had that hair.
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Anchor1:35
It has been a run. The honest. Did you think you could do 38 years and five months?
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Dale Hansen1:44
My first contract was 13 weeks, and I did not think I would make it. I am serious. It was a 13-week contract. My history was a little iffy coming here, and they gave me a 13-week contract, and I told them, "You can make it day to day, I just appreciate it," and I have said this publicly. The younger brother that I always wanted and never had. You have always been that younger brother to me. 16 years we have been together. I realize now I did not miss anything. Overrated. I have gotten a lot of emails today, as you might imagine, and I have seen the hate emails. Shockingly, some people do not like me. But I am telling you, this is true. I would have probably retired about eight, 10 years ago. You know this. I have said before. If you had not been here, I would have retired eight or 10 years ago, so for the people who do hate me, thank him.
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Anchor2:56
I mentioned this at 5:00 and 6:00.
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Dale Hansen3:00
By the way, I saw you at 5:00. I thought I had died.
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Anchor3:05
We have said this many times in public, and I said this earlier. All kidding aside, there is plenty that goes back and forth between us. You are the most talented guy I have ever, ever worked with. I sincerely mean that. The most talented and the best I have ever worked with, so I appreciate it.
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Dale Hansen3:25
I wish I could say it back to you, but I just cannot.
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Anchor3:30
Listen. It has been wonderful.
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Dale Hansen3:33
I have said, writing for "The Dallas Times Herald," back in the day, not the Dallas Morning News, and he actually asked me when I first came to Channel 8, always going for the left, he said if it came down to it, would you put a story out there or put a laugh out there, and people understand this about me. Oh, you did not do enough on such and such. No, I always time it. I will get it in. I have told people this forever, but I always go for the left, whether it is me, sometimes too many times, as we all know, but I hope I have made some people laugh along the way. I have obviously offended some people along the way. I have upset some people along the way. But I will be forever grateful. I will be forever grateful for what North Texas has allowed me to do, allowed me to grow old, and I am starting to segue into this great speech I wrote for September, so I will not, because I want to save those lines, but I will never be able to repay the people of North Texas.
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Anchor4:50
You already have, in spades. I grew up watching you, Dale. I was this small.
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Dale Hansen5:00
Since you are standing on a box, you have really not grown that much. What part of that is supposed to make me feel good?
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Anchor5:07
You make me laugh. I do,
