CANTON, Ohio — For much of his career, Joe Buck has walked in his father Jack's footsteps. On Saturday, he'll follow that path right into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"I'm tethered to my dad for the rest of my life, and thank God," Buck said from Canton, Ohio, Friday night. "I wouldn't want to be tethered to anybody else."
On Saturday night, he will be part of the Hall of Fame's induction ceremony, receiving the 2020 Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. The 2020 ceremony was delayed due to COVID-19, so he will be in Canton for the 28-member induction that also includes St. Louis Rams legend Isaac Bruce.
The Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award is the same award Jack received in 1996. The Bucks are the first father-son duo to receive the award.
"He got this award back in 1996, and to get the same award all these years later is really cool," Buck said. "And that my mom is here and around to see me get this and join my dad is probably the most special part."
Even though his father is not around to see him take a spot right down the hall, Joe said he still feels a closeness with his dad.
"I dream about my dad, I swear to you, four of the seven nights of every week," he said. "I feel like he's still here, I feel like I could pick up the phone and call him. I can't, but he's always kind of with me, and he's with me this weekend, he's with me every game that I do."
Buck will return to his busy schedule in the coming weeks with the return of NFL football and some high-profile baseball games on Fox. He'll also be the final guest host of Jeopardy! The episodes he shot earlier this year will air next week.