Northwest honors Coffey for 500th consecutive Bearcat football broadcast

John Coffey waves to the crowd gathered on Saturday at Bearcat Stadium, where he was honored for broadcasting his 500th consecutive Northwest football game. (Photo by Lilly Cook/Northwest Missouri State University)

John Coffey, who has provided the soundtrack to Northwest Missouri State University football games for 40 years, took to the field Saturday as he was honored for broadcasting his 500th consecutive Bearcat football game.

Coffey, known as the “Voice of the Bearcats,” called his milestone football game, a 21-14 victory against Missouri Southern State University, on Sept. 20 in Joplin.

Northwest honored him Saturday on Mel Tjeerdsma Field at Bearcat Stadium before the start of its home football game against the University of Central Oklahoma, a 38-16 victory for the Bearcats.

“Doing play-by-play is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a little kid, and it’s a privilege to do that and cover a Bearcat program with as many successes as it has had,” Coffey said. “It has been a lot of fun, and I’m fortunate I’m able to do that.”

Coffey, a 1982 Northwest graduate, began his radio career at KXCV, the University’s National Public Radio affiliate, as a student reporter. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he was employed for a short time as news director at a radio station in Fairbury, Nebraska.

He returned to Maryville to work at KNIM Radio in 1983. He began calling Bearcat football games in 1985 and has called every contest since, including all 10 of the Bearcats’ NCAA Division II national championship appearances.

Coffey returned to KXCV-KRNW in 1999 to help launch the Bearcat Radio Network, and he has served as its station manager since 2019.