After more than four decades behind the microphone, the voice of the Seattle Mariners is preparing to step away.
The club announced that Rick Rizzs plans to retire following the 2026 season, bringing to a close one of the longest and most celebrated broadcasting tenures in Major League Baseball. Rizzs, who turned 72 in November, will remain on the Mariners Radio Network on Bonneville’s “Seattle Sports 710” KIRO-AM through the 2026 campaign, his 41st season calling games for the franchise and 51st overall in professional baseball.
“Calling Mariners games has been the highlight of my life,” Rizzs said in a statement. “Having the chance to connect with managers, coaches, players, my colleagues in the booth, those in the front office, but especially the great fans here in the Pacific Northwest has made it unbelievably special.”
Rizzs first joined the Mariners in 1983, pairing with Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus to form one of baseball’s most iconic broadcast teams. Aside from a three-season stint as the lead voice of the Detroit Tigers from 1992–94, Rizzs has spent his entire Major League career in Seattle. He returned to the Mariners in 1995 and has been with the club ever since, becoming the longest-tenured broadcaster in team history, surpassing Niehaus’ 34 seasons.
Beginning in 2007, Rizzs served as the team’s lead radio play-by-play announcer, delivering countless memorable calls along the way. His signature phrases — “Goodbye, baseball!” on home runs, “Everybody scores!” during grand slams, and his upbeat “happy totals” following victories — have become part of the soundtrack of Mariners baseball for generations of fans.
Over his career, Rizzs has been on the call for many of the franchise’s defining moments, including the magical 1995 postseason run, the record-setting 2001 team, the drought-ending 2022 playoff club, and the 2025 Mariners, who advanced closer to the World Series than any team in franchise history.
Rizzs says he plans to broadcast every home game in 2026, along with a reduced schedule of road contests, while remaining on hand for any postseason games. “Believe me, I’ll be on hand to be at every Postseason game all the way to the World Series,” he said. After that, he plans to spend more time at home with his grandchildren.
A Chicago native and Southern Illinois University graduate, Rizzs began his broadcasting career in 1975 calling Double-A baseball, later serving as sports director at WBNS in Columbus, OH, where he also added Ohio State football to his play-by-play résumé. In Seattle, his broadcasting partners over the years have included Aaron Goldsmith, Dave Sims and most recently Gary Hill Jr.
Beyond the booth, Rizzs has made a lasting impact through his charitable work. He co-founded Toys For Kids, a nonprofit that has provided Christmas gifts for more than 360,000 children across the Pacific Northwest, awarded dozens of college scholarships, supplied baseball equipment for youth teams, and helped renovate local Little League fields.
In 2017, his contributions to sports broadcasting were recognized with the Keith Jackson Award from the Seattle Sports Commission.