Howie Rose: Voice of the Mets Legacy & Career

Howie Rose Retiring: The Voice of the Mets Announces His Final Season

On March 19, 2026 — just one week before Opening Day — New York Mets radio voice Howie Rose announced that the 2026 MLB season will be his last in the broadcast booth. The 72-year-old play-by-play legend shared the news via a video posted to the Mets' official social media channels, sending shockwaves through the sports media world and prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans, players, and colleagues alike. For Mets fans, it marks the end of an era nearly four decades in the making.

According to MLB.com, Rose's retirement announcement comes after years of health challenges following a 2021 bladder cancer diagnosis, which has progressively limited his ability to travel for away games. His decision, while not entirely surprising to those who follow sports media closely, lands with emotional weight — both for the broadcaster himself and for the millions of fans who grew up listening to his voice on summer nights.

A Broadcasting Career That Began in 1975

Howie Rose's journey to becoming one of New York's most beloved sports voices began more than 50 years ago. He broke into broadcasting in 1975, working his way through the ranks before landing opportunities with some of the biggest franchises in New York sports history.

Rose is perhaps equally famous among hockey fans as he is among baseball enthusiasts. He called games for both the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders, with his NHL work with the Islanders concluding in 2016. His versatility across sports made him a rare commodity in the New York media market — a voice trusted by multiple generations of fans across different arenas and stadiums.

His association with the Mets began in 1987, when he joined the organization hosting pregame and postgame shows. By 1996, he was calling games on both television and radio. In 2004, he stepped into the role that would define his legacy: Mets radio play-by-play voice — a position he has held for more than two decades.

The Calls That Defined a Career

Ask any sports fan in the New York metropolitan area about Howie Rose, and two calls will inevitably come up. The first is arguably one of the most iconic moments in NHL broadcast history.

On May 27, 1994, Stéphane Matteau scored in double overtime to send the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final. Rose's ecstatic call — "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!" — became instantly legendary, capturing the raw emotion of a city that hadn't seen its Rangers reach the Cup Final in over 50 years.

That single call cemented Rose's place in New York sports lore long before his Mets career reached its full heights. Decades later, it remains one of the most replayed moments in regional sports broadcasting history.

On the baseball side, his most recent memorable call came during the 2024 NL Wild Card Series, when Pete Alonso launched a go-ahead home run in Game 3. For Mets fans listening on the radio that night, Rose's voice was the soundtrack to a moment of pure baseball joy — a reminder of why his presence in the booth matters so deeply to the fanbase.

Health Challenges and the Decision to Step Away

Rose's retirement is not simply a career choice — it is deeply personal, shaped by health challenges that began in 2021 when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The illness significantly affected his ability to travel, which is a fundamental requirement of a full-season broadcast schedule in Major League Baseball.

Newsday reported in February 2026 that Rose had already been planning to reduce his workload from 100 games to 84 games for the upcoming season — a sign that the announcement of his full retirement was coming sooner rather than later.

For the 2026 season, Rose will call all 81 Mets home games, their three away games at Yankee Stadium, and all postseason games if the Mets qualify — a schedule designed to give him a meaningful final year without overtaxing his health. It is a fitting arrangement that allows fans to hear him in the moments that matter most.

In his retirement announcement, Rose cited his wife Barbara and the many sacrifices she and their family have made over his long career as a central reason for stepping away. The couple has two daughters, Alyssa and Chelsea. After five decades in sports media, Rose expressed a deep desire to reclaim personal time and be present for his family in ways that a demanding broadcast schedule simply does not allow.

A Legacy That Spans Four Decades With the Mets

The numbers alone tell part of the story: Rose has been part of Mets broadcasts since 1987 — nearly 40 years — and has been the team's radio play-by-play voice since 2004. He has called playoff runs and painful collapses, no-hitters and walk-off losses, team-building seasons and championship pushes. Through it all, his voice remained a constant presence for Mets fans.

Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen released a statement praising Rose's nearly four decades of service to the organization, acknowledging both his professional excellence and the personal connection he built with the Mets fanbase over generations.

In a new development for 2026, the Mets' WHSQ 880 AM broadcast — featuring Rose alongside Keith Raad and Pat McCarthy — will be available in real time via the MLB Ballpark App at Citi Field for the first time. For fans attending games in person, this gives them one final season to listen to Rose's call while watching the action live on the field.

What Comes Next for Howie Rose

Retirement, for Rose, does not mean a complete disappearance from the Mets organization. Rose has said he is "not planning on making a clean break" and hopes to remain involved with the Mets in a to-be-determined capacity. The nature of that continued involvement has not yet been defined, but his desire to stay connected to the organization he has served for nearly 40 years speaks to the depth of his bond with the team.

As for who will succeed him in the radio booth, that question remains open heading into Opening Day. Finding a voice capable of filling that role will be one of the Mets' most significant off-field tasks in the coming months.

Frequently Asked Questions About Howie Rose's Retirement

When did Howie Rose announce his retirement?

Howie Rose officially announced his retirement on March 19, 2026, via a video shared on social media by the New York Mets, one week before the team's Opening Day game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

How long has Howie Rose been the Mets' radio voice?

Rose has been the Mets' radio play-by-play voice since 2004, and has been associated with the Mets organization since 1987, when he began hosting pregame and postgame shows — a span of nearly four decades.

Why is Howie Rose retiring?

Rose cited two primary reasons: his bladder cancer diagnosis in 2021, which has limited his ability to travel and maintain a full broadcast schedule, and a desire to honor the sacrifices made by his wife Barbara and their family over the course of his lengthy career.

What is Howie Rose's most famous call?

Rose is best known for his iconic call of Stéphane Matteau's overtime goal in May 1994, which sent the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final. His repeated exclamation of "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!" remains one of the most celebrated moments in New York sports broadcasting history.

Will Howie Rose still call games in 2026?

Yes. Rose will call all 81 Mets home games, their three away games at Yankee Stadium, and any postseason games the Mets participate in during the 2026 season — his final year in the broadcast booth.

The End of an Era for Mets Radio

When the final out is recorded on the Mets' 2026 season — whether in October or earlier — Howie Rose will close the book on one of the most storied careers in New York sports broadcasting history. From Matteau's overtime winner in 1994 to Pete Alonso's playoff heroics in 2024, Rose has been the voice on the other end of the radio for some of the most electric moments in New York sports.

For Mets fans, this season carries added weight. Every home run call, every walk-off win, every dramatic late-inning twist will be tinged with the bittersweet knowledge that Rose's familiar voice on 880 AM is counting down its final innings. The opportunity to listen — really listen — to one last full season of Howie Rose is a gift that fans should not take for granted.

New York sports has said goodbye to many great voices over the decades. When it comes time to say goodbye to Howie Rose, it will feel like the end of something irreplaceable.