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Jerry Romig, the longtime public address announcer at the Superdome for Saints games, will retire from his position this week.

Romig will serve as the public address announcer for the Saints' exhibition game against the Oakland Raiders on Friday before stepping down. He has served as PA announcer for every Saints game since 1969. Friday marks his 446th game.

Romig's son, Mark, will replace him in the booth, starting with the Saints' regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.

"It has been such a great honor. I have been honored by the leadership of this community, the Superdome and the Saints organization to be the voice of the Superdome," Jerry said in a statement issued by the team. "I've enjoyed every moment -- there have been some great moments. There will probably be tears on Friday. I'm going to miss it; no doubt about it.

"I'm a fan, and I like to keep that in mind all the time. I've been blessed. Somebody has been watching over me to have kept me in front of that microphone for such a long time."

Romig was in the booth and making his trademark call "First down, Saints!" for the exhibition opener against the Kansas City Chiefs last Friday night

"He's 83 and his health had become an issue," said his son Jay, who has worked alongside Romig in the booth for years as the play-clock operator. "He told me (Saturday), 'Jay, I can't do it. It's too exhausting.'

"He just wasn't comfortable."

Romig did not miss a Saints game in 44 seasons as the public address announcer. He even called "home" games in San Antonio and Baton Rouge during the Hurricane Katrina season. The only time his voice hasn't been heard at a Saints game was for one quarter of one game in the early 1990s when he left early because of the failing health of a relative.

The Saints will present Romig with a Super Bowl XLIV ring during pregame of the regular-season home opener against Atlanta. The house control booth also will be renamed the "Jerry Romig House Control Booth."

"Jerry has been a part of the Saints family since our third season and we couldn't be more grateful for his passion and love for the Saints as our PA announcer," team owner Tom Benson said. "We are thrilled that his son, Mark, will carry on the Romig torch as our fans have an incredible affection for Jerry and his trademark call during games.

"Jerry's voice is embedded in our game experience and we know that fans will enjoy Mark as our new announcer as he carries on his father's legacy."

Romig began his career as a public address announcer when he was hired by Tulane Athletic Director Rix Yard in 1968 to work Green Wave games. He replaced a longtime voice, that of Jack Dolan, who called the first season for the Saints.

A year later former Saints general manager Vic Schwenk hired him to replace malaprop master Buddy Diliberto behind the microphone at Saints games.

Over the years, Romig's resume expanded. His has also been the voice of Super Bowls, Sugar Bowls, Bayou Classics, Tulane games and high school football games.

He began his sports career at the Picayune at the age of 16, covering high school football games for 23 1/2 cents a column inch. His resume went on to include stints at the States newspaper, D.H. Holmes, Lykes Bros., the Catholic archdiocese, and 19 years as a news director and anchor at WDSU-TV.

A New Orleanian through and through, Romig graduated from Holy Cross High School and Loyola University. He and his wife of 57 years, Janice, lost their Lakeview home in the post-Katrina flood. Since the storm, they've rented an apartment in River Ridge.

They have five children: Mark, Jay, Anne, Mary Beth and Ellen. Jay has worked in a variety of capacities for the Saints and is one of the organization's longest-tenured employees.

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