Kirk Gibson's tenure in the Detroit Tigers TV booth ended before the start of the 2025 MLB season. In mid-March, the Tigers announced that Gibson wouldn't return to the TV booth but would remain a part of the team's front office as a special assistant while working with his foundation to continue the fight against Parkinson's disease.
It was a shocking announcement, as the 68-year-old former Tigers player spent the last 10 years on the broadcast. Now, for the first time, Gibson has finally gone public about leaving Detroit's TV booth, and it was intriguing.
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Gibson spoke to The Detroit News about his departure from the Tigers' TV booth for the first time and admitted that it wasn't the right fit anymore. When asked if he missed being in the TV booth, Gibson's answer wasn't an easy "yes or no."
"I mean, I enjoyed some of the things, but I didn't fit," Gibson told The Detroit News in an interview. "All things considered, I did what was right … One thing I learned through many people, mentors of mine along the way, was to take the high road … going back to [Sparky Anderson]. He called me out when I was young and said, 'Can you take it!?' I said, 'Take what?' He said, 'Can you take it!?' I said, 'What are you talking about?' He said, 'Can you take it?' … 'Yeah, bring it on, I can [expletive] take it.' He gave me many examples of taking it, just keeping your mouth shut for the team."
Gibson was initially announced to be in the Tigers' booth alongside play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti and other analysts. Andy Dirks and Dan Petry have taken most of the games through the All-Star break, but it's unclear how much Gibson would've been in the booth if he stayed.
"Things change over time, you know?" Gibson told The Detroit News. "You get older, you've gotta change if you're going to be partners. You've gotta change if you're going to make it work. I'll just leave it at that."
Benetti and Dirks/Petry spoil Detroit fans, but Gibson's voice and charisma in Comerica Park are missed. Gibson has been a fixture of the Tigers' on-air commentary for over one decade, but it wasn't the right fit anymore. Times may have changed, but Detroit's love for Gibson, and vice versa, will never go away.
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