Jimmy Cefalo
James Cameron Cefalo | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 6, 1956 Pittston, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, sports and news broadcaster, radio talk show host, voice announcer, entrepreneur, wine connoisseur, former professional football wide receiver, television game show host |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Known for | Wide receiver for Miami Dolphins; Voice of the Miami Dolphins; Host of Cefalo's - Eat This Drink That Go! |
James Cameron Cefalo (born October 6, 1956) is an American journalist, sports and news broadcaster, radio talk show host, voice announcer for the Miami Dolphins, entrepreneur, wine connoisseur, former professional football wide receiver, and television game show host.
Early life
Cefalo grew up in Pittston, Pennsylvania, attending Pittston Area High School, where his athletic achievements earned him a place on The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Team. Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 185 pounds in his senior year under coach Bob Barbieri, he was recognized as one of the nation's premier running back prospects.
He is commemorated on Pittston's Inspiration Mural, which ranks as Pennsylvania’s third-largest mural honoring notable local figures. Cefalo made a return visit to Pittston Area for a football event as recently as September 2015.
College career
From 1974 through 1977, Cefalo excelled at Penn State University, leading the Nittany Lions in all-purpose yardage during his final year. He played a pivotal role in Penn State’s 41–20 victory against Baylor in the 1975 Cotton Bowl Classic and earned the title of most valuable player at the 1976 Gator Bowl. He completed his studies with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1978.
Professional career
Selected in the third round as the 81st overall pick by the Miami Dolphins during the 1978 NFL draft, Cefalo spent six seasons with the team. His tenure included appearances in both Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX, where he established himself as a dependable receiver. During Super Bowl XVII, Cefalo stepped in for the injured receiver Nat Moore and played a crucial role despite Miami’s 27–17 defeat to the Washington Redskins, catching the only offensive touchdown for his team and recording an average of 41 yards per reception. His 76-yard touchdown grab from quarterback David Woodley ranks as the fifth-longest touchdown catch in Super Bowl history.
In 1984, Cefalo secured a record-setting touchdown reception from Dan Marino, marking Marino's most touchdown passes in a single season; notably, the ball struck Cefalo's facemask on that play.
Cefalo also participated in one of the NFL’s most memorable matches: the 1981 AFC divisional playoff clash between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins held at the Miami Orange Bowl. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has recognized this game as the "NFL's Game of the '80s."
NBC
Following his playing days, Cefalo moved into broadcasting as a color analyst for NFL on NBC, working alongside Charlie Jones from 1985 to 1988 and then with Jim Donovan in 1989.
He contributed to NBC News as a correspondent on The Today Show, served as sports anchor on NBC News at Sunrise, and co-hosted NBC’s broadcast of the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul.
Additionally, Cefalo hosted NBC’s pregame shows for Game 4 of both the 1987 National League Championship Series and the 1989 American League Championship Series, stepping in while Marv Albert was assigned elsewhere.
Radio and television
Cefalo serves as the play-by-play commentator and is recognized as the "Voice of the Miami Dolphins" on their radio broadcast team. He previously hosted South Florida's premier news program on WIOD. In March 2012, Cefalo's International debuted Cefalo's - Eat This Drink That Go!, a radio show focused on food, wine, and travel. This program airs on Clear Channel's WIOD 610 AM and 100.3 FM in South Florida and is also accessible nationwide through streaming on www.WIOD.com and IHeartRadio. Additionally, Cefalo contributes sports commentary for the NFL Network and WINZ, the Sports Animal—WIOD’s sister station that carries Miami Dolphins games.
In 1988, Cefalo earned an Emmy Award for his writing contributions to coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics. The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association honored him as Florida Sportscaster of the Year on five occasions (1998, 2001–2004).
His television experience includes co-hosting PM Magazine and AM South Florida. In 1990, he took on hosting duties for Trump Card, which was filmed at Trump Castle in Atlantic City. Three years later, he led Sports Snapshot, a unique game show blending home shopping elements with sports trivia.
Starting in 2005, Cefalo assumed the role of Miami Dolphins play-by-play announcer on flagship station WQAM, initially alongside former Dolphins Joe Rose and the late Jim "Mad Dog" Mandich, before teaming up with Rose and Bob Griese.
For thirteen years, Cefalo held the position of Sports Director at WPLG-TV in Miami, where he developed and hosted the program Sports Jam Live.
Personal life
Michael Cefalo lives in Miami Beach, Florida with his wife Janice; together they have three daughters: Mia and twins Ava and Katie.
An avid wine enthusiast, Cefalo owns a collection exceeding 1,200 bottles. His family boasts over 150 years of involvement in the wine industry. His great-grandfather worked as a winemaker and innkeeper in Italy before his grandfather immigrated to the United States in 1908. Michael’s grandfather became a coal miner, landowner, and winemaker in Pennsylvania. One of his sons, Charlie, continued producing Italian varietals at a bonded winery in Pennsylvania until his death.
In 2002, Cefalo established Cefalo's Wine Cellar, a 3,400-square-foot specialty liquor store located in South Miami that focuses on rare wines. By 2005, he collaborated with Brenda Bassett to create Cefalo's International, which broadened its scope by launching their food, wine, and travel radio show while also serving as Wine Ambassador for Martini & Rossi (a Bacardi company).
Until its closure in October 2008, Cefalo's Wine Cellar operated out of a 7,000-square-foot venue that featured The Taurus—a historic bar—alongside a retail store with an adjoining tasting room. It also housed a private membership wine cave called Cefalo's Cave Club that accommodated 99 members with personal lockers. This two-level wine cave was carved 36 feet beneath an aquifer ridge.
In recognition of his achievements, Cefalo received an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration specializing in Food and Beverage Management from Johnson & Wales University in 2007.
He was appointed Wine Ambassador for Martini & Rossi’s Bacardi portfolio in 2008. In March 2012, he launched Cefalo's - Eat This Drink That Go!, which broadcasts on Clear Channel’s WIOD-AM throughout South Florida and streams nationally via IHeartRadio and affiliated platforms.
NFL career statistics
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Indicates personal best |
Regular season
| Season | Franchise | Appearances | Receiving Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Receptions | Yards | Avg. | Longest | Touchdowns | ||
| 1978 | Miami Dolphins | 16 | 1 | 6 | 145 | 24.2 | 43 | 3 |
| 1979 | Miami Dolphins | 16 | 3 | 12 | 223 | 18.6 | 30 | 3 |
| 1980 | Miami Dolphins | 16 | 4 | 11 | 199 | 18.1 | 52 | 1 |
| 1981 | Miami Dolphins | 16 | 6 | 29 | 631 | 21.8 | 69 | 3 |
| 1982 | Miami Dolphins | 9 | 9 | 17 | 356 | 20.9 | 46 | 1 |
| 1983 | Miami Dolphins | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | Miami Dolphins | 16 | 0 | 18 | 185 | 10.3 | 25 | 2 |
| Career totals | 90 | 24 | 93 | 1,739 | 18.7 | 69 | 13 | |
Playoffs
| Season | Franchise | Appearances | Receiving Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Receptions | Yards | Avg. | Longest | Touchdowns | ||
| 1978 | Miami Dolphins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | Miami Dolphins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | Miami Dolphins | 1 | 1 | 3 | 62 | 20.7 | 23 | 0 |
| 1982 | Miami Dolphins | 4 | 4 | 6 | 178 | 29.7 | 76 | 1 |
| 1984 | Miami Dolphins | 3 | 0 | 3 | 57 | 19.0 | 34 | 1 |
| Career totals | 10 | 5 | 12 | 297 | 24.8 | 76 | 2 | |