Seahawks announcer Steve Raible keyed up for third Super Bowl

Some announcers never get to the playoffs, but Seahawks play-by-play guy Steve Raible is on his way to his third Super Bowl.

Listen: Steve Raible calls the final play in NFC Championship

“I’m totally blessed,” Raible told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show. “I have told everyone within earshot that we are blessed to get to do this.”

Raible is grateful to Paul Allen, Pete Carroll, and even Mike Holmgren.

It’s a been a long road for the broadcaster, who’s been the Seahawks’ lead play-by-play since 2004. He spent much of his early career filing in for radio’s great Wayne Cody, which is how he learned the basics of interviewing and broadcasting.

“That’s where I got the bug,” he said.

Raible, a wide receiver with the Seahawks, was playing a charity golf tournament in Spokane in 1982 when his wife received a call from Pete Gross. He let her know that Raible had an opportunity to broadcast at KIRO if he gave up football – basically by Monday.

“We talked when I got home and she said, ‘Listen, you have a job with the Seahawks right now, but you can have a career’ … and that made a lot of sense.”

Raible took a chance and eventually worked his way into the noon news and then the 6 p.m. slot.

“They were very patient with me over at KIRO 7 and they let me grow into the position,” he said.

Raible didn’t make the decision to be the announcer for the Seahawks. He said the team came to him because Warren Moon was available and wanted more stability.

“They let me work into it. I remember the first game I did I had Verne Lundquist sitting next to me. Verne was just there to hang out and say hi. Here’s one of the great voices in all of sports … and he’s sitting here doing my very first play-by-play game in Green Bay.”

Raible said being a former player has helped him in the broadcast booth, but just being around the game for so long is also a benefit.

“More than anything, I feel like I can speak to Warren and he and I can exchange glances and know where we’re going with something,” he said.

As for his favorite call, Raible said Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown in Arizona was pretty special, but not because of the play-by-play.

“It was just one of those plays you never forget,” he said.