Alabama A&M University made history recently after naming Thai Floyd as the first woman to serve as the football team’s full-time play-by-play announcer. Alabama A&M is an HBCU in Huntsville, Alabama, and competes in the SWAC.
Floyd, who has also become the first woman to serve as the full-time voice of an HBCU football team, will call Bulldogs games throughout the 2025 season, as reported by HBCU GameDay. A broadcast journalist, Floyd recently worked as a digital media specialist for Alabama A&M athletics.
A proud Florida A&M alumna, Floyd has covered sports at high school, college, and professional events. She is also known for her work as a sideline reporter and play-by-play commentator for ESPN+ and ESPNU, and her assignments have included FBS bowl games and the Celebration Bowl.
She has been featured on NBC Sports Philadelphia, HBCU Legends on Sports Illustrated, and ESPN’s Andscape.
Interestingly, Floyd’s father, William Floyd, won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers before working as a broadcaster. This largely inspired Floyd’s current career behind the mic. “I grew up watching my dad work as a broadcaster after he retired from the NFL, so I’ve been around the game and the business my whole life,” Floyd was quoted by Athlon Sports. “I’d love to call college football on TV one day — that’s definitely the goal. Just staying focused, learning, and trusting the process.”
Research shows that the number of female play-by-play announcers is around nine percent, with Beth Mowins being the first woman to call a nationally televised NFL game and Tiffany Greene being the first African-American woman to serve as a play-by-play commentator for college football on a major network.
Floyd hopes to bring change.
“Having a seat at the table means making space for every Black woman who’s ever been overlooked or told she didn’t belong in this industry. I’m just blessed to be walking in purpose and hoping my journey reminds the next Black woman that we’re not here to fit in — we’re here to take up space and change the game.”
“I’ve looked up to Tiffany Greene for over a decade,” she also said of one of her biggest inspirations. “She’s poured into me, inspired me, and paved the way. Now, I just hope to continue the work she started and be that same light for someone else.”