The legendary Howie Rose is making the 2026 season his last behind the mic.
The longtime radio voice of the Mets announced Thursday morning that he will be retiring after the upcoming season, ending a career with the Mets that has spanned more than three decades. Rose has announced Mets games on radio or television since 1995, as his voice has been synonymous with iconic Mets moments like Pete Alonso’s home run off Devin Williams in the 2024 Wild Card Series, Johan Santana’s no-hitter, and Mike Piazza’s iconic home run in the league’s first game of action after 9/11.
"Trust me, I did not arrive at this decision to retire easily," Rose said in an announcement posted by the Mets. "I've been going back and forth in my mind about it the last few years. But the reality is, I'm 72 years old, and my wife Barbara, who has sacrificed so much for so long, deserves to have her husband around a little more often, whether she likes it or not."
Rose will be in the booth for every home game this season, every game at Yankee Stadium, and every postseason game, should the Mets get there. He will remain involved in the Mets in some capacity that is still be determined once he announces his final game.
"For me, letting go of the Mets isn't hard," Rose said. "It's impossible."
Off the diamond, Rose is most known for his legendary call of Stephane Matteau’s series-winning goal for the Rangers in double overtime of game seven of the Eastern Conference Final against the Devils, one of the most memorable moments in franchise history.
Rose is one of the most recognizable voices associated with the Mets in their history, and the 2026 campaign will certainly be a celebration of his storied broadcasting career, before it is time to “Put it in the books.”