John Lennon’s Death Announced by Howard Cosell During Patriots-Dolphins ‘Monday Night Football’ Game 30 Years Ago

On Dec. 8, 1980, one of the greatest musicians of all-time, John Lennon, was shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment.

The sad news was delivered by Howard Cosell to a Monday Night Football audience watching the Patriots play the Dolphins in Miami.

Lennon and the Beatles have had happier connections to sports, such as their legendary concert at Shea Stadium and meeting with Muhammad Ali.

Check out the video above, of Cosell announcing Lennon’s death, and even though sports and YouTube videos are sometimes portrayed as mere time-killers, remember Lennon’s saying: “Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.”

Below is a transcript of how the news broke to the sporting world.

“We have to say it. Remember, this is just a football game. No matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous, perhaps of all of the Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival. Hard to go back to the game after that news flash, which in duty bound, we had to take.”