KNOXVILLE - When Lindsey Nelson retired, Bob Kesling met with the Hall of Fame broadcaster on a regular basis, often seeking advice.

Nelson, the former Tennessee football announcer, told Kesling to bring passion to his job and passion for the fans. He told him not to take a job for money. And he told him to respect his profession by always wear a tie to work.

Kesling heeded that advice.

And because of his passion, his work ethic and his impact on college football, Kesling is the recipient of the annual Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting Award as presented by the Knoxville Quarterback Club.

"It's kind of humbling when you look at the list of people that have already won it," Kesling said. "To be put in that category is special.

"When Lindsey retired and moved back to Knoxville, I had a special relationship with him. That makes it more special to win an award with his name on it."

Last year's winner was Kirk Herbstreit of ESPN. Other previous winners were John Ward, Keith Jackson, Ron Franklin, Verne Lundquist, Lee Corso, Brent Musburger and Dr. Jerry Punch, among others.

Kesling will be honored Tuesday night by the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Football at a banquet at Cherokee Country Club.

Official Mike Bates will receive the Distinguished American Award. Wayne Phillips of South Greene and Jaymie Woods of Sevier County will be presented the George Hunter Distinguished Service Award. Some 27 high school athletes from East Tennessee, with a combined grade-point average of 4.03, will be honored as well.

Kesling said he first heard of Nelson when he called replays of Notre Dame games with Paul Hornung in the 1960s.

In 1978, former UT play-by-play announcer John Ward told him his assignment before the Tennessee-Notre Dame game was to get an interview with Nelson. At the time, Nelson was play-by-play broadcaster for the New York Mets. So Kesling called the Mets and asked for an interview with Nelson.

A Mets official said he'd have Nelson call.

Nelson called Kesling in the WIVK studio, where Kesling was also sports director. Nelson called from a phone booth at Times Square in New York.

On a visit to Nelson's Cherokee Bluff condo, Kesling was enthralled to see the many colorful coats Nelson wore to broadcast games, whether it was with the Mets, Notre Dame or the Cotton Bowl.

"He was entertaining, delightful and smart,'' Kesling said.

Kesling retired in April of 2025 as the "Voice of the Vols" for football and men's basketball after 27 years. He spent five decades with the Vol Network, the longest-serving member in the organization's storied history.

Kesling also called games for the Knoxville Cherokees hockey team, the Knoxville Blue Jays baseball team, and the Nashville Sounds baseball team.

Last summer, Kesling was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame. The former UT walk-on football player has also been inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame.

Kesling has won the state of Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year Award four times.

Active in the community, Kesling serves on the boards of directors for Goodwill, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. He was also the 2013 United Way Campaign Chairperson.

A 1977 graduate of Tennessee, Kesling and his wife, Tami, have two daughters, Allison and Melissa.