Kittner leaving Illini football broadcasts

CHAMPAIGN — For the last eight college football seasons, former Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner has handled the color commentary on Illini radio broadcasts.

That will stop with the end of this season when Kittner steps down.

Kittner, 34, told The News-Gazette in Champaign that the regular-season finale at Northwestern on Nov. 29 will be his last game.

The former Schaumburg High School star, who now lives in Glen Ellyn, says he's enjoyed the work but needs to spend more time at home now that he and his wife, Leila, have a young son and daughter.

Kittner, who works full-time at the Chicago commercial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, says the travel to and from games both in Champaign and away added up.

Kittner is Illinois' all-time leader in touchdown passes with 70, and ranked second in all-time passing yards. After finishing his Illini career with the most wins as a quarterback (24), Kittner was a fifth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons. He played in seven games before being released. After spending three seasons on the inactive list for the Bengals, Steelers and Bears, he joined the Amsterdam Admirals of the World Football League and led them to the World Bowl XIII title in 2005 and earned MVP honors.