Remembering Mike Patrick: The Voice of ESPN's Sunday Night Football
On April 20, 2025, the sports broadcasting world lost a legend with the passing of Mike Patrick at age 80. Patrick, who died of natural causes in Fairfax, Virginia, had a 36-year legacy at ESPN, where his voice became synonymous with some of the most thrilling moments in sports. Most notably, he was the play-by-play announcer for ESPN's Sunday Night Football from 1987 to 2005, where he became one of the network's most influential voices.
Patrick's journey began in 1982 when he joined ESPN, just three years after its inception. He had the honor of calling the network's first-ever regular-season NFL game in 1987, a matchup between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, he launched ESPN's Sunday Night Football's 18-year run. Alongside analysts like Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire, Patrick's energetic delivery and insight brought games to life. His ability to capture the intensity of NFL Sundays made him a household name.
Beyond football, Patrick had the same kind of excitement covering college basketball, where he called over 30 ACC championships, and the Women's Final Four from 1996 to 2009. "Mike had great energy and a keen knowledge of ACC basketball, and I truly enjoyed sitting next to him calling so many special games over the years." said Dick Vitale, his longtime broadcast partner and who gave Patrick the nickname 'Mr ACC'.
Patrick's final call was the 2017 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, marking the end of an illustrious career. His voice, a soundtrack to American sports, will echo in the hearts of fans forever.
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