Legendary NFL play-by-play announcer Mike Patrick dead after glittering career
Former NFL play-by-play commentator Mike Patrick passed away on Sunday night at age 80 of natural causes.
Patrick is most famous for being the lead announcer for 'Sunday Night Football' on ESPN for 18 years.
Patrick worked for ESPN starting in 1992, ending his tenure with the company in December 2017.
His last professional call of a game was the 2017 Liberty Bowl, an Iowa State victory over Memphis, with current NFL wide receiver Allen Lazard winning the game's most valuable player award.
Patrick's tenure leading 'Sunday Night Football' was from 1987 through 2005. His first NFL game in the booth assigned former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann as his color commentator.
Dick Vitale was also a frequent collaborator with Patrick, as the two called many important college basketball games together.
Former NFL play-by-play commentator Mike Patrick passed away on Sunday night at age 80
Patrick is most famous for being the lead announcer for 'Sunday Night Football' on ESPN
Patrick also served as a play-by-play announcer for college football broadcasts and was the lead announcer for the College World Series.
'It's wonderful to reflect on how I've done exactly what I wanted to do with my life,' Patrick told ESPN when he retired in 2018. 'At the same time, I've had the great pleasure of working with some of the very best people I've ever known, both on the air and behind the scenes.'
Patrick's broadcasting career began in 1966, with him garnering experience in Jacksonville, Florida and Washington DC before making the move to ESPN.
Patrick passed away in Fairfax, Virginia, a DC suburb, with his passing being publicized on Tuesday.
During his time in DC, Patrick called broadcasts for the University of Maryland and the Washington Commanders.
