Mike Patrick facts for kids
Michael Patrick (born September 9, 1944) was a famous American sportscaster. He was best known for working at ESPN for many years. He passed away on April 20, 2025.
Quick facts for kids
Mike Patrick
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| Born |
Michael Patrick
September 9, 1944 |
| Died | April 20, 2025 (aged 80) Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.
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| Education | George Washington University (BA) |
| Occupation | TV and radio sportscaster Television personality |
| Years active | 1982–2018 |
| Known for | Sportscaster for ESPN Sunday Night Football |
| Spouse(s) | Janet |
Contents
Mike Patrick's Early Career
Mike Patrick started his career in broadcasting in 1966. He worked at a radio station called WVSC-Radio in Somerset, Pennsylvania.
Working in Florida
In 1970, he became the Sports Director at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Florida. There, he called games for the Jacksonville Sharks football team. He also announced basketball games for Jacksonville University on both radio and TV.
Reporting in Washington D.C.
From 1975 to 1982, Patrick worked for WJLA-TV. He was a sports reporter and weekend anchor. During this time, he also announced games for the Maryland Terrapins football and basketball teams. He even called pre-season games for the Washington Redskins.
Calling College Games
Patrick also announced college sports for other networks. In 1984 and 1985, he called ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) games. He also announced a college football game for CBS in 1985. Later that year, he called a national championship game for ESPN.
Mike Patrick's Time at ESPN
Mike Patrick joined ESPN in 1982. He became very well-known for his work there.
Sunday Night Football
He was most famous for being the play-by-play announcer for Sunday Night Football. He worked with commentators Paul Maguire and Joe Theismann from 1987 to 2005. In 2004, he had heart bypass surgery and was briefly replaced by Pat Summerall.
College Football Announcer
Patrick also called many college football games for ESPN. From 1991 to 1997, he and Mike Gottfried announced Thursday Night college football games. In 2006, he became the main announcer for College Football Primetime. He worked with Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe.
In 2009, ESPN announced that Patrick would start calling Saturday afternoon college football games. He continued this role until 2017.
Other Sports at ESPN
Besides football, Patrick announced many other sports. He called men's and women's college basketball games. This included the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship for many years. He also announced the College World Series baseball games in Omaha, Nebraska. Patrick even called some NFL playoff games for ABC Sports.
Retirement from ESPN
On February 21, 2018, Mike Patrick retired from ESPN. He had worked there for 35 years. His last event was the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on December 30, 2017.
Other Work
Mike Patrick also lent his voice to video games. He was the play-by-play announcer for MVP 06: NCAA Baseball and MVP 07: NCAA Baseball.
From 2015 to 2017, Patrick announced preseason football games for the Cleveland Browns.
Personal Life
Mike Patrick was honored for his contributions to sports. He was inducted into the Jacksonville University Hall of Fame in 2009. He lived in northern Virginia with his wife, Janet. Mike Patrick passed away at his home in Fairfax, Virginia, on April 20, 2025, at the age of 80.
