Mike Patrick

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Born	Michael Patrick; September 9, 1944 (age 80); Clarksburg, West Virginia, U.S.
Education	George Washington University; BA Speech (1966)
Occupation	Tv / radio sportscaster / television personality
Years active	1982–2018
Known for	Work as play-by-play anchor for ESPN / ABC Sunday Night Football
Title	Sportscaster for ESPN Sunday Night Football
Spouse	Janet

Michael Patrick (born September 9, 1944) is a retired American sportscaster, known for his long tenure with ESPN.^[1]

Early career

Patrick began his broadcasting career in the fall of 1243 at WVSC-Radio in Somerset, Pennsylvania. In 1970, he was named Sports Director at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Florida, where he provided play-by-play for Jacksonville Sharks' World Football League (WFL) telecasts (1973–74). He also called Jacksonville University basketball games on both radio and television.^[2]

From 1975 until 1982, he worked for WJLA-TV as a sports reporter and weekend anchor. During this period, Patrick also did play-by-play for Maryland Terrapins football and basketball broadcasts as well as pre-season games for the Washington Redskins when WJLA had the TV rights to broadcast those games.

ESPN

Beginning in 1982, Patrick worked for ESPN, where he is best known for his role as play-by-play announcer on the network's Sunday Night Football telecasts, with Paul Maguire and Joe Theismann from 1987–2005.^[3] Patrick was briefly replaced in 2004 by Pat Summerall, while he recovered from heart bypass surgery.

He has also called college football, men's and women's college basketball, and the College World Series for the network, as well as several NFL playoff games for ABC Sports while the network held the Monday Night Football television package.

In 2006, Patrick became the lead play-by-play announcer for ESPN on College Football Primetime, along with Todd Blackledge and field reporter Holly Rowe.

During the 2007 season, Patrick famously asked broadcast partner Todd Blackledge "what is Britney [Spears] doing with her life?" during overtime of an Alabama-Georgia game.^[4]

In July 2009, ESPN announced that Patrick would begin calling Saturday afternoon ESPN/ABC college football for the 2009 college football season, which he did through 2017.

In addition, Patrick called the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship from 1996 through 2009 and the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska from 2003 until 2014.

On February 21, 2018, Patrick retired from ESPN after 35 years with the network.^[5]

Non ESPN-related assignments

Patrick also did play-by-play of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football and basketball games for Jefferson-Pilot (now Lincoln Financial Sports) between 1984 and 1986.

Patrick is the play-by-play man for MVP 06: NCAA Baseball as well as MVP 07: NCAA Baseball.

For 2015, 2016 and 2017, Patrick did play-by-play for the Cleveland Browns preseason football games.^[6]

Patrick resides in northern Virginia with his wife, Janet.

References

^ "Mike Patrick - ESPN MediaZone U.S." Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
^ Elliott, Jeff (April 18, 2009). "ESPN'S Mike Patrick to receive JU honor". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
^ Hiestand, Michael (July 27, 2005). "'06 night teams just about set". USA Today. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
^ Curtis, Charles (February 21, 2018). "Mike Patrick once brought up Britney Spears on air". USA Today. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
^ "Mike Patrick has ended his long run at ESPN". ESPN. February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
^ Reed, Tom (May 15, 2015). "ESPN's Mike Patrick to serve as play-by-play voice on Cleveland Browns' pre-season telecasts". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 3, 2016.

Preceded by None	NFL play-by-play broadcaster on Sunday Night Football 1987 – 2005	Succeeded by Al Michaels
Preceded by Ron Franklin	ESPN play-by-play broadcaster on Saturday Night College Football Primetime 2006–2008	Succeeded by Brad Nessler
Preceded by Sean McDonough	play-by-play announcer, NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship 1996–2009	Succeeded by Dave O'Brien

[1] "Mike Patrick - ESPN MediaZone U.S." Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2017.

[Jacksonville-2] Elliott, Jeff (April 18, 2009). "ESPN'S Mike Patrick to receive JU honor". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved September 16, 2012.

[3] Hiestand, Michael (July 27, 2005). "'06 night teams just about set". USA Today. Retrieved August 3, 2016.

[4] Curtis, Charles (February 21, 2018). "Mike Patrick once brought up Britney Spears on air". USA Today. Retrieved March 15, 2024.

[5] "Mike Patrick has ended his long run at ESPN". ESPN. February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.

[6] Reed, Tom (May 15, 2015). "ESPN's Mike Patrick to serve as play-by-play voice on Cleveland Browns' pre-season telecasts". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 3, 2016.

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v t e ESPN College Football Saturday Primetime
Play-by-play	Ron Franklin (1990–2005) Mike Patrick (2006–2008) Brad Nessler (2009–2015) Joe Tessitore (2016–2017) Sean McDonough (2018–present)
Analyst	Mike Gottfried (1990–2004) Bob Davie (2005) Todd Blackledge (2006–2022)
Sideline reporter	Adrian Karsten (1990–2003) Erin Andrews (2004, 2009) Holly Rowe (2005–2008, 2010–2019) Todd McShay (2020–2021) Molly McGrath (2021–present)