The sports world lost a legend this week, and the impact hit home hard for NBC Sports. Before their Saturday broadcast of Notre Dame’s home matchup against Boston College, the network paid an emotional tribute to Dan Hicks, who passed away on Wednesday at just 64 years old after dealing with an acute illness. This wasn’t just another game for his colleagues; it was a day to remember a friend.
A Voice Quivering with Admiration
Studio host Ahmad Fareed kicked off the Saturday coverage, openly expressing the “shock” and profound sympathy shared by Hicks’ colleagues and friends. You could hear the raw emotion in his voice, quivering as he spoke. Fareed highlighted that Hicks’ “expertise, but more importantly his warmth and his humor, will live on through everyone he knew.” This wasn’t just some corporate statement; it was a gut-punch acknowledgment that they were all missing a truly special person.
His Superpower Was Making People Feel Good
Jason Benetti, the voice calling the Notre Dame and Boston College game for NBC, got real about the situation. He openly stated, “Our broadcast booth feels very hollow right now, here at NBC Sports.” He even added, with a heavy heart, “I wish I wasn’t here right now. I wish Dan was here right now.” That’s the kind of honesty you get when someone’s truly hurting.
Jason Garrett, who’d been Hicks’ broadcast partner on Notre Dame games for NBC since 2024, credited Hicks for always looking out for him. Garrett remembered Hicks often asking, “Can I tee you up?” It was never about Hicks, Garrett emphasized. “It was always about embracing the moment and highlighting the people involved, and that’s how he lived his life.” Garrett summed it up perfectly, saying, “As legendary a broadcaster as he was, he was a better guy. Devoted husband and father and friend. He was always so generous to me. He had an amazing spirit, he brightened every room he was in.” You can’t fake that kind of respect.
Three Decades of Brilliance
Jimmy Roberts, a longtime NBC colleague who worked with Hicks on golf coverage, introduced a video tribute package that showcased the incredible breadth of Hicks’ career. Roberts got right to the heart of it, saying, “The depth of our sorrow usually mirrors the depth of our love. That makes sense. What makes no sense at all is that Dan isn’t in South Bend today. doing what he loved to do and doing it as well as anybody has ever done it.”
The tribute package itself was a masterclass in his versatility. It showed Hicks calling everything from football and golf to tennis, Olympic swimming, and skiing. He even anchored studio coverage, interviews, and talk show appearances. Roberts narrated, “He was everywhere in his three decades here. He did it all because he could do it all. How many people possessed that type of versatility?” Hicks began his NBC career in 1992 broadcasting the NFL, and called play-by-play for Notre Dame football for a combined seven seasons from 2013 to 2026. Roberts nailed it: “The truth is, so few could make something so complicated, and often chaotic, look so easy. That was his superpower. That, and the way he made people feel.”
Dan Hicks was a true giant in sports broadcasting, and his loss leaves a huge void. His colleagues at NBC, and really, anyone who ever heard his voice, will remember him not just for his incredible talent, but for the genuine warmth and humanity he brought to every single broadcast. What a legacy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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