Mike Patrick

Play-by-Play Commentator

Mike Patrick, who joined ESPN in 1982, is the play-by-play voice for many of the network's top events, including Sunday Night Football, the NCAA Women’s Final Four and NCAA men’s basketball.

Patrick has been with Sunday Night Football, ad-supported cable television’s most-watched series, since it began in 1987. He was joined in 1988 by analyst Joe Theismann, reuniting close friends who first worked together in 1976 on University of Maryland basketball games. In 1998, Paul Maguire joined the booth, and the trio – along with sideline reporter Suzy Kolber (since 2001) – have been called by many the best NFL team in the business.

Besides the NFL, Patrick has called NCAA basketball since 1982 and did college football from 1982-1997 when ESPN’s NFL schedule expanded to include the entire season. He has also announced the following ESPN events: the U.S. Olympic Festival (1987 and '90), the College World Series and the British Open (1985 and ’86).

Patrick began his broadcasting career in the fall of 1966 at WVSC-Radio in Somerset, Pa. In 1970, he was named Sports Director at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Fla., where he provided play-by-play for Jacksonville Sharks' World Football League telecasts (1973-74). He also called Jacksonville University basketball games on both radio and television.

In 1975, Patrick moved to WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., as sports reporter and weekend anchor. In addition to those duties, Patrick called play-by-play for University of Maryland football and basketball (1975-78) and Washington Redskins preseason games (1975-82).

Patrick, a native of Clarksburg, W.V., received a bachelor of arts degree in speech from George Washington University.

-30-