ESPN SPORTSCASTER Mike Patrick dies; First Play-By-Play voice of the NFL of the network

Bristol. Conn. – Mike Patrick, the first ESPN game advertiser for his NFL cover, died. He was 80 years old.

Patrick’s longtime doctor and friend sent an SMS to friends from the longtime advertiser that Patrick died in Fairfax, Virginia on Sunday due to natural causes.

Patrick joined ESPN in 1982 and was with the network for 35 years.

“Mike Patrick called countless important events over the decades in ESPN and is one of the most influential voices in the air in our history. In addition to calling the very first match of the regular ESPN season and expressing the franchise` Sunday Night Football ”, Mike’s work on university sports was exceptional, “said Burke Magnus, President for ESPN. “For 36 years, he called football and male and female basketball, including the Final Four Female and so many historical confrontations between the rivals of ACC Duke and UNC. Our biggest condolences to Mike’s family and their many friends in all industry. ”

Even if he called countless university football and basketball matches, he is best known for his work on “Sunday night football” from ESPN from 1987 to 2005.

Patrick teamed up with Roy Firestone for the first season in 1987, before Joe Theismann became the main analyst the following season. Paul Maguire went on board in 1998 to make a three -year stand. Patrick missed most of the 2004 season due to open heart surgery.

NBC resumed the Sunday evening package in 2006 when ESPN became the house of “Monday Night Football”.

Dick Vitale called Patrick “M. ACC »Due to his love to make big conference games.