Before its broadcast of Notre Dame’s home matchup with Boston College on Saturday, NBC paid tribute to Dan Hicks, who called Fighting Irish games on the network for a combined seven seasons.
Hicks died on Wednesday at the age of 64 while dealing with an acute illness.
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Studio host Ahmad Fareed began Saturday’s coverage by expressing his admiration and sympathy on behalf of colleagues and friends “still in shock” over Hicks’ death.
“Today we will celebrate a man whose expertise, but more importantly his warmth and his humor, will live on through everyone he knew,” Fareed said, his voice quivering with emotion. “So this is not just another game for us, not just another day. Today is a day that we remember and miss our friend.”
“Our broadcast booth feels very hollow right now, here at NBC Sports,” Jason Benetti said as the network’s telecast of Notre Dame’s matchup with Boston College began. “I wish I wasn’t here right now,” he added. “I wish Dan was here right now.”
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Jason Garrett, Hicks’ broadcast partner on NBC’s Notre Dame broadcasts since 2024, credited the veteran announcer for always looking out for him as they worked. He often asked “Can I tee you up?”
“What I always loved about Hicksy is it never was about him, said Garrett. “It was always about embracing the moment and highlighting the people involved, and that’s how he lived his life.”
“As legendary a broadcaster as he was, he was a better guy,” he continued. “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.”
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Jimmy Roberts, who worked with Hicks for years on NBC’s golf coverage, introduced a video tribute package that showed the breadth of Hicks’ career.
“The depth of our sorrow usually mirrors the depth of our love. That makes sense,” Roberts said. “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.”
Roberts narrated the tribute package which included clips from him calling football, golf, tennis, Olympic swimming and skiing, in addition to anchoring studio coverage, interviews and talk show appearances.
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“He was everywhere in his three decades here. He did it all because he could do it all,” Roberts said in his narration.
“How many people possessed that type of versatility?” Roberts continued. “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.”
Hicks called play-by-play for Notre Dame football on NBC for a combined seven seasons from 2013 to 2026. His career with the network began in 1992, broadcasting the NFL.
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