5 memorable moments in Dan Hicks' stellar broadcasting career - USA Today

The sports broadcasting world lost one of its most versatile and iconic voices when NBC's Dan Hicks died unexpectedly at the age of 64.

Hicks, whose death from an acute illness was announced on Thursday, Nov. 12, had worked at NBC Sports since 1992, when he joined the network's NBA coverage team.

From there, he branched out into other sports as a play-by-play announcer, most notably to the NFL. Starting in 2000, Hicks took over as the network's lead golf announcer, replacing the legendary Dick Enberg. He also served as the play-by-play announcer for NBC's Notre Dame football broadcasts from 2013 to 2016, and then again starting in 2024.

But perhaps Hicks' signature work came at the Summer and Winter Olympics, where he called marquee events in swimming and Alpine skiing, beginning in 1996. After broadcasting a total of 16 Olympic Games, Hicks ultimately won a Sports Emmy as part of NBC's 2024 coverage from Paris.

Hicks witnessed some of the greatest highs and lows in Olympic skiing history. In the most recent Winter Olympics, one of the all-time legends, Mikaela Shiffrin, was a heavy favorite to win in her first two events, but failed to finish in either. Down to one final chance at gold in her specialty, the slalom, Shiffrin rose to the challenge. Hicks did as well.

"You've just seen the ultimate Olympic journey come full circle," Hicks exclaimed as Shiffrin completed her golden run in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

From the tower above the 18th hole, Hicks served as the eyes and ears of all golf fans during NBC's coverage.

At the 2025 U.S. Open, American J.J. Spaun had completed 71 holes at even par at Oakmont Country Club and was one stroke ahead of Scotland's Robert MacIntyre when he surveyed the 64 feet between his ball and the flagstick on the final hole.

With Spaun only needing to two-putt for his first major title, Hicks conveyed the amazement of the birdie putt dropping with an iconic, "How ... About ... One?!"

While football fans know all about the greatest comeback in NFL playoff history (Bills vs. Oilers, 1993), Hicks was on the mic for the second-biggest comeback in the postseason, the Indianapolis Colts' 45-44 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC wild card game on Jan. 4, 2014.

Hicks teamed with analyst Mike Mayock as Indianapolis stormed back from a 38-10 deficit to stun the Chiefs on a 64-yard bomb from quarterback Andrew Luck to wide receiver T.Y. Hilton in the final minutes.

Speaking of comebacks, the USA's men's relay team didn't seem to have a prayer of catching a dominant French squad in Beijing.

Hicks' longtime broadcast partner Rowdy Gaines dejectedly admitted with three legs complete and anchor Jason Lezak trying to make up a huge deficit, "I just don't think they can do it, Dan."

Hicks seemed to agree, conceding, "The United States is trying to hold onto second. They should get the silver medal."

But then, the tide began to turn. "Can the veteran chase him down and pull of a shocker here?" Hicks said, his voice rising as Lezak surged to the line. "UNBELIEVABLE! He's done it!"

Hicks and the former Olympian Gaines called swimming events together in eight different Olympics.

“Those are some of my favorite calls, when it’s just him and I going crazy at the final touch,” Hicks told USA TODAY Sports in a 2024 interview. “He cannot contain himself … he’s so excited, it’s natural.”

In a tribute post on X, the PGA Tour called Hicks’ work with commentator Johnny Miller “one of golf television’s defining broadcast partnerships.”

Hicks and Miller were in the tower for one of the most dramatic final rounds in U.S. Open history when Tiger Woods, playing with a torn ACL and stress fractures in his left leg, needed a birdie on the final hole at Torrey Pines to catch leader Rocco Mediate and force a playoff.

Of course, Tiger did just that, lashing an iron out of the right rough to within 12 feet of the cup. And as Woods drained the putt, Hicks framed the moment perfectly: "Expect anything different?"

Woods went on to win the 18-hole playoff the next day in sudden death for the 14th of his 15 major titles.

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