Beloved broadcaster Dan Hicks died suddenly this week at the age of 64.
Since then, tributes to Hicks have poured in from across the sports world, including from fellow broadcasters and others from athletes whose greatest moments were shared with the masses through his singular voice.
Hicks was widely known as the voice of golf on NBC, as well as for his role in several prominent Olympic sports and as the voice of Notre Dame football for the network. Given the suddenness of his death, NBC turned to fellow commentator Jason Benetti to step in on short notice and call the Irish’s Saturday game against Boston College.
It was clear that Benetti did not take his job lightly and he paid tribute to Hicks several times throughout the day. During the opening of the show, Benetti encouraged viewers to check in on their loved ones.
“A classic college football rivalry, in a classic college football climate,” Benetti said just before kickoff. “The Fighting Irish and the Eagles. And today is one of those days where you remember, for us at NBC Sports, how much community college football is and how much we love watching this game with the people we care about. Today is one of those days where, if you want, tell the people around you – or the people on your chat feed – that you appreciate them and that you care about them.”
“And today is one of those days where, if you want, tell the people around you – or the people in your thread – that you appreciate them and that you care about them.”
Jason Benetti before Notre Dame’s kickoff on NBC. 🏈🎙️❤️ https://t.co/JoTTJJ9XX5
— Awfulannouncing (@awfulannouncing) November 14, 2026
Notre Dame forced Boston College to punt on its first possession, and nine plays later, quarterback CJ Carr connected with receiver Micah Gilbert, who broke free of a tackle and rushed into the end zone to open the scoring. During the call, Benetti channeled Hicks’ iconic call to Tiger Woods during the 2008 US Open.
“After last week, do you expect anything different?” »
“After last week, do you expect anything different?” »
Jason Benetti with a reference to Dan Hicks’ iconic call.
https://t.co/j4gsCqKUXM
— Awfulannouncing (@awfulannouncing) November 14, 2026
Benetti, 43, has seen his star rise a bit in recent years, expanding his role from Fox to NBC, and has held several high-profile positions. His performance on Saturday was a great display of respect and appreciation for those who came before him.
Gn sports
