Report: ESPN Wants to Bring Dan Patrick Back to the Network

The former "SportsCenter" star hosts his own nationally syndicated “Dan Patrick Show” 

Report: ESPN Wants to Bring Dan Patrick Back Into the Fold
Dan Patrick speaks at the Crackle NewFronts in 2014. (Bryan Bedder/Getty for Sony Pictures TV)
Bryan Bedder

Could Dan Patrick, who anchored SportsCenter for more than 15 years and also The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio for more than a decade, be returning to The Worldwide Leader?

According to a new report from Front Office Sports, ESPN would like nothing more than to bring the 63-year-old back into the fold to host a weekday afternoon edition of SportsCenter and possibly revamp his radio show.

At the very least, ESPN wants to have Patrick make regular appearances on the network, sources told FOS. What remains to be seen is if Patrick, who currently hosts his own nationally syndicated Dan Patrick Show, would be open to a return.

Patrick did return to Bristol to celebrate ESPN’s 40th anniversary this September at the urging of network president Jimmy Pitaro. During that return, Patrick reunited with Keith Olbermann to host a special episode of SportsCenter, the first time they’d worked together in 22 years.

Though Patrick did say the return made him nostalgic, he also told the audience of his radio show that he would not be reprising his role as a SportsCenter host.

“This was a one-and-done, officially retired and I’m glad I did it,” said Patrick. “If you had said to me two years ago, five years ago, seven years ago, I would have said, ‘Never.’”

Regardless, it is an interesting idea as ESPN has brought a number of former on-air talents back into the fold in recent months including Olberman, Tom Jackson and Chris Berman.

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