A longtime voice on NBC Sports has passed away suddenly. Dan Hicks, the network's lead golf analyst, and a familiar voice on Olympic coverage and more, has died at 64.
Hicks was married to ESPN sports host Hannah Storm, and the father of three. Storm released a statement Thursday morning on social media:
“Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness. He was a devoted husband over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished friend to so many. His loss is immeasurable,” Storm said in a statement. “Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around. When he walked into a room, he brought the energy, the laughter and the people together. He was endlessly kind, thoughtful and funny, and he made everyone feel like they mattered. Our three daughters and I are heartbroken. We are grateful for the love and support surrounding our family during this incredibly difficult time. There are simply no words to express how much he will be missed.”
There was no cause of death given, other than a number of statements citing an acute illness.
A native of Arizona, Hicks started at NBC in 1992 and called some of the most iconic moments in sports over the last three-plus decades, including time calling NFL games, and NBA games.
Hicks became the network's lead golf announces in 2000, partnering with analyst Johnny Miller to call some of the biggest moments in that sport which includes Tiger Woods triumphant U.S. Open victory at Pebble Beach that year, and memorable call on the 72nd hole of the 2008 U.S. Open, when Tiger Woods rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt to force a playoff the next day.
“Expect anything different!?” Hicks said as Woods drained one of the sports most pressure-packed putts ever.
Hicks has been regularly involved in NBC's Olympic Games coverage. He has called Olympic swimming, a role he has held since 1996 with lead color commentator Rowdy Gaines. That means he was on the mic for Michael Phelps incredible run of eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympic Games. He also called skiing for the Winter Olympics.
In 2019, Hicks also joined NBC's French Open coverage.
There's already been an outpouring of support for the Hicks family from the sports world:
"We are heartbroken by the passing of Dan Hicks," wrote the USGA. "He was a true friend to the game and to the USGA, but more importantly, a wonderful person whose warmth, generosity and friendship touched everyone fortunate enough to know him. His presence will be deeply missed, and his impact on so many of us will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family and loved ones."
"Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend and person," shared NBC Sports. "In his 34 years at NBC Sports, he was an exceptional storyteller and caller of games and events who elevated some of the biggest moments in sports history. From Olympic swimming and skiing to Notre Dame football, numerous other high profile events and especially as the signature voice of our golf coverage for the last 26 years, Dan’s blend of knowledge, style, enthusiasm and humor informed and entertained fans for decades. But far beyond his on-air excellence, Dan was a better person who welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a word of encouragement, sometimes all three in the same sentence. Our heartfelt condolences and love to his wife Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley."
Roger Maltbie remembers longtime friend and colleague, Dan Hicks. https://t.co/rNLWX1qxOG
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) November 12, 2026
He called 27 U.S. Opens and 23 U.S. Women's Opens as well as the Ryder Cup, PGA Tour and British Open.
This was Hicks’ seventh season calling Notre Dame games. He did it from 2013-16 before returning in 2024.
“I’m incredibly lucky to stay at one place this long. It takes a lot of things going your way as far as NBC continuing to have the properties that I’ve been a part of through the years,” he said during an Associated Press interview in September. “So lots of variables, lots of things that can happen in your career. But I think I appreciate it more and more the longer it’s been.”
Hicks also called swimming at the Olympics eight times with Rowdy Gaines. The duo chronicled Michael Phelps’ eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Katie Ledecky’s 14 medals across four Olympics (2012-24).
Hicks credited Phelps for swimming’s popularity beyond once every year years.
“Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend and person,” NBC Sports’ Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and Molly Solomon said in a statement. “He was an exceptional storyteller and caller of games and events who elevated some of the biggest moments in sports history.
“From Olympic swimming and skiing to Notre Dame Football, numerous other high-profile events and especially as the signature voice of our golf coverage for the last 26 years, Dan’s blend of knowledge style, enthusiasm and humor informed and entertained fans for decades. But far beyond his on-air excellence, Dan was a better person who welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a word of encouragement, sometimes all three in the same sentence. Our heartfelt condolences and love to his wife Hannah and his
Hicks is survived by Storm and their three daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.
