Dan Hicks’ death brought a deeply personal moment to NBC’s Notre Dame broadcast Saturday, as Jason Garrett remembered the friend who had shared the booth with him. Before kickoff, Garrett reflected on their time together, the qualities that made Hicks special and a walk across campus that gave him another reason to think about his late broadcast partner.
For viewers accustomed to hearing Hicks guide a broadcast, the tribute offered a glimpse of the person Garrett knew away from the microphone. His memories covered their conversations, laughter and the generosity that helped define their friendship.
Garrett began by explaining what stood out about Hicks’ approach to both broadcasting and life. Even while describing someone whose voice accompanied major sporting moments, he focused on how readily Hicks directed attention toward others.
“What I always loved about Hicksy is it never was about him. It was always about embracing the moment and highlighting the people involved,” Garrett said. “That’s how he lived his life.”
That observation gave the tribute its foundation. Garrett remembered a colleague who understood the importance of the event unfolding in front of him and the people responsible for it.
Saturday’s broadcast gave Garrett an opportunity to put Hicks at the center of the conversation. From the booth where their working relationship had played out, he described why that relationship meant so much.
Jason Garrett Remembers His Friendship With Dan Hicks
Garrett acknowledged Hicks’ accomplishments before turning toward the relationships that mattered beyond his career. His words extended to Hicks’ family while also revealing how much he appreciated the kindness he had received himself.
“As a legendary broadcaster as he was, he was a better guy, devoted husband, father and friend, and he was always so generous to me.”
The tribute also made room for happier memories. Alongside the sadness of losing his friend, Garrett recalled the enjoyment of spending time with someone who could bring energy and humor into an ordinary day.
“He had an amazing spirit, he brightened every room he went into, and he was so funny. We had so much fun together. He told great stories.”
Those details made the remembrance feel personal. Garrett could speak about the voice audiences recognized, but he also knew the stories, jokes and conversations that never needed to reach a television audience.
His description gave viewers a sense of what he would miss. The laughter belonged in the tribute just as much as the praise for Hicks’ broadcasting work.
Garrett then shared an experience from Notre Dame’s campus that connected those memories with a larger question. A visit to the Grotto had provided time to pray for Hicks and his family. On the walk back, a sign caught his attention.
What he read brought his thoughts back to the same qualities he had described from the booth: kindness, generosity and the ability to improve someone else’s day.
A Notre Dame Campus Sign Reminds Garrett of His Friend
Garrett explained how the words on that sign became another way to remember his friend.
“Everyone went over to the Grotto here at Notre Dame to light a candle and say a prayer for him and his fam, and I was walking back and there was a sign on Notre Dame’s campus that said, ‘What does it mean to live a good life?’ And, I thought about Hicksy, you know, brightening people’s lives, and striving each day to make the world a better place, and that’s just who he was.”
The story brought Garrett’s remembrance back to where it began. He had opened by describing someone who embraced other people and their moments. The sign prompted him to consider the lasting meaning of that approach.
Together, the tribute from the booth and the memory from his walk across campus offered a warm portrait of Hicks. Garrett remembered the broadcaster, the storyteller and the friend whose presence made their time together more enjoyable. His words gave viewers a chance to appreciate all three.
Dan Hicks’ Death Prompts Heartfelt NBC Moment at Notre Dame