Ex-ESPN star Dan Patrick claims network launched 'frightening smear campaign' against him to ruin his show after shock exit

Dan Patrick has found plenty of success after departing ESPN in 2007, but not without enduring what he called a 'smear campaign' from the company.

Patrick became a fan favorite over the years as a 'SportsCenter' host, while also manning his eponymous radio show on ESPN Radio.

But he claims he was subjected to some 'frightening' tactics when he finally decided to leave the company after nearly two decades there. 

'Because there was this smear campaign that started. Any radio affiliate that had my show, you'd be dropped as an ESPN affiliate if you decided you still wanted to carry me,' he said on Pardon my Take.

'It was heavy-handed, but I understood. It empowered me. Like, 'Holy, s***. I'm gonna matter. They're gonna have to deal with me.'

'In my mind, I loved David against Goliath,' he continued. 'I'm sure they didn't care, but in my mind, I would tell the Danettes [his colleagues], 'These motherf***ers, man, we're coming after them.' I don't think anybody was shaking in their boots because we were doing our little show.'

Patrick's new version of the 'Dan Patrick Show' has gone onto to become a huge success, and is nationally syndicated.

However, he told Pardon My Take co-hosts Dan 'Big Cat' Katz and PFT Commenter (real name: Eric Sollenberger) that he's previously advised ex-colleagues not to leave ESPN.

'I probably had four people - one a big name and the other three were recognizable names - they wanted to know about leaving,' Patrick said on the podcast.

'And I said, 'Don't leave…it's a million to even larger odds than that.' I was doing the show in my attic for three years. We didn't have it made. 

'There was a six-month period where I made sure the Danettes cashed their checks cause I didn't know if we were gonna make payroll. We changed ownership, and that changed everything for us, but it was not a success story.'

Patrick, 69, initially joined ESPN in 1989.

He previously suggested that he would retire from sports broadcasting in 2027.