Dick Vitale’s return to broadcasting put on hold after accident

Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale will not be returning to broadcasting next week after all.

Vitale announced Saturday that an accident at his Florida home has created “near-term physical limitations” and will prevent him from returning to broadcasting next week as planned.

The news comes one day after ESPN announced Vitale would call the Duke-Wake Forest men’s college basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston Salem, North Carolina, his first time on air since 2023.

Vitale, 85, has battled four different types of cancer in the past three and a half years. Most recently, he underwent surgery in the summer of 2024 after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer. Vitale announced on Jan. 8 that he was cancer-free.

Vitale said the accident at his home was not cancer-related.

“I’m devastated that I won’t be courtside with my ESPN buddy Dave O’Brien and with all the players and fans, especially because of the overwhelming response I received when news of my planned return was announced,” Vitale said. “I was anxiously awaiting the chance to feel the excitement and energy of a college basketball environment for the first time in nearly two years.”

Vitale added that he is expected to make a full recovery, but no timetable for his return to broadcasting has been made.

“Despite this latest setback, I feel blessed to have the support of my family, friends and ESPN teammates,” Vitale said. “I’m a lucky guy and as I’ve said before, I will continue to do whatever it takes to get back to calling the sport I love.”

In 2021, Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma, months after he had multiple surgeries to remove melanoma. In 2022, he announced he was cancer-free. Then in 2023, he was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer and underwent radiation.

Vitale’s last game assignment was nearly two years ago — on April 3, 2023, calling the international broadcast of the San Diego State vs. UConn national championship for ESPN. He announced he was cancer-free for the third time in November 2023.

Vitale joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season, just after ESPN’s launch, and called the network’s first major NCAA basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979. He has gone on to call well over 1,000 games and in September 2024, he was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.