Patrick “Seton” O’Connor, a longtime producer of The Dan Patrick Show, announced on Tuesday that he’s leaving his on-air role with the national sports radio show.
“It doesn’t mean that I’m leaving The Dan Patrick Show entirely, it means I’m not doing the radio show anymore,” O’Connor explained on Tuesday. “So I’m going to leave the radio show to focus on sort of a different side of the business that I’m hoping to grow and build out a little more. So I’ve kind of been thinking of it as I’m not walking out the door, I’m sort of building a new room on this house.”
After 6,766 shows, O’Connor had his final day in the role on Friday. It was an emotional day for O’Connor, Dan Patrick, and the rest of the crew.
The Dan Patrick Show shared a nine-minute sign-off video in which O’Connor explained his move and his plans going forward.
“There’s a couple of reasons why I’m making this move now, both personally and professionally,” O’Connor began. “Professionally, it’s just the right time. The next step for me, post-Dan Patrick Show, this is sort of where I’m heading. Personally, one of the things that has been awesome about this show is that we’ve all grown with it, and that includes our families. My son is 16 now, and his life has taken him to really incredible places. So proud of the young man that he’s become, and I want to be there for all of it. For all of his life.”
“I’ve always tried to put my family first, ahead of my career, or money, or anything like that. But now, we’ve grown the show to a place where I don’t really have to choose that anymore,” O’Connor continued, while getting emotional. “I’m really thankful to Dan for letting me have this opportunity and supporting me in it. His role in this is massive and greatly appreciated not just by me, but by my family.”
“I think what I’m most looking forward to in this new role is building something,” O’Connor explained. “That’s really always been what’s sort of gotten me going. I think that’s one of the things that actually appealed to me about leaving ESPN in 2007 and getting to Dan’s attic was building a show from nothing. It didn’t exist, and now we just made it. So, now I feel like I get to do that again. Same show, but sort of a different dimension, maybe. Different tools. I look at it more like I’m not walking out the door; I’m building a new room to this house. You know what’s crazy, though, is that I’m 48 right now, and Dan was right around my age when we were all starting in the attic. And now, today, I’m building a studio in the third floor of my house to do, I don’t know, something similar, I guess.”
“I’m incredibly proud of the show,” O’Connor said. “I’m so proud of everything that we’ve built together… I’m just blown away that it’s been this long. It’s incredibly rare to have a show last this long and keep most of the same personnel together. I think that really speaks to the core of the show… I hope to, in this next chapter, continue that… If you’ve been with us, whether it’s since the attic or last Tuesday, you should follow me with that. I’m not leaving the show; I’m just adding on to it a little bit in a different respect. So, you’re going to want to follow us for this. It’s very much a natural extension of what we’ve already been doing. And it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be exciting. And you get to watch it all happen in real time. So, stick with us.”
Will Ferrell and Rich Eisen were among the guests on Friday’s show to send well wishes to O’Connor.
“I just wanted to wish you the best,” Ferrell said. “That trip to Ireland, meeting up with you guys was one of the most fun things I’ve ever gotten to do. We spent some fun conversations talking about your son, and his journey, and playing soccer. I love that you’re taking the time to do all that… You’re building a room onto the house, right? The question is, do you have a proper contractor’s license? That’s what I want to know.”
“You would always have a smile on your face, and just be chill and present. And just being awesome, dude,” Eisen said. “I’ve always enjoyed listening and watching you. And I just wanted to come on the show and tell that to you.”
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.