Dan Miller (sportscaster)

Dan Miller (born 1963) is an American sportscaster based in Detroit, Michigan. He currently works as the sports director and anchor on WJBK ("Fox 2") and as a radio play-by-play announcer on the Detroit Lions Radio Network.

Childhood
Miller was born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in Northern Virginia. It was there he fell in love with sports. He played several sports as a child such as basketball, football, and baseball. He says his father wasn't a sports fan but he always took him to his games and practices.

High school
As a teenager, Miller often attended Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins games with his father, who was a season ticket holder to the latter, even though "he didn't even know how to keep score", according to Miller. He also never missed one of his basketball, baseball or football games when Miller was on the team.

Early career
Upon graduating high school, Miller (with the help of a friend who also worked there), got a job at Mutual Radio Network affiliates WJLA and WTEM as a college student to help as an engineer for their weekend sportscasts. At the job interview, he was asked if he knew how to edit audio tape. He lied and said he could. He kept the job for 11 years.

In 1992, Miller got a job at WTNT ("Sports Radio 570") in Washington, D.C. as an overnight talk show host and Washington Redskins beat reporter. He only worked there for 3 months.

In 1994 he got his first job in TV at WTTG as host of the Washington Redskins pre-game show. In 1995 he got a job at WJLA-TV as weekend sports anchor.

From 1994−1997, Miller was a play-by-play announcer for NFL on Fox's regional broadcasts.

Television
In 1997 he joined Detroit's WJBK (Fox 2) as sports director and on-air personality. He is the currently the sports director, sports anchor and host of weekly sports discussion show Sports Works on the station. Miller's voice can also be heard announcing during The Ford Lions Report when Lions highlights clips are shown. The program is broadcast statewide in Michigan.

Miller also regularly appears via satellite to discuss the Lions on NFL Network's pre-game show NFL Game Day Morning during the "Word on the Street" segment.

Radio
Since 2005, Miller has been the radio play-by-play announcer for the NFL's Detroit Lions. as well the host of their official pre-game discussion show The Lions Roundtable on the Detroit Lions Radio Network teaming with long-time color commentator Jim Brandstatter, and sideline reporter Tony Ortiz. Miller replaced longtime Lions play-by-play man Mark Champion. This is not Miller's first stint as a Lions broadcaster, however; he was the play-by-play announcer for pre-season games on the Detroit Lions Television Network from 2001-2003.

Miller also hosts The Lions Review Show Mondays at 7:00 PM ET on WXYT-FM during the NFL season.

Community involvement and awards
Miller is an active member of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association founded in 1948 by pioneer Detroit Tigers announcer Ty Tyson. The Detroit Free Press named Miller the "best local TV sportscaster" for 2004.

Memorable calls

 * After the final game of the 0-16 2008 season, Miller eloquently summed up the whole year in a few sentences:

Clock ticks down here in Green Bay. The Lions find themselves in a very familiar position. For 16 weeks, starting in Atlanta back in September, they took the field thinking this was gonna be their day. Sixteen times they were wrong, and now there are no Sundays left. By record, they are the worst team in league history. Zero and 16, those are the numbers that will forever be associated with the Detroit Lions.


 * After the Lions defeated the Washington Redskins on September 27, 2009, snapping a 19 game losing streak, the 2nd longest in NFL history, Miller proclaimed:

Three receivers to the right side. They'll flood the right. The Lions showing three down linemen. Campbell out of the shotgun. Fourth-and-10. Eight seconds left. Campbell back, throws underneath. It's a hook and lateral and they get it ...to Betts, and Betts is going to be taken down. It's going to be a first down but it doesn't matter. Three zeros on the clock. Game over. Losing streak over. Nightmare over. The Lions win it, 19-14!


 * After the Lions defeated the Cleveland Browns on November 22, 2009, Miller proclaimed:

Stafford up under center. Last Play of the game. Takes the Snap. Rolls, throws, endzone. TOUCHDOWN DETROIT LIONS! BRANDON PETTIGREW! ROOKIE TO ROOKIE! What a finish! And the Lions are an extra point away from the win!


 * The final touchdown against the San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve 2011:

Rivers back to pass, and IT'S PICKED OFF! PICKED OFF BY THE LIONS! Cliff Avril takes it to the house! Not only that, he takes the Lions to the playoffs! That's it! Put it away! Put a bow on it! Merry Christmas everybody! Touchdown Detroit Lions!

Personal life
Miller is married and has 4 kids, 6 cats, and two dogs.