Pat Caputo has died. The longtime Detroit sports media figure lost his battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer according to a social media post from his family.
What We Know: Caputo had publicly revealed his diagnosis in January, calling the disease a “death sentence.” Caputo spent 37 years at The Oakland Press and was a fixture on Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket’s Evening Sports program. He had been absent from both outlets since late 2025.
What They Said: His family posted a brief, direct statement via X “Today May 7th we lost Pat to cancer. Pat was surrounded by his family. Thank you for all your support. The Caputo Family.”
97.1 The Ticket Host Rico Beard “As you all you know, he’s been off the air for a little bit of time. Unfortunately, Pat is now gone. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family. It’s going to be a tough loss.”
97.1 The Ticket Host Mike Valenti “Just awful. Cancer can go straight to hell. It’s affected my family, and affected everyone’s family. It’s the absolute worst. Rest in peace.”
What Remains Unclear: No details about services or memorial plans are public.
What It Means: Detroit sports media has lost one of its most enduring voices. Caputo covered Michigan’s teams with passion and depth for four decades. His absence will leave a real void for listeners and readers who grew up with his perspective. Few local sports journalists matched his longevity or his direct, knowledgeable style. On behalf of Barrett Media, we extend the family and friend of Pat Caputo our thoughts and prayers.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
