Sportscaster Dan Patrick, perhaps the most popular ESPN personality ever, is leaving the network after 18 years.

Patrick, who has been with the network for 18 years, announced on his radio show Monday that he will appear on air for the last time Aug. 17. Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president for production, made a simultaneous announcement.

A news release said that the mutual agreement will allow Patrick to pursue new interests outside of ESPN.

Patrick claims he lost his passion for the job:

“It’s been home, but I think I was starting to take it for granted, and I did not want to do that,” Patrick said on the air. “I did not think that was fair to these great people.”

Hopefully he will continue his radio show. It will be nice to hear him uncensored since he seems to have bit his tongue about the NBA, NFL and other sports that ESPN has big money deals to broadcast live games.